READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

CAVITE MUTINY
Presented by
Dela Cruz, Rose Anne O.
Espela, Marianne Jade
Ganaden, Ychiro
Ibardaloza, Kien Zrel
Ilagan, Christine Jill
Lamata, Rolene Mae
Paclibar, Dwail Ann
Ramirez, Ranmhel Reigh
Reloj, Meiko Zane
Roquero, Jan Mhaulkie
Serafico, Jhon Francis
INTRODUCTION

A mutiny is a form of rebellion against authority. It comes from the Latin word
"mutine" which means revolt.

The Cavity mutiny of 1872 is a significant event for Philippine Revolution. It is the
beginning of Filipino nationalism. It was an uprising of Filipino military personnel of
Fort San Felipe, the Spanish arsenal in Cavite on January 20, 1872.

The mutiny was promptly put down, but the Spanish authorities, led by reactionary
governor Rafael de Izquierdo, exaggerated the episode and used it as a reason to crack
down on Filipinos who were pushing for reform. Several Filipino intellectuals were
apprehended and charged with collaborating with the mutineers. Three priests, José
Burgos, Jacinto Zamora, and Mariano Gómez, were publicly executed after a brief trial.

The Cavite mutiny has two versions; Filipino and Spanish.

 Cavite Mutiny

TRINIDAD HERMENEGILDO JOSÉ MARÍA JUAN FRANCISCO

PARDO DE TAVERA Y GORRICHO
- and -
EDMUND PLAUCHUT
Profile
TRINIDAD PARDO DE TAVERA

WRITER, PHYSICIAN, NATURALIST,

HISTORIAN

Deputy Prime Minister of the Philippines in

1899

writer of the Filipino version of Cavite mutiny

Profile
EDMUND PLAUCHUT

FRENCH WRITER, TRAVELER JOURNALIST

writer of the Filipino version of Cavite mutiny

 The Cavity Mutiny as told by Pardo de Tavera was a mere mutiny by the

FILIPINO native soldiers and laborers of Cavite arsenal who then were dissatisfied
by the abolition of their privileges; tax exemption and forced labor (polo y

Version
servicio).

The main cause of the mutiny, according to Tavera and Plauchut, was Gov.
Gen. Izquierdo's cold-blooded policies, which included the revocation of
privileges and prohibition of the founding of schools of arts and trades.

On January 20, 1872, a group of roughly 200 soldiers, arsenal workers, and
Cavite locals led by Sergeant Lamadrid rose out in arms and assassinated
the commanding officer and all Spanish officers in sight. Unfortunately,
the insurgents did not receive assistance from the majority of the army.
When word of the mutiny reached Manila, Gen. Izquierdo ordered the
reinforcement of Spanish troops in Cavite right away. The revolt was
officially proclaimed over after two days.

January 20, the day of the revolt, was payday and the laborers found the
amount of taxes as well as the corresponding fee in lieu of the forced
labor deducted from their pay envelopes. It was the last straw. That night
they mutinied. Forty infantry soldiers and twenty men from the artillery
took over command of the Fort of San Felipe and fired cannonades to
announce to the world their moment of triumph. It was a short-lived
victory.
Tavera also believed that the Spanish friars and Izquierdo used Cavite
mutiny as a powerful lever to overthrow Spanish Government by
exacerbating it as a full-blown conspiracy to control not only the native
army but also residents of Cavite, Manila and most importantly the native
clergy. It is noteworthy that the Central Government in Madrid announced
its intentions to deprive all the powers of intervention of friars in terms of
government and educational institutions.

This turnout events stimulated the friars to do something drasticin the dir
desire to maintain power. The friars, fearing that their influence would be
a thing the past, took advantage of the incident and presented it to the
Spanish Government as a vast conspiracy organized throughout the
archipelago with the object of destroying Spanish sovereignty.

Convicted educated men who participated in the mutiny were sentenced

life imprisonment while members of the native clergy headed by the
GOMBURZA were tried and executed by garrote. This episode leads to the
awakening of nationalism and eventually to the outbreak of Philippine
Revolution of 1896.

FILIPINO VERSION AS TOLD BY TAVERA

 Cavite Mutiny

JOSÉ ANTONIO JULIÁN MONTERO Y VIDAL

-and-
GOVERNOR GENERAL RAFAEL GERÓNIMO CAYETANO
IZQUIERDO Y GUTIÉRREZ
Profile
JOSE MONTERO Y VIDAL

WRITER, POLITICIAN, GEOGRAPHER,

HISTORIAN

Civil Governor of Philippines

writer of the Spanish version of Cavite

mutiny

Profile
RAFAEL IZQUIERDA

GENERAL GOVERNOR OF PHILIPPINES

1871-1873

Reports on Cavite mutiny

 Spanish Version
Jose Montero y Vidal documented the event and emphasized that
the mutiy was attempt of the Indios to overthrow the Spanish
government. Meanwhile, Gov. Gen. Rafael Izquierdo exaggerated
the event and made use of it to implicate the native clergy, which
was then was active in the call for secularization.

The two accounts complemented and corroborated one another,

with the exception that the general's report was more scathing.
Initially, both Montero and Izquierdo stated that the elimination of
privileges enjoyed by Cavite arsenal workers such as non-payment
of tributes and exemption from forced labor were the primary
reasons for the "revolution," as they dubbed it.

The two deemed that the mutiny was premeditated, a big

conspiracy among educated leaders, lawyers, meztizos and
residents of Cavite and Manila. They insinuated that the
conspirators of Manila and Cavite planned to liquidate high-ranking
Spanish officers to be followed by the massacre of the friars.
According to the two, on January 20, 1872, the district of Sampaloc celebrated the feast
of the Virgin of Loreto, unfortunately participants to the feast celebrated the occasion
with the usual fireworks displays. Allegedly, those in Cavite mistook the fireworks as
the sign for the attack, and just like what was agreed upon, the 200-men contingent
headed by Sergeant Lamadrid launched an attack targeting Spanish officers at sight
and seized the arsenal.
When the news reached the iron-fisted Gov. Izquierdo, he immediately ordered the
reinforcement of Spanish forces in Cavite to put down the rebellion. When the expected
reinforcement from Manila did not arrive, the "revolution" was easily crush.

Major instigators, including Sergeant Lamadrid, were killed in the clash, while the
GOMBURZA were tried and sentenced to death by strangulation by a court-martial.
Patriots such as Joaquin Pardo de Tavera and Antonio Ma Regidor, Jose and Pio Basa,
and other abogadillos were barred from practicing law by the Audencia (High Court),
arrested, and sentenced to life imprisonment on Marianas Island. Furthermore,
Governor Izquierdo disbanded the native artillery regiments and directed the formation
of an artillery force comprised entirely of Peninsulares.

On 17 February 1872 in an attempt of the Spanish government and Frailocracia to instill

fear among the Filipinos so that they may never commit such daring act again, the
GOMBURZA were executed. This event was tragic but served as one of the moving
forces that shaped Filipino nationalism.

SPANISH VERSION - CAVITE MUTINY

 FILIPINO VERSION SPANISH VERSION
It is a mere mutiny. It is premeditated to overthrow Spanish

Government.
The mutiny is due to the abolition of

the privileges of laborers of arsenal Other causes were enumerated by them

and prohibition of founding of school including the Spanish Revolution dirty
of arts and trades. propagandas and most importantly, the

presence of the native clergy who out of
Tavera pointed out that Gov. Gen. animosity against the Spanish friars, “conspired
Izquierdo used the mutiny to blame and supported” the rebels and enemies of
the three martyrs, Gombuza, and the Spain.
native clergy.

The celebration at Sampaloc is a pre-concerted
The Central Government in Madrid did signal among the conspirators of Manila and
not conduct any further investigation Cavite.
regarding the facts or extent of the

alleged "revolution" as reported by The revolution was easily crushed as expected

Gov. gen. Izquierdo. reinforcements from Manila did not come
ashore.

 Considering the accounts of the 1872 Mutiny, there were some basic facts that
remained to be unvarying:
1) There was dissatisfaction among the workers of the arsenal as well as the

Unraveling members of the native army after their privileges were drawn back by Gen.
Izquierdo;

the 2) Gen. Izquierdo introduced rigid and strict policies that made the Filipinos move
and turn away from Spanish government out of disgust;

TRUTH 3) The Central Government failed to conduct an investigation on what truly

transpired but relied on reports of Izquierdo and the friars and the opinion of the
public;

4) The happy days of the friars were already numbered in 1872 when the Central
Government in Spain decided to deprive them of the power to intervene in
government affairs as well as in the direction and management of schools
prompting them to commit frantic moves to extend their stay and power;

5) The Filipino clergy members actively participated in the secularization

movement in order to allow Filipino priests to take hold of the parishes in the
country making them prey to the rage of the friars;

6) Filipinos during the time were active participants, and responded to what they
deemed as injustices;

7) The execution of GOMBURZA was a blunder on the part of the Spanish

government, for the action severed the ill-feelings of the Filipinos and the event
inspired Filipino patriots to call for reforms and eventually independence.

There may be different versions of the event, but one thing is certain, the 1872
Cavite Mutiny paved way for a momentous 1898.
 REFERENCES:
Piedad-Pugay, C.A (2012, SEPTEMBER 5), The Two Faces of the 1872 Cavite Mutiny.
Retrieved from https://nhcp.gov.ph/the-two-faces-of-the-1872-cavite-mutiny/

Koh, Eusebio, (2012, February 20), The 1872 Cavite Mutiny, Retrieved from
https://filipinojournal.com/the-1872-cavite-mutiny/

Batoon, (2021, March 10), Cavite Mutiny (Tagalog Discussion) Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81-aQbtj4Ho&t=827s

WHAT HAPPEND IN THE CAVITE MUTINY?