The Passing Scene

A Commentary

By JOSE SISON LUZADAS

Delray Beach, FL

LOOKING BACK is not just an expression, it is the title Prof Ambeth Ocampo uses in his column writing for the INQ7.NET. Ocampo is currently the most popular among the new breed of writers and historians to interpret Philippine historic events. Currently he teaches history and the dean of the History Department at the Ateneo de Manila University.

By “LOOKING BACK” at our history, let us rewind to comment the events leading to the1897 Tejeros Convention using as primary source of information a Filipino eyewitness on the alleged brutal treatment applied by Andres Bonifacio and his brothers to members of the religious orders Fathers, Echegoyen, a Recollect, Cardenas and Piernavieja, Augustinians and anonymous lay brother who were taken captives then later executed.

Maybe, I expect too much from Mr. Ambeth Ocampo to enlighten the readers when the author-historian citing the memoirs of Telesforo Canseco, a caretaker of the Augustinian hacienda and quote, "Canseco even alleged that Aguinaldo wanted to remove Bonifacio and Alvarez from office but the latter was a relative:"

How can Aguinaldo remove Bonifacio when this incident happened long before the Tejeros Convention when Bonifacio was the big honcho exercising full control on the directions of the Katipunan? Andres Bonifacio was the first and last supremo of the Katipunan and at that time Aguinaldo was the acknowledged head of the Magdalo faction taking commands and orders from Supremo Andres Bonifacio. Was he not?

Andres Bonifacio agreed to attend the Tejeros Convention to mediate the internal friction and rivalry between his Magdiwang followers and the Magdalos of Aguinaldo. He did not even show up in Bagumbayan (Luneta) to witness the death execution of Dr. Jose Rizal whose name was the rallying cry of his men.

Here is another Canseco's one-sided observation that I expect Mr. Ocampo to give interesting views on Filipino character to his readers: "Since Aguinaldo treated all the Spanish and native prisoners with great consideration, he easily won the goodwill of all, being elected president shortly afterwards."

The Katipuneros who gathered in Tejeros expecting for a clean election pitting Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Aguinaldo to head a revolutionary government to replace the ineffective” Katipunan were subjected to hearing rumors and innuendos about the reputation and unsavory character leveled against Bonifacio as “womanizer”. He was also accused of defrauding the Katipunan money. As it turned out Bonifacio lost the presidency to Aguinaldo to which the latter did not even show up at the convention hall!

But the worst humiliation received by the man who founded the Katipunan was when Bonifacio was nominated for the position of Interior minister. A Magdalo member from Cavite questioned and insulted the education of the unschooled Bonifacio that angered him and lost his temper. Had it not for that brave Ilocano general, Artemio Ricarte, as he grabbed the gun, Bonifacio could have killed the Caviteno who was taunting him.

I was hoping Ambeth to shed light that although Bonifacio may be an idealistic patriot founding a violent military organization, he was an amateur in political maneuverings. His low education can be a factor as he did not think of a neutral ground but instead agreed to have the meeting in Aguinaldo's backyard. Why not somewhere in Bulacan or Nueva Ecija rather than Tejeros, Cavite?

Failing in this strategy, it was no contest on who will lead the Philippine Revolution. General Emilio Aguinaldo was not even in the convention when elected president, thanks to the people of Cavite. The author did not make an effort to cite regionalism and what "hometown decision" factor can do to decide an election contest.

With the harsh and humiliating treatment he received from the Cavitenos, Bonifacio was driven like an amok that he could not bear the insults carried out to repudiate his leadership. Still believing his reputation as Katipunan founder could command sentiment, loyalty and respect, Bonifacio declared all deliberations in the meeting null and void but not to Aguinaldo and his followers. But too late, he was wrong to realize the hometown psychology of “kababayan muna”, meaning, Cavitenos voting a fellow Caviteno like Aguinaldo” is first of all a priority for any man born in Cavite. The Tejeros gathering was nothing less nothing more but a story of betrayal and power struggle that turned violent.

Recall in your readings that Dr. Jose Rizal expressed his fear in his novel, the FILI when his FILI character, a retired native priest, Father Florentino watching the failed rebel leader, Simoun dying carrying the revolution with him, became Rizal’s alter ego sadly commented: "WHAT GOOD IS INDEPENDENCE IF THE SLAVES OF TODAY ARE THE TYRANTS OF TOMORROW!”

Rizal himself did not see that “TOMORROW” and the same “TOMORROW” cost the life of Andres Bonifacio in Mt. Buntis, Cavite and Antonio Luna in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija.

… AND THE REST IS HISTORY!