Katipunan

The Katipunan was a secret society founded in the Philippines by Andrés Bonifacio to liberate the country from Spanish rule. The name Katipunan is actually a shorter version of the official name, which is in Tagalog: Kataas-taasang, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng̃ mg̃á Anak ng̃ Bayan (Kataas -taasang, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan nang manga Anak nang Bayan —roughly translated as 'Supreme and Venerable Association of the Sons of the People'—). The Katipunan is also known by its acronym, KKK (not to be confused with the Ku Klux Klan). Katipunan is a term that means society, the Tagalog root word is tipon which means to collect. The Katipunan was founded after the arrest of the main members of La Liga Filipina, an organization founded by Dr. José Rizal and of which Andrés Bonifacio was a member.

Rizal and the peaceful reforms

The League, made up mainly of middle-class intellectuals, advocated peaceful reforms. The suppression of the League by the Spanish regime showed Bonifacio the futility of peaceful reforms under the Spanish mandate. The armed revolution of the Katipunan began in August 1896, after the existence of the group was discovered by the authorities. The Spanish government blamed Rizal for the uprising, because the Katipunan considered him their honorary president, and sentenced him to death by firing squad on December 30, 1896. Rizal's execution however added fire to the rebellion; the Katipuneros (Katipunan fighters) shouted "Mabuhay (Long live José Rizal)" like a battle cry Despite this, Rizal had separated from the Katipunan due to his Masonic influences that clashed against his Christian faith, although Rizal was very anti-clerical.

Kakarong Republic and Maestrong Sebio or Dimabungo

In 1896, members of the Katipunan had founded the Republic of Kakarong in the town of Kakarong de Sili (Kakarong Real or Caracóng de Sile) in the province of Bulacan, Luzon Island. They were led by Canuto Villanueva as supreme chief and General Eusebio Roque (known as Maestrong Sebio or Dimabungo) , who commanded an army of between 3,000 and 6,000 men, and had constituted a true fortress -City (General Gregorio del Pilar, at that time a lieutenant of the Katipunan, would participate in the combat). Upon learning of this, the Spanish government launched an offensive and on January 1, 1897, Commander José Olaguer Feliú, commanding a column of 600 Spanish soldiers, stormed the fortification of Caracóng de Sile, defeating the katipuneros.

Faction and Boniface

This sword is believed to have been used by a Katipunan officer.

During the course of the revolution against Spain, a fracture opened between the Magdiwang faction (led by General Mariano Álvarez and loyal to Bonifacio) and the Magdalo faction (led by General Baldomero Aguinaldo, cousin of General Emilio Bonus). At the Tejeros convention, Bonifacio's proposal to preside over the Katipunan was unsuccessful, appointing him instead to the Secretary of the Interior. When one of the members of Magdalo's faction (Daniel Tirona) tried to discredit Bonifacio for his lack of education and inappropriateness for the position, Bonifacio became extremely disgusted, even going to the point of shooting him with his gun. stir. He thereupon he left the venue declaring the results of the convention null and void. Bonifacio would later be arrested by order of General Aguinaldo and executed on May 10, 1897.

In the Pact of Biak-na-Bató, General Aguinaldo agreed with the Spanish Governor General to end hostilities and voluntarily went into exile in Hong Kong. The peace treaty soon collapsed and hostilities resumed. Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines at the beginning of the Spanish-American War. He believed that the United States would be an ally in the fight against Spain, and declared Philippine independence from Spain on June 12, 1898. Fears that the United States really had imperialist ambitions were confirmed when Philippine representation was denied in the Treaty. of Paris (1898), whereupon the Philippines were ceded by Spain to the United States for twenty million US dollars. Hostilities soon broke out between Filipino and US forces. The fighting ended after Aguinaldo's capture at Palanan, Isabela. He convinced the rest of the Katipunan forces to abandon the fight. One Filipino general after another surrendered to the Americans. Other Katipunan generals, however, continued to fight, particularly General Macario Sakay.

Members of the society were bound by an oath to secrecy. The last step of the initiation as a member consisted of writing his name in a book with his own blood.

Photograph by the end of the centuryXIX with Filipino Katipuneros rebels.

Notable Katipuneros

• Emilio Aguinaldo
• Andrés Bonifacio
• Emilio Jacinto
• Gergoria de Jesus
• Mariano Llanera
• Antonio Luna
• Apolinario Mabini
• Miguel Malvar
• Arcadio Maxilom
• Simeon Ola
• Gregorio del Pilar
• Luciano San Miguel
• Mariano Trías
• Eusebio Roque, Maestrong Sebio or Dimabungo
• Mamerto Nativity

Katipuneros who supported from abroad

• José Sabas Libornio Ibarra

At the movies

• 1898: The last of the Philippines