Interpretation and Multiperspectivity of Historical Accounts

First Mass Cavite Mutiny

Team Limasawa Team Butuan Filipino Version Spanish Version

- Francisco Albo joined the Magellan expedition as a pilot
("contramaestre") in Magellan's flagship "Trinidad".
- One of the eighteen survivors who returned with
Sebastian Elcano on the "Victoria" after having
circumnavigated the world.
- Albo does not mention the first Mass, but only the
planting of the cross upon a mountain-top from which
could be seen three islands to the west and southwest.
This also fits the southern end of Limasawa. It does not fit
the coast of Butuan from which no islands could be seen
to the south or the southwest, but only towards the
north.
- Albo was a member of the expedition and was therefore
an eyewitness of the principal events which he describes,
including the first Mass in what is now known as the
Philippine Archipelago, but which Magellan called the
Islands of Saint Lazarus.
- "We remained there seven days," says Pigafetta. Every
day is accounted for. The Mass on Easter Sunday was
celebrated on that island of Mazaua, and not in Butuan or
elsewhere.
-Butuan claim rests upon a tradition that was almost
unanimous and unbroken for three centuries, namely the
17th, the 18th and the 19th. They believe that the first
mass took place in Masao, Butuan which is located in
Agusan Del Norte in Mindanao.
-The date given for the first Mass (8 April 1521) may be an
obvious error, or it may be a clumsy and anachronistic
attempt to translate the original date in terms of the
Gregorian calendar.
-The Butuan tradition was already in possession by the
middle of the 17th century: so much so that it was
accepted without question by two Jesuit historians who
otherwise were quite careful of their facts.
-Monument was erected in 1872 near the mouth of the
Agusan River at a spot that was then within the municipal
boundaries of Butuan, but which today belongs to the
separate municipality of Magallanes, named after
Ferdinand Magellan.
-Fr.F. Colin S.J (1592-1660) and Fr.F. Combes (1520-1665)
They are not witnesses and accounts are published way
after the date of first mass happened in 1521.
- For Dr. Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera, the incident is simply
a mutiny by the dissatisfied native Filipino soldiers and
laborers.
- On the night of January 20, 1872, there were forty marines
and twenty-two artillerymen under Sergeant La Madrid who
joined the uprising. It was also believed that the entire
garrison in Cavite, who was dissatisfied, probably joined the
group.
- Gen. Izquierdo sent the commanding general to Cavite,
where the mutiny took place and he reinforced the troops,
took possession of the fort, and killed the rebels.
- The Madrid authorities do not have the time to conduct a
thorough investigation of the facts or the extent of the so-
called revolution. Thus, the Madrid Government assumed
that throughout the island, a scheme was made to bring
down the Spanish rule. The persecution conducted by
Governor Izquierdo has relied on false assumptions and
unfounded accusations of Filipino people as desirous of
independence. Many of the best known Filipinos,
Spaniards born in the islands, men of mixed-race, and
Philippine Malays were persecuted and punished without
any distinction by the military authorities; which many
innocent men became victims of persecution.
- Jose Montero y Vidal exaggerated the mutiny of disgruntled
native soldiers and laborers for having a sedition movement
to overthrow the Spanish rule.
- The uprising was set on the 20th of January, 1872, the signal
of conspirators was the firing of the rockets. On the same
day, it was a coincidence that a feast was happening at the
Sampaloc and had fireworks displayed for the celebration,
which they mistook as the signal for revolt. At nine-thirty on
the night of the 20th, two hundred native soldiers under
Sergeant La Madrid began the up rise.
- D. Felipe Ginoves wanted to avoid unnecessary bloodshed,
so he demanded a rendition to the Filipino natives. After
waiting the entire day for the rebels to surrender, Ginoves
ordered an assault killing most of the rebels and imprisoning
the rest.
- Several people were named as instigators of the revolt that
were pointed out by the captured prisoners. The majority of
the rebels were sentenced to death and others were
sentenced to life imprisonment.

Which is more credible? Why? Which is more credible? Why?

The first mass in the Philippines took place in Limasawa, not in Butuan. It is not just because of the lack of evidence The Cavite mutiny of 1872 was an uprising of Filipino military personnel of Fort San Felipe, the Spanish arsenal in
but because of the inconsistency of facts as well. Take for an instance the inconsistency of Magellan’s route, the Cavite, [1]:107 Philippine Islands (then also known as part of the Spanish East Indies) on January 23, 1872. Around
date, and also the spellings of places and persons involved as presented by the various historians supporting the 200 locally recruited colonial troops and laborers rose up in the belief that it would elevate to a national uprising.
Butuan tradition. Because of the lack of supporting evidences, historians found out that the Butuan tradition is
invalid thereby coming up with a better tradition: the Limasawa tradition. Although the Limasawa tradition came
after the Butuan, it was proven with evidences that the first mass in the Philippines took place in Limasawa Island
in Visayas on March 31, 1521. It was also affirmed that in the same date, Magellan with his troops planted a cross
on the same site (Cebu Living: The good life in the Beautiful Island, 2006). The tradition, unlike the other, is
supported with a number of solid proofs which includes the Albo’s log book, evidences of Pigafetta, and the
evidence from Legaspi’s expedition.