The Cavite Mutiny

1. Brief overview
A. what is the Cavite Mutiny?
 The Cavite mutiny of 1872 was an Upraising of the Filipino military personnel of
fort san Felipe. The Spanish arsenal Cavite 107 Philippine Island on 20 January
1872. Around 200 locally recruited colonial troops and laborers rose up in the
belief that it would elevate to a national uprising. The mutiny was unsuccessful,
and government soldiers executed many of the participant and began to crack
down on a burgeoning Philippines nationalist movement. Many scholars believed
that Cavite mutiny was the beginning of the Filipino nationalism that would
eventually lead to the Philippine Revolution of 1896.
B. What are the general events that led to the martyrdom of the
GOMBURZA?
 First event on January 20, 1872 two hundred Filipinos Employed at the Cavite
arsenal staged a revolt against the Spanish government voiding of their
exemptions from the payment of tributes. The Cavite Mutiny led to persecution of
prominent Filipinos secular priest Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora who would then
be collectively named GOMBURZA were tagged as the masterminds of the
uprising. The priest we’re charged with treason and sedition by the Spanish
military tribunal a ruling believed to be part of a conspiracy to stifle the growing
popularity of Filipino secular priest and the threat they posed to the Spanish.
 Second event is the late in the night of the 15th of February 1872 a Spanish court
martial found three secular priest GOMBURZA guilty of treason as the instigator
of a mutiny in the Cavite navy yard a month before and sentenced them to death.
 The last event the archbishop of manila refused to defrock them and ordered the
bells of every church to toll in honor of their deaths. The sword in this instance
denied the moral justification of the cross. The martyrdom of the three secular
priests would resonate among Filipinos grief and outrage over their execution
would make way for the first stirrings of the Filipino revolution, thus making the
first secular martyrs of a nascent national identity.
2. People involved
A. who was Fernando La Madrid?
 Fernando La Madrid was a mestizo sergeant who led the mutiny after Spanish
authorities subjected his co-soldiers at engineering and artillery corps to personal
taxes from which they had previously been exempted. The taxes obliged them to
pay a monetary sum and to do the “Polo y Servicio” or forced labor.
B. Who was Trinidad H. Pardo De Tavera?
 Trinidad Tavera was a Filipino physician, historian and politician of Spanish and
Portuguese descent. Trinidad also known by his name T.H Pardo de Tavera, was
known for his writings about different aspects of Philippine culture.
C. Who was Jose Montero y Vidal?
  Jose Montero is a Spanish historian who interpreted that the Mutiny was an
attempt to remove and overthrow the Spanish colonizers in the Philippines. His
account corroborated with the account of governor- general Rafael Izquidero, the
governor-general of the Philippines island during the mutiny.
D. Who was Carlos Maria de la Torre y Navacerrada?
 Carlos de la Torre was a Spanish soldier and politician. He served as governor-
general of the Philippines from 1869-1971 and is considered to be most beloved
of the Spanish governors-general ever assign in the Philippines.
E. Who was Rafael Geronimo Cayetano Izquierdo y Gutierrez?
 Rafael Izquierdo was a Spanish military officer, politician and statesman. He
served as governor-general of the Philippines from April 4, 1871 to January 8,
1873.
F. Who was Fr. Mariano Gomez?
 Mariano Gomez often referred to by his original birth name Mariano Gomez de
los Angeles, was a Filipino Catholic priest who was falsely accused of mutiny by
the Spanish colonial authorities in the Philippines in the 19th century.
G. Who Fr. Jose Burgos?
 Jose Burgos was a Filipino catholic priest accused by mutiny by the Spanish
colonial authorities in the Philippines in the 19th century. He was tried and
executed in manila along with two other clergymen, Mariano Gomez and Jacinto
Zamora who are collectively known as the GOMBURZA.
H. Who was Fr. Jacinto Zamora?
 Jacinto Zamora was a Filipino catholic priest, part of the GOMBURZA, a trio of
priest who were falsely accused of mutiny by the Spanish colonial authorities in
the Philippines in the 19th century.
I. Who was Francisco Zaldua?
 Francisco Zaldua a Colombian president born in Bogota, was distinguished
professor of law and an active member of the Liberal party. He served frequently
in congress and in other positions and presided over the constituent convention
of Rionegro 1863.
3. Evidence submitted
A. What evidence did the Filipino side submit to the court?
 Cavite mutiny brief upraising of 200 Filipino troops and workers at the Cavite
arsenal, which became the excuse for Spanish repression of the embryonic
Philippine nationalist movement. Ironically, the harsh reaction of the Spanish
authorities served ultimately to promote the nationalist cause.
B. What were pieces of evidence presented by the prosecution (Spanish
friars)?
 The Spanish friars were the crucial elements in the westernizing of the
Philippines archipelago and in spreading the Cristian faith in that part of the
world. Journeying with the first European explorers to these Island in the far east,
they came with the intention of establishing Catholicism under the Patronato real
of the kings of Spain.
C. How did the governor general interpret the event?
  One hundred and forty years ago on January 20, 1872 about 200 Filipino military
personnel of fort San Felipe arsenal in Cavite, staged a mutiny which in a way
led to the Philippine revolution in 1896. The Cavite mutiny was precipitated by
the removal of long- standing personal benefits to the workers such as tax and
forced labor exemptions on order from the governor general Rafael de Izquierdo.

4. Aftermath
A. What happen after the event?
 In the aftermath of the mutiny, all Filipinos soldiers were disarmed and later sent
into exile in Mindanao. Those suspected of supporting the mutineers were
arrested and executed. The mutiny was used by the Spanish colonial
government and Spanish friars to implicate three Filipinos priest GOMBURZA.
B. How did Rizal use this event in writing his novel?
 Jose Rizal dedicated his novel El Filibusteresmo to the three priest Gomez,
Burgos and Zamora who executed at Bagumbayan field on February 17, 1872.