DOCUMENTS OF THE Katipunan
HOME The Supreme Council Record of meeting held on December 24-25, 1894 Source: Archivo General Militar de Madrid: Caja 5393, leg.4.15
Introduction Many sources indicate that Andres Bonifacio became the President of the Katipunan in January 1895, and this document suggests that date is correct. Written in cipher by Bonifacio himself, the document records that on Christmas Eve, 1894 members of the Supreme Council and the heads of the KKK’s councils and branches met in a “summit ” and cast votes for the four most important positions in the organisation – President (Pangulo); Secretary (Kalihim); Fiscal (Tagausig) and Treasurer (Tagaingat-yaman). For each position there were three candidates: Bonifacio came ahead of Jose Turiano Santiago and Manuel Ureta in the ballot for President; Emilio Jacinto came ahead of Restituto Javier and Jose Turiano Santiago in the ballot for Secretary; Emilio Jacinto came ahead of Restituto Javier and “Pangsalot” (identity unknown) in the ballot for Fiscal; and Jose Turiano Santiago came ahead of Vicente Molina and Andres Bonifacio in the ballot for Treasurer. This was, however, only the first stage in the electoral process. In order that the elections carried the “Authority of the People” (Kapangyarihan ng Bayan”), the document directs the “Soldiers” (“Kawal”), holders of the second rank in the KKK) to relay to the “Secretariat (“Kalihiman”) the votes of the “Companions” (“Akibat”, the rank-and-file members of the society) within the next five days so that the final results could be tallied. Judging from later documents, it appears the eventual outcome was that Andres Bonifacio was elected as President; Jose Turiano Santiago as Secretary; Emilio Jacinto as Fiscal; and Vicente Molina as Treasurer. In closing, Bonifacio asks the Kawal to receive a “close embrace” – a common KKK valediction – and wishes them “K.P.K”, which may signify something like “Katapatan, Pananalig at Katibayan” – “Constancy, Commitment and Fortitude”. The document is transcribed below first as it was written, in the Katipunan’s cipher, and then in its deciphered form.
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K x K x K x Ll x V x Z x Ll x B x Kgx lln Knrxrxknll ģ vgn Knwnj Sn pxjcģ lln gñllnwn sn Kgx lln Knrxrxknll ģ vgn Knwnj ģ Kx Sx ģ ñkn 24 fnllgnģ ñkn 25 ģ bxnģ ñtc lln pñllngdnjxfnll ģ vgn Pñllxllc sn vgn Sx Bx nt Byx dccy ñsn sn vgn pñllngk’ñsnfnllg jxvnbns lln png pñpñjñnll ģ vnģnģ sñ sñ pnvxllc sn bxcģ K’tñpxllnll nģ vgn pnģnjnģ sxvxsxllcd: Pnģxjc Fnjnj K’jñfñv Fnjnj 1. Vnypngnsn 13 1. Pñģkñnll 9 2. Tñktñk 8 2. Vnypnģnfns 8 3. Vnfxsny 1 3. Tñktñk 3 Tngnxsñg Fnjnj Tngnpng-^wn Fnjnj 1. Pñģkñnll 11 1. Tñktñk 8 2. Vnypnģnfns 5 2. Vnllñnģnd 8 3. Pnģsnjct 2 3. Vnypngnsn 3 Ñpñllngk’k’pxrñ llnvñg ñpng bñgny njnv nģ jnfnt ģ ñtc, nt txjcy xvnnsn lln sn Kgx lln Knrxrxkll ģ vģn Knwx ģ vģn gngnwñll llñllyc ng llnxxkcj lln k’jñfñvnll nt png ññllgnt sn png fnfnjnj. Kñllnk’ñjngnllg sn ñk’txtxpnd ģ Kpngynrñfnll ģ Bnynll; nģ bnwnt K’wnj ny jnjngny lln pñllnk’k’tnwnll ģ nsnģ bnfngñ ģ k’bñjngnll ģ vģn Nkñbnt nt sñyng tntngjnñģ fnjnj o vctcs. Ñllnnlltny llnvñll, lln sn jccb ģ jñvnģ nrnw lln dñlln vntntnllñgnll ñpnfnfntñd llñllyc dñto sn Kx K’jñfñvnll, ng Kñllnjnbnsnll nģ vģn fnjnj. Tnģnpñll nģ vnfñgpñd lln ynk’p k’pntñd nt ng Kx Px Kx nvñg ñpñllnfnfntñd. Vnyllñjn Kx Sx ñk 26 g Dn^brg 1894 Nģ K’fnjnjnģ Px Nģ K’fnjnjnģ Knjx Bynllx Vnypngnsn Kñllxllnll ģ snjñll dñllg Sn Sx Bx [ ?] Dnpñtnll Vnyllñjn n 29 g D^brg 94 Bxjzjzknv
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K x K x Kx Nx Mx Ax Nx Bx Kgx na Karurukan ng mga Kawal Sa pulong na ginawa sa Kgx na Karurukan ng mga Kawal ng Kx Sx ng ika 24 hangang ika 25 ng buang ito na pinagdaluhan ng mga Pinuno sa mga Sx Bx at Byx dooy isa sa mga pinagkaisahang lumabas na pag pipilian ng mangang si si pamuno sa buong Katipunan ng mga pangalang sumusunod:- Pangulo Halal Kalihim Halal 1. Maypagasa 13 1. Pingkian 9 2. Tiktik 8 2. Maypangahas 8 3. Mahusay 1 3. Tiktik 3 Tagausig Halal Tagaing-an Halal 1. Pingkian 11 1. Tiktik 8 2. Maypangahas 5 2. Maniangad 8 3. Pangsalot 2 3. Maypagasa 3 Ipinagkakapuri naming ipag bigay alam ang lahat ng ito, at tuloy umaasa na sa Kgx na Karurukan ng mga Kawx gagawin ninyo ang nauukol na Kalihiman at pag iingat sa pag hahalal. Kinakailangang sa ikatutupad ng Kapangyarihan ng Bayan, ang bawat Kawal ay lalagay sa pinakakatawan ng isang bahagi ng kabilangan ng mga Akibat at siyang tataglaing halal o votos. Inaantay namin na sa loob ng limang araw sa dina matatanigan ipinahahatid ninyo dito sa Kx Kalihiman, ang kinalabasan ng mga halal. Tangapin ang mahigpid na yakap kapatid at ang Kx Px Kx aming ipinahahatid. Maynila Kx Sx ika 26 ng Di^brg 1894 Ang Kahalalang Px Ang Kahalalang Kalx Bayanx Maypagasa Kinunang salin ding S.B. Dapitan Maynila, ika 29 ng Dbre 1894 Bulalakaw