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DOCUMENTS
OF THE Katipunan |
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The Supreme Assembly Record
of meeting held on January 1, 1896 Source: Archivo General Militar de
Madrid: Caja 5677, leg.1.46 |
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Introduction Transcribed below is the official record, written by Emilio Jacinto,
of the third meeting of the Supreme Assembly, held in Bonifacio’s house on
New Year’s Day, 1896. The meeting went
on for nine hours – from 11 o’clock in the morning until 8 o’clock in the
evening – so this record is obviously just an abbreviated summary of the
proceedings, and it is impossible to tell which items of business took longer
than others. But as usual the focus
was inward, on matters of organization, internal discipline and in particular
finance. There is no direct reference
to Spanish rule, to popular grievances, to mobilizing the people for
revolution or to making plans for government.
The English text below the transcription is a paraphrase of
the document, not a translation. The paragraph markers – [a],
[b] etc. - do not appear in the original, and have been inserted simply to
facilitate comparison between the Tagalog text and the English
paraphrase. |
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K . K . K. N. M. A. N. B. Kataastaasang Kapisanan [a] Sa ngalan ng Bayan tinubuan at sa lalung
kapurihan at ikalalaki ng kaayusa’t lakas ng K.K.K.N.M.A.N.B., ay gumawa ang
K.K. ng isang pagpupulung sa unang araw ng unang buan ng taung isang libo, walong
dan, siam na puo’t anim, sa bahay ng kap. na Maypagasa. [b] Dito’y nagsidalo ang mga kap. na
Maypagasa’t Pingkian, p. at t. ng K.S.; Halimaw at Tagaisok, p. at kal. ng
S.B. “Katagalugan”; Palakul, Dupil at Tawas, p., t. at ty. ng By.
“Makabuhay”; Mapilit, Badarag, p. at kal. ng By. “Dimahipo”; Talibong, t. ng
S.B. “Dapitan”; Ilagan, p. ng By. “Mahiganti”; Bulalakaw, p. ng By.
“Dimasalang”, Matapang, p. ng By. “Silanganan”; Paku, p. ng By. “Alapaap”;
Mataas, t. ng By. “Tanglaw”; Sampalukan, kal. ng By. “Dalisayan”; at ang mga
kap. na Dimasayaran, Subiang, Silang, Hininga, Lintik, Kapit, Loob, at iba
pa. [c] Sa ikalabing isang daguk ng bakal sa tansu
ng umaga ay binuksan ang kagalanggalang na kar. Sa kautusan ng k.p. ay binasa ang
pinagsulatan ng pulong na sinundan nito; at pinatunayan ng lahat, ang doo’y
nalalaman. [d] Kapagkaraka’y nagpahayag ang k.p. na ang
lahat ay may kapahintulutang mangusap, at ang kap. na Ilagan, sa bagay na
ito, ay nagpalagay na ang anim na k. sisiyasat ng mga Patnugutan ay dagdagan
ng anim pa, palagay na di minabuti ng lahat at pinagkaisahang huag mabago ang
dating bilang ng mga k. magsisipagsiyasat, datapuat pinagtibay ang
kapangyarihang gawad sa nilang anim ukol sa bagay na ito. [e] Sa pagkalutas nito, ay naghandog ng
panunumpang tutupad ng buong pagsisikap at pagtatapat, ang mga k. inihalal na
mamuno at malagay sa K.S.; at tuloy tumangap ang kap. na Maypagasa ng
katungkulang k.p., ang kap. na Dimasayaran ng katungkulang k.t., ang kap. na
Pingkian sa katungkulang k. kal, at ang mga kap. na Tagaisok, Subiang,
Talibong, Silang, Bulalakaw sa katungkulang mga kasanguni. Hindi nakasumpa at hindi nakatangap ng
katungkulang k.ty. ang kap. na Maniangat, sapagkat hindi dumalo, at gayon din
ang kap. na Silanganan sa katungkulan kasanguni, sapagkat wala sa hukuman ng
Maynila’t na sa malayung bayan. [f] Ipinakilala ng k.p. ang pagkakailangan na
sa ngayo’y pairalin na ng Kat. ang buong kabaksikan sa pagparusa sa balang magkulang
at gumamit ng kataksilan, at hindi ang nangyayari sa dati na hindi pinapansin
ang di kakaunting sala. Ang lahat ay
umayon naman sa ganitong akala. [g] Ipinagsabi ng k.p. ang nangyari sa k.
Pagpalain, na sa kagabihan ng araw ng Lingong nagdaan ay dumating ng may
taglay na matinding galit sa bahay niya’t pilit nahinihingi ang kanyang
larawan, sapagkat nabalitaang isinabit na may salitang taksil; ang
kasama ay ang K. Kidlat. Sa bagay na ito
ay ipinagsanguni din kung ano ang nararapat sa nagsalita sa kaniya na ang
kaniyang larawan ay inilalathala ng gayon, at ang naging pasiya ng kalahatan
ay ang lapatan ng gayon ding parusa. [h] Sa kahilingan ng k.p. ay ipinagsulit ng
kap. na Halimaw ang kaniyang nakita at napakingan sa pulong na kaniyang
inabutang ginagawa ng mga k. Matunog, Kidlat, Kabalasian, Talim, Subdan, at
Talaga; ipinagsabi na ang mga k. magkakapulong na ito ay pawang nagsalita na
kanilang dinaramdam ang pagkaputul ng pasabi sa ilang mga k. ng kanilang By.
“Katutuhanan”, na ang kanilang pagkaalam ay gawa ng K.S., kahit ang tunay ay
pinagkaisahan sa S.B. Katagalugan.
Ipinahayag din ng kap. na Halimaw, na ang mga k. ito ay pilit na
hinihingi sa kaniya ang lahat ng kasulatan at kalatas na nauukol sa kanilang
By. “Katutuhanan”; at nagsabi din, na kaniyang inaakala na sa paghinging ito
ay mayroong inaadhikaing gawin na di pagtatapat sa K.K.K. ang mga naturang
k. Ipinagsanguni ng k.p. ang nauukol
sa bagay na ito, at ang lumabas na pinagkaisahan ay ang palagay ng kap. na
Tagaisok, na siyang sumusunod:- Sapagka’t ang ilan sa mga k. yaun, ay
inihalal na pinuno ng S.B. Katagalugan sa taung tinatanaw, at sa
pagkakailangan na ang salapi at mga kalatas ng kanilang By., ay makuha at
maalis sa panganib, sila’y papagtangapin ng mga katungkulang iginawad sa
kanila, at masda’t tiktikan ang bawat nilang kilos. Kung mapatunayan ang kanilang kasamaan,
sila’y lalapatan ng nauukol sa masasamang loob. [i] Alinsunod sa pinagkaisahan nitong K.K. sa
pulong ng ikadalawang puo’t apat ng buang nakaraan, na ang K.K.K. ay
magkakaroon ng salaping tangi na matatipon at aaring tunay at lubos ng buong
Kat., ang kapulungang dito’y nakaharap ay nagpasiya at pinagkaisahan sa
pamagitan ng mahinahong paglilining, na ang lahat ng pulutong ay ipadadala sa
K.S. ang mga kabayarang lahat na
ginawa ng lahat ng mga k. ukol sa pagkapasuk at sa pagkaangat sa kaw. na
kabunyian, kasabay ng isang kasaysayan ng pangala’t pamagat, tinubuan, tahanan,
kalagayan at hanap buhay ng mga k. pinagbuhatan ng mga padalang kabayaran. [j] Sa bgay [sic] na ito’y ipinagsanguni ng
k.p. ang pagtataguan ng salaping ito, at pinagkayariang itatagu sa kabang
bakal ng kap. na Maniangat na kaniya namang iniaalay. Datapua’t sa malaking panganib na masamsam
ang salaping ito kung iiwan ang kaban sa bahay ng kap. na Maniangat, ang
naging pasiya at pinagkaisahan ng lahat ay ang maitagu ang kabang ito sa
bahay ng kap. na Dimasayaran, dahil sa ito’y manggagamut (medico), at di
sukat pagtakhang magkaroon ng kabang bakal ng salapi. [k] Sapagkat ang kap. na Dimasayaran ay
namamayan sa malayu, at sa pagkakita naman ng Kapulungan, na ang K.K.K. ay
nagkakailangang magkaroon ng isang mangagamut, nangagkaisa ang lahat na
siya’y patirahin na sa Maynila, at ang lahat ng mga k. ay umambag ng halagang
labing anim na kualta sa buan buan.
Katungkulan naman ng kap. na Dimasayaran ang gumamut ng walang upa sa
lahat ng mga k. sampu ng kanilang magulang, asawa, anak at kapatid (familia). Ang K.S. ay siyang may katungkulang sumingil
ng ambagang labinganim na kualta at siya din ang magbabayad sa kap. na
Dimasayaran ng tatlong puong piso sa buan buan. Kung magkulang ang ambagan ay pupunan ang
kulang ng salaping nauukol sa buong Kat. at kung lumabis naman ay ibabayad sa
naging utang kung may utang, at kung wala ay itatagu din sa kaban kahit
mabubukod ang bilangan niya. [l] Pinagkaisahan din na sa tuing unang araw ng
buan ay magpapasiyasat ang lahat ng pulutong sa tatlong katipong nasasanib sa
kaniya, na salaping iniingatan ng K.S. upang mawala sa paraang ito ang mga
likong sapantaha at hamak na paninirang puri na makagulo at nakagugulo sa
K.K.K., at upang maiwasan din na ang salaping ito ay pakinabangan ng isang
libo lamang. Ang mga k. sisiyasat nito
ay iba’t iba. [m] Ayon sa katungkulan ng K.S. na sa buong
Kat. ay umiiral ang lubos na kaayusan, lalung lalu na ang tungkol sa salapi,
ay pinagkaisahan din na ang anim na kasanguni ng K.S. sa tuing tatlong buan
ay sisiyasat sa salapi ng lahat ng pulutong. [n] Dumating ang kap. na Dinalitiwan, at
itinanung sa kaniya ng k.p. tungkol sa natatalastas niya sa mga gawa ng k.
Kidlat, ay sumagut na ang k. ito at ang kaniyang mga ibang kasamahan ay
nagsalita sa kaniya na masama ang loob nila sa pagkaparusa sa k. Pagpapalain. Tinanung sa kaniya kung batid niya na kung
sino ang nagsalita sa k. Pagpalain na ang larawan niya’y nasasabit sa
lalagian ng mga taksil; ang isinagut ay hindi niya batid. Sa bagay na ito ay pinagkayarian na ang
kap. na Subiang at ang kap. na Dinalitiwan ay paparon sa bahay ng k. Kidlat
at sa mga salitaang mangyari ay uusisain at huhulihin nila ang buong
katutuhanan sa bibik din niya. [o] Ang kap. na Hininga na inihalal na ty. ng
“Basahan ng Bayan” sa pulong ng ikatlong puo’ng nagdaang Noviembre ay
naghandog ng panunumpa na tutuparing lubos ang katungkulang sa kaniya’y
ipinagkaloob, at tuloy tumangap ng katungkulang ito. [p] Sa palagay ng kap. na Pingkian ay
pinagkaisahan itong sumusunod, tungkol sa mga Pinakakatawan: - una, ang
Pinakakatawan ng mga pulutong sa Kataastaasang Kapisanan ay ang mga pangulo
ng mga Sb. at By. na di nasasakupan ng alin mang Sb.; ikalawa: Kung ang bayang kinatatayuan ng pulutong ay
lubhang malayu na di mangyaring makadalo ang p. nito sa mga pulong ng K.K.,
ang pulutong ay may kapangyarihang maghalal ng pinakakatawan sa mga k.
malalapit, kahit sino, kahit ang k.p. o ang mga k. ng K.S., at kahit ang
isang k. ng alin mang By. o Hkm.; ikatlo: kung ang pangulong nangangatawan sa
isang pulutong ay may isang kapansanan na di makadalo sa isang pagpupulong,
siya’y papatlan muna sa kaniyang katungkulan ng isa ng mga pinuno, maging ang
t. kaya ang kal. o kaya ang ty. [q] Sa ngalan ng K.S. at ng K.K.K. ay
pinasalamatan ng k.p. ang kap. na Tagaisok, dahil sa dalawang carpeta
at 175 tiklop ng kalatas na tinatawag na papel catalan de 1a,
na ibinigay ng naturang kap. sa K.S. sa buan ng Marzo ng taung bagong
natapus. [r] Sa pasabi ng By. Mahiganti na isa sa mga k.
doo’y napipisan ay namatayan ng anak, pinagkaisahan na ang kap. na Silang ang
siyang maglilibot ng kasulatang padala at hihingan niya ng ambag ang lahat ng
k. kahiyang masalubong. [s] Sa kaibigan ng lahat ay pinagkaisahang
wakasan na itong pagpupulong; at sa bagay na ito’y inilibot ang supot ng
saklolo na nagsalin ng anim na sikapat.
Pinagkayariang ibigay sa dalawang batang tumulog sa paglimbag ng mga
kalatas ng Kat., ang halagang tatlong sikapat bawa’t isa. [t] Sa ikawalong daguk ng bakal sa tansu ng
gabi ay niwakasan itong pagpupulong, pagkasumpa ng lahat na di isiniwalat sa
kanino pa man ang lahat na namasdan at na pakingan. [u] Maynila ikaunang araw ng buan ng Enero ng
taung 1896. Ang
k.p. Vzypzgzsz Ang k. kal Pñllgkñzll |
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English paraphrase [a] In
the name of the native land, and for the greater honor, good order and
strength of the Katipunan, the Supreme Assembly held a meeting on the first
day of the first month of the year 1896 at the house of Bro. Andres
Bonifacio. [b]
Among those present were Bros.:- Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto, the
president and secretary of the Supreme Council; Alejandro Santiago and Aguedo del Rosario, the
president and secretary of S.B. “Katagalugan”; “Palakul”, “Dupil” and “Tawas”, the president,
fiscal and treasurer of By. “Makabuhay”; Adriano de Jesus and “Badarag”, the president
and secretary of By. “Dimahipo”; Hermenegildo Reyes, the fiscal of S.B.
“Dapitan”; Rafael Gutierrez, the president of By.
“Mahiganti”; Pantaleon Torres, the president of By.
“Dimasalang”; Juan Cruz, the president of By. “Silanganan”; “Paku”, the president of By. “Alapaap”; “Mataas”, the fiscal of By. “Tanglaw”; Cornelio Sanchez, the secretary of By.
“Dalisayan”; and Pio Valenzuela, Jose Trinidad, Balbino
Florentino, Cipriano Pacheco, “Lintik”, “Kapit”, “Loob” and others. [c] The
most respected summit commenced at eleven o’clock. Upon the instruction of the supreme
president, the record of the previous meeting was read out, and its contents
were approved by all. [d] The
supreme president then asked whether anyone wished to speak, and Bro. Rafael
Gutierrez suggested that the number of members elected to scrutinize the work
of the Directorate should be increased from six to twelve. This proposal did not win general approval,
and it was agreed that that the number should remain at six, as previously
agreed. The Assembly confirmed the
authority bestowed upon the six members who had already been chosen. [e] This
matter having been settled, those elected to the Supreme Council [at the
Assembly’s previous meeting, held on December 24-25, 1895] swore on oath to
fulfil their duties loyally and diligently, and thereupon assumed their
respective offices: Andres Bonifacio as supreme president; Pio Valenzuela as
supreme fiscal; Emilio Jacinto as supreme secretary; and Aguedo del Rosario,
Jose Trinidad, Hermenegildo Reyes, Balbino Florentino and Pantaleon Torres as
councillors. Vicente Molina did not
swear an oath or assume office as supreme treasurer because he was not present
at the meeting, and similarly Francisco Carreon did not assume his position
as a councillor, because he was away in a town distant from the province of
Manila. [f] The supreme president stated that failings
and acts of treachery within the Katipunan should now be punished with the
utmost severity. The former habit of turning a
blind eye, even to serious misdeeds, had to stop. Everyone was in agreement with this
opinion. [g] The
supreme president related that, on the evening of the previous Sunday, Pedro
Zabala had come to his house in a furious rage, insisting that he be given
his portrait because he had received news that the word “traitor” had been
hung on it. He had been accompanied by
Hermogenes Plata. There was discussion
on what should be done about the person who had told Zabala that his portrait
had been displayed in this manner, and everyone that this person merited the
same punishment [i.e. that he be expelled and be branded as a traitor]. [h] At
the request of the supreme president, Bro. Alejandro Santiago related what he
had seen and heard at a meeting he had come across between members Salustiano
Cruz, Hermogenes Plata, Jorge de Lara, Leon Cruz Decena, Irineo Francisco and
Benito Campos. Santiago reported that
these members were saying how they felt about certain members of their By.
Katutuhanan being ejected.[1] They believed this to be the work of the
Supreme Council, whereas in truth the decision had been taken by S.B.
Katagalugan. Santiago also reported
that these members had demanded that he hand over all the documents and
reports concerning their By. Katutuhanan.
Making this demand, in his view, suggested that these members were not
loyal to the KKK. The supreme
president sought the views of the Assembly as to what should be done about
this matter, and the outcome, as proposed by Bro. Aguedo del Rosario, was as
follows:- Because a few of the members involved had been elected as leaders
of S.B. Katagalugan for the coming year, and since it was essential to obtain
and remove from danger the funds and documents of their Branch, they should
assume the positions bestowed upon them, and their movements be kept under
close surveillance. If it was
confirmed that they were acting wrongly, then they should be treated in the
manner their bad characters deserved. [i] In line with the decision taken by the
Assembly at its meeting on December 24, 1895, that the Katipunan should have
funds that truly and completely belong to the society as a whole, the
Assembly resolved after careful consideration that all sections should send
to the Supreme Council the fees paid by members upon their admission to the
society and upon their promotion to the rank of Soldier of Distinction,
together with details of the members who had paid the fees, specifying their
name, alias, place of birth, place of residence, situation [presumably
meaning marital status] and occupation. [j] In this regard, the supreme president
sought the views of the Assembly about where the Katipunan’s funds should be
hidden. It was agreed that they should
be kept in a metal chest owned by Bro. Vicente Molina, which he had
offered for this purpose. However,
because there was a great danger that the funds would be seized if the chest
was left at Molina’s home, it was agreed by all that the chest should be
hidden at the house of Bro. Pio Valenzuela, because he was a physician, and
it would not be considered unusual for a physician to have a metal money chest.[2] [k]
Since Bro. Pio Valenzuela was living far away, and since the Congress
recognized that the KKK needed to have a physician, everyone agreed that he
should reside in Manila and that all members should contribute 16 kualta
a month. Bro. Valenzuela would then
provide free treatment not just to all KKK members but also to their parents,
spouses, children, brothers and sisters.
The Supreme Council would be responsible for collecting the
contributions and for paying Bro. Valenzuela thirty pesos a month. If the contributions fell short, the
deficiency would be made good from the funds that belonged to the whole
Katipunan. If there was a surplus, it
would be used when necessary to cover previous shortfalls. If that was not necessary, the cash would
be kept [with the rest of the KKK’s money] in the metal chest, but treated
and accounted for as a separate fund.[3] [l] It was further agreed that on the first day
of every month each section should send three of its members to inspect the
money in the care of the Supreme Council in order to refute the slanderous
accusation that there was disorderliness in the K.K.K., and also to ensure
the money was not taken by a renegade for his own purposes. The three members assigned to inspect the
money should be different individuals every month. [m] In conformity with the duty of the Supreme Council to ensure that
good order is established throughout the Katipunan, especially with in
relation to money, it was agreed that the six councillors [kasanguni]
on the Supreme Council should check on the finances of all the sections every
three months. [n]
Apolonio de la Cruz arrived at the meeting, and the supreme president
asked him what he had witnessed in relation to what Hermogenes Plata was
doing. De la Cruz replied that Plata
and his associates had told him how aggrieved they felt about the punishment
of Pedro Zabala. De la Cruz was asked
if he knew who had told Zabala that is portrait had been placed in the case
where the pictures of the traitors were kept, and he replied that he did not
know. On this matter, it was decided
that Bro. Jose Trinidad and Bro. Apolonio de la Cruz should go to the house
of Hermogenes Plata, talk to him about what was happening and try to extract
the whole truth from his own mouth. [o] Bro.
Cipriano Pacheco, who had been elected treasurer of the “People’s Reading
Room” at the meeting held on November 30, 1895, swore on oath to perform his
duties faithfully, and he was thereupon inducted into this office. [p] Upon the suggestion of Emilio Jacinto, the
following was agreed with regard to the Representatives:- first, the
Representatives of the sections on the Supreme Assembly are the presidents of
the Popular Councils and of Branches that are not affiliated to Popular
Councils; second, sections that are far distant and whose presidents are
unable to attend meetings of the Supreme Assembly should have the authority
to designate KKK members who lived closer to act as their proxies - anyone
they chose, be it the supreme president, the councillors of the Supreme
Council, or an ordinary member of a Branch or small group; third, if a
section president cannot attend a Supreme Assembly meeting for any unforeseen
reason, he should assign one of his fellow leaders to take his place, for
example the fiscal, secretary or treasurer. [q] In
the name of the Supreme Council and the Katipunan, the supreme president
thanked Bro. Aguedo del Rosario for the two portfolios and 175 folded sheets
of premier quality Catalan paper that he had donated to the Supreme Council
the previous March. [r] On
hearing that the child of one of the members of By. Mahiganti had died, the
Assembly agreed that Bro. Balbino Florentino should go around with a letter
seeking donations from sympathetic members.
[s] By
common consent, it was agreed to draw the meeting to a close. The pouch for contributions was passed
around, and the collection totalled six sikapat [equivalent to 120 kualta,
or three-quarters of a peso]. It was
decided that this amount should be given – half each – to the two youngsters
who slept at the Katipunan’s printshop. [t] The
meeting finished at eight strikes of the iron on the copper in the
evening. All those present swore not
to disclose to anybody what they had seen or heard. [u]
Manila, January 1, 1896. The
supreme president Maypagasa
[Andres Bonifacio] The supreme secretary Pingkian [Emilio Jacinto] |
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Notes