MODULE 7 – RPH
THE TEJEROS ASSEMBLY
What is Tejeros Assembly?
- The Tejeros Convention (alternate names include Tejeros Assembly and Tejeros Congress)
- The meeting held between the Magdiwang and Magdalo factions of the Katipunan at San Francisco de
Malabon (now General Trias, but the site is now at Rosario), Cavite on March 25, 1897.
- The first days of the Philippine Revolution saw the defeat of the Katipunan in Manila, forcing Bonifacio
and his men to retreat to the mountains of Montalban.
- The Katipunan in Cavite, under Emilio Aguinaldo managed to subdue the Spanish forces by surprise and
take control the province.
- The victory was short lived as the Cavite Katipuneros- which is consisted of two groups. The
Magdiwang (Bonifacio) and Magdalo (Aguinaldo).
- * Were soon fighting each other over territory and logistics.
MAGDALO
- BALDOMERO AGUINALDO (Cousin of Emilio Aguinaldo)
- Kawit, Cavite
- It was time to replace the Katipunan and form another kind of government
MAGDIWANG
- MARIANO ALVAREZ (Uncle of Andres Bonifacio)
- Noveleta, Cavite
- Did not want to replace the Katipunan
Unable to resolve their differences, Aguinaldo invited the Supremo Andres Bonifacio to mediate
When he arrived, it infuriated the Magdalos.
The two groups finally agreed to form a revolutionary government which would lead the revolution.
The assembly was set to be held in friar’s estate house in Barrio Tejeros, part ofThe town of San
Francisco de Malabon.
On March 22, 1897 the Cavite Katipuneros as well as representatives of the katipunan from nearby
provinces converged at the estate house. *Site of the Tejeros Convention (present day Rosario Cavite)
Emilio Aguinaldo was not at the assembly as he was commanding the Filipino forces at the frontlines in
Pasong Santol, Barrio Salitran Dasmarinas facing imminent attack of the Spanish forces.
ARTEMIO RICARTE’S ACCOUNT
- The following account was written by Gen. Artemio Ricarte (nom-de-guerre) VIBORA
- Who was one of the officials of the Magdiwang factions
- During the Tejeros Assembly, he served as the secretary of the convention when Bonifacio began
presiding over the session
- His account of the Philippines revolution (published in tagalog in 1927) Himagsikan ng mga Pilipino
laban sa Kastila
- The session opened under the presidency of Jacinto Lumbreras who explained The purpose of the
meeting.
- Severino de las Alas rose to address those present that before discussing the defense of small piece of
territory in Cavite.
- It would be well consider first the kind of government then existing in the country as upon that
government would depend whatever defense might be needed.
THE KATIPUNAN GOVERNMENT
Supreme Council
(Kataastaasang Sanggunian)
Provincial Council Popular Council
(Kataastaasang Bayan) (Kataastaasang Balangay)
- The chairman replied that from the time the Katipunan was established the country had been ruled by
the supreme council, the provincial and popular councils.
- Severino de las Alas said that neither the letter “K” on the flag nor the flag itself has anything to do
with the character of the government then existing.
- That is to say whether it was Monarchy or a Republic
- Andres Bonifacio went to explain the significance of the letter “K” in the center of the sun on the flag,
which stand for liberty
- Andres Bonifacio replied that the katipuneros recognize the principle of Union, Fraternity and
Equality- on which account it was very clear that the government of the katipunan was Republican in
form
- THE SESSION BROKE UP IN DISORDER
- ORDER BEING RESTORED
- BONIFACIO OPENED THE SESSION:
- “Establish a supreme Government to direct The insurrection”
- They proceeded to the election of the following: President, Vice President, Captain General Directors of
War, interior, State, Finance, Commerce and Justice
- Ballots were the distributed and one hour later the votes were counted
- The result of the vote EMILIO AGUINALDO Was elected President defeating Andres Bonifacio Mariano
Trias.
- The result was proclaimed amidst applause
- They then proceeded to the election of the Vice President. Severino de las Alas remarked that
inasmuch as Andres Bonifacio had secured the second largest number of votes in the election of
President, he should be proclaimed Vice President.
- Mariano Trias was elected Vice President
- The election of Minister of Interior was proceeded
- DANIEL TIRONA demanded the floor and said: “Fellow countrymen the position of The Minister of
War is very important one and should not be occupied by a person who is not a lawyer.”
- The result ANDRES BONIFACIO was elected.
- Daniel Tirona – “We have in our province a lawyer Jose Del Rosario Hence we must protest against the
election of the person elected and acclaimed. Let us vote for Jose del Rosario, the lawyer.”
- BONIFACIO’s pride being wounded, he rose and spoke: “Have we not agreed that we shall obey the
will of the majority whatever might be the social position of the person elected?”
- BONIFACIO drew his revolver and was about to fire Tirona but the secretary of the session (Ricarte)
seized his hand the incident passed without ado
- BONIFACIO in a loud voice: “As president of the session and also president of the supreme council of
the katipunan declared the assembly closed and annul everything that has been done therein.”
ANDRES BONIFACIO’S ACCOUNT
- This account by Bonifacio is from a letter he wrote to Emilio Jacinto on April 24,1897 a month after the
Tejeros election.
- This would be the first time the others members of the supreme Council would hear of the events that
happened in Cavite
- This was published in Jose P. Santos- Si Andres Bonifacio at ang Himagsikan (1932)
- Because of the tumult that occurred, the President of the Magdiwang announced that this was not an
assembly of gentleman because everything they did had no evidence.
- Also, I discovered that even before the elections were made some of those who are from Imus had
secretly spread the word that it was not good for them to be under the leadership of someone from
another province, it was for this reason that Captain Emilio Aguinaldo was elected President.
SANTIAGO ALVAREZ’S ACCOUNT
- Baldomero Aguinaldo wanted the elections to be finished before it got too dark, to facilitate the
counting of votes he suggested that for all others positions to be voted upon, voters should stand on
one sides of the hall if in favor and on the other side if against.
AFTERMATH
- After the elections, ACTA DE TEJEROS as drafted, it was signed by Andres Bonifacio and leaders of The
Magdiwang faction.
- ACTA DE TEJEROS (Naic Cavite) – proclaiming the Tejeros Convention as invalid because of its lack of
due process.
- ACTA DE NAIK – proclaiming that some leaders of the Katipunan had betrayed the revolution and had
committed Treason.
- The Tejeros convention, the archetype of Philippine polls for in this our first Election.
- Rigged Election
- Rich vs Poor
- Regionalism
- All familiar ingredients already appear: THE BODYGUARDS, THE DRAWN GUN THE BALLOTS PREPARED
BY HAND, THE VIOLENT PROTEST, THE ATTEMPT TO ANNUL THE VOTER’S WILL.
- Though Bonifacio’s Magdiwang dominated the convention, the Supremo lost
- The Magdiwang elected its leaders into office but choose Aguinaldo of Magdalo for their President.
- In way Bonifacio had united the two factions just by pushing the idea That he an outsider should head
the revolutionary government in Cavite.
- The two factions fused against him and the government they form Supplanted the katipunan.
- THE SUPREMO HAD FALLEN….
THE TRIAL OF BONIFACIO BEGINS IN NAIC
- BONIFACIO TRIAL HOUSE
- May 6 the court found Andres and Procopio Bonifacio guilty of trying to overthrow the government
and asked for the DEATH PENALTY.
- Instead of confirming the proposed penalty Aguinaldo changed it to INDEFINITE BANISHMENT.
- Which amounted to an order of pardon- but was persuaded by a group to withdraw the order of
pardon and allow the execution of the Prisoners.
- The execution of BONIFACIO end in Maragondon
- On morning of May 10, 1897, Bonifacio and his brother were taken to the mountains and shot.
