Imus Assembly, the 31 of December, 1896 - day before the execution of Jose Rizal

Day before the execution of Jose Rizal Magdiwang and Magdalo leaders met to discuss how to settle differences in revolutionary struggle and also a plot to snatch Rizal on the eve of his execution scheduled by the Spanish colonial authorities, also exploration of unified leadership fails because of dispute over which leadership should prevail; Supremo Bonifacio asks Aguinaldo, secretary of the meeting to record a motion forwarded re-framing of a constitution, despite the fact that the Katipunan Government already had one, but Aguinaldo asks that the matter be deferred at the moment.

After the execution of Jose Rizal at Bagumbayan, Josephine Bracken with Paciano & Trinidad Rizal (her brother & sister-in-law, the latter a Katipunera & a Mason), according to Santiago Alvarez’s Memoirs, said that the Rizals came at past one o'clock in the afternoon of December 30, 1896 at San Francisco de Malabon (now General Trias). Andres Bonifacio, the Katipunan supremo, received the Rizals himself at the house of Mrs. Estefania Potente where he was staying. Was requested by the Rizals to translate Rizal's poem ("Mi Ultimo Adios" originally untitled, unsigned and undated) to Tagalog. Supremo Bonifacio asked if he could keep for some time a copy of Rizal’s poem so that he could translate it into Tagalog with the assistance of Diego Mojica, President of the Popular Council Mapagtiis & local Cavite poet & writer in Tagalog. This Tagalog translation by the Supremo Bonifacio is now known as "Pahimakas."

The following day a meeting was held between the Magdalo and Magdiwang parties of the Katipunan at Imus, Cavite, December 31, to determine the leadership of Cavite in order to end the rivalry between the two factions. The issue of whether the current Katipunan Government should be replaced by a revolutionary government was brought up by the Magdalo, the Magdiwang favored the old Katipunan Government, though both factions agreed that Cavite should not be divided. Supremo Bonifacio and the Magdiwang contended that the Katipunan already functioned like a full-fledged and served as their revolutionary government since it had its own constitution, laws and provincial and municipal governments. Magdiwang is major Katipunan force in Cavite, with 3,400 guns compared to Magdalo's 2000 and had decidedly bigger territories covered.

In the same meeting, a Magdalo engineer and general named Edilberto Evangelista made a draft of a constitution. Aguinaldo himself publicly recommended Evangelista to head the revolutionary government that would be established in place of the Katipunan Government, according to Aquinaldo, Evangelista is "the most educated" in the organization and that Evangelista could "command the respect of the Spaniards." Evangelista presented his draft constitution for the proposed government to Supremo Bonifacio but this had earlier been rejected as too similar and finding it plagiarized from the Spanish "Maura Law" - the same law that laid the basic foundations for Spanish Municipal Government in the Philippines. It is named after its author, Antonio Maura y Montaner the Spanish Minister of Colonies at the time. The Maura Law established tribunales, municipales and juntas provinciales and these foundations laid by the Maura Law were later adopted, revised and strictly followed by the American and Filipino governments that succeeded Spanish rule in the country. Evangelista's constitution contradicts the objectives of the Katipunan Government; Liberty, Equality, Fraternity...

1) To advocate complete independence from Spain, to be achieved through armed struggle.
2) To take back lands, gold, personal savings, personal properties confiscated by the church and Spanish Cortes from the poor masses. They also saw it as their personal responsibility to help the poor, the oppressed and to teach them good manners, hygiene and morality.
3) To dismiss the elite society and social classes, instead create an equal social status.

The Imus Assembly presided by Supremo Andres Bonifacio, ended without a resolution of the conflict and issues. Upon the event of restructuring, according to Santiago Alvarez and Artemio Ricarte, the assembly agreed to appoint Supremo Bonifacio as the head of a legislative committee and was given the authority by both factions to appoint members he considers worthy in setting up a new government. The Supremo requested for the minutes of the meeting to establish this given authority, but these were never provided.
- ka tony
the 29th of December, 2013

Guillermo Tolentino's Supremo Bonifacio Monument

On February 23, 1918, an Act was passed to build a national monument for Supremo Andres Bonifacio, known as Father of Philippine Revolution for picking up his gun and bolo fighting for the total independence of Haring Bayang Katagalugan against the Spanish colonizers. Act No. 2760 was passed by the Philippine Legislature, of which former Katipuneros, specially Supremo's friend and comrade, Guillermo Masangkay led the move to build the national monument. Inaugurated on the 70th birth anniversary of Bonifacio (November 30, 1933), the monument demonstrates National Artist Guillermo Tolentino's philosophy that a megalith should be factual and symbolical. Tolentino painstakingly researched and interviewed people who had known Andres Bonifacio, going so far as to even consult a "espiritista" (spirit medium) to discern the true likeness and character of the Supremo.

Supremo Bonifacio wears a "Balintawak Costume" white camisa de chino and red pants, Tolentino basing it on the yearly fiesta of San Bartolome of Malabon, the patron saint of knives and bolos, the only time Tagalogs were allowed by the Spanish Cortes to carry knives and bolos to be bless during the fiesta wearing their "Balintawak" costume . And on this occasion the Supremo took advantage of the fiesta to stage the "First Cry of the Revolution" at Balintawak, the place where devotees passed on the way to Malabon.

The massive structure with figures and design symbolizing the causes of the Philippine Revolution:
# ...Supremo is facing Tondo the place of his birth
# ...octagonal base with an eight-rayed sun symbolized the first eight provinces placed under martial law for revolting against Spain
# ...45-foot tall pylon bearing the winged figure of Victory
# ...pylon or obelisk is composed of five parts corresponding to the five aspects of the society, Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan
# ...the base is an octagon, the eight sides standing for the first eight provinces to rise against Spain
# ...the base rises in three steps, each step alluding to each century of Spanish rule
# ...the very pools of water that surround the central obelisk were a nod to Rizal's comparison of the Filipino temper to water vital, its mien ever-changing, raging when provoked, an "elemental force," which was among the motifs used in his El Filibusterismo: "That water is very mild and can be drunk, but that it drowns out the wine and beer and puts out the fire, that heated it becomes steam, and that ruffled it is the ocean, that it once destroyed mankind and made the earth tremble to its foundations!"
...Tolentino modelled the figure's bone structure after Bonifacio's surviving younger sister Espiridiona. Tolentino's sacred classical realist aesthetic has, perhaps, given us a Bonifacio so unlike the volatile man of action that has bled into our collective psyche but was nonetheless the best approximation of the man so few could ever define so accurately.
- ka tony
- the 23 of November, '14

Kaunting Bato, Kaunting Semento Monumento at Ano Ang Sagisag Nito?

Nais kong bigyan ng pagpuna ang bantayog na dinesenyo ng maestro Guillermo Tolentino para sa Supremo Bonifacio na punong-puno ng kahulugan. Nais ko rin ihambing ang bantayog ng Supremo na ang tanging layunin ay para sa buong kalayaan ng Haring Bayang Katagalugan, sa monumento ni Rizal na ang hangarin ay reporma sa abusadong mga prayle ng simbahang Katoliko at sa pamamalakad ng Kastilang cortes.

# ...maestro Guillermo Tolentino, lokal na eskulptor ang siyang nagdesenyo ng bantayog ng Supremo Bonifacio. Isang naman istranhero Suwisong esculptor, Richard Kissing ang nagdesenyo sa monumento ng ilustradong Rizal.
# ...punong-puno ng kahulugan ang bawat sulok ang bantayog ng Supremo. Kompara naman sa wala ni ano mang kahulugan ang monumentong "“Motto Stella (Guiding Star) ni Rizal bukod sa tatlong tala na sumasagisag ng Luzon, Bisayas at Mindanao.
# ...ang imahen ng Supremo ay inihulma ng maestro Tolentino sa mukha ni Espiridiona Bonifacio, taging nabubuhay na kapatid ng Supremo noon. Bilang isang esperitista, si maestro Tolentino ay tinawag ang espirito ng Supremo upang bigyan siya ng pahintulot at maalinaw ang kaanyuhan ng bayani. Ang imahen ni Rizal ay itinulad ng eskulptor na Richard Kissing sa napakaraming mga larawan ng sikat na ilustradong Rizal.
# ...sa bantayog ng Supremo siya ay may hawak na baril at tabak na nagsasagisag na taging armadong himagsikan lamang matatamo ang kabuoang kalayaan ng ating bayan laban sa kolonyalismo. Si Rizal ay ipinakitang may hawak na dalawang aklat na kaniyang sinulat at ibinunyag ang pagaabusong at kalupitang ginawa ng mga prayle at pamahalang cortes.
# ...ang namuno upang maitayo ang bantayog ng Supremo ay ang kasamang Katipunero at tapat na kaibigan niyang Guillermo Masangkay. Ang humiling na magtayo ng monumento ni Rizal ay ang United States Philippine Commission at ginawa naman itong batas Act No. 243 ni Governor-General William Howard Taft.
# ...ang bantayog ng Supremo ay nasa masang lugar ng Balintawak na kung saan ang daanan araw-araw ng mga manggagawa na pumapasok sa kanikanilang pinagtatrabahuhan. Ang pinagtirikan ng bantayog ng Supremo sa Balintawak ay isa sa pinaniniwalaan na kung saan ginanap ang "Unang Sigaw" bilang simula ng armadong himagsikan para sa ating kabuoang kalayaan. Ang pinagtatayuan ng monumento ni Rizal ay isang parke na pangturista, na dati'y napakaraming makabayan, bayani ang pinatay at nagbuwis ng kanilang buhay, Bagumbayan o Luneta subalit ang lugar na ito'y ipinangalan na Rizal Park, alay sa pangunahing bayani na pinili ng mga kolonyalistang Amerikano para sa atin. Dito rin inilipat, inilibing ang labi ni Rizal at dito rin ginaganap ang taon-taong selebrasyon ng ating pekeng kalayaang deneklara ng taksil na Aquinaldo.
# ...ang imahen ng Supremo sa kaniyang bantayog ay nakatingin sa pinagmulan niyang masang Tondo, na tila naghihintay sa kung sino ang magpapatuloy sa kaniyang naputol na masang himagsikan. Ang imahen ni Rizal sa kaniyang monumento ay nakaharap at nakatingin sa malayong dagat na tila nais na muling maglakbay at iwanan, talikuran na muli ang bayang punong-puno ng suliranin, kaya siguro mayroong nagbabantay na sundalo sa kaniyang monumento.

...taong 2011 ang Rizal Park ay lalong pinaganda at muling binigyan ng panibagong pangaalaga ng National Parks Development Committee, tulad ng Dancing Fountain, Flower Clock, ang Noli Me Tangere Garden at ang Luzviminda Boardwalk, para sa ika-150 selebrasyon ng kapanganakan ni Jose Rizal. Kamakailan ay binigyan ng malaking pagpuna ng media at mga mamamayan tungkol sa isang mataas na gusaling itinatayo na nakakasira raw sa paningin sa monumento ni Rizal.

Ang bantayog ng Supremo Bonifacio sa Balintawak ay tila uling sa dumi dahil sa makakapal at malagis na usok ng mga nagdadaanang sasakyang pampubliko. Ito'y napapaligiran ng malalaswa at bayolenteng mga nagtataasang billboard ng mga sinehan. Natatakpan pa ito ng napakataas at napakaingay na LRT, tuloy hindi na makita ng Supremo ang kaniyang pinagmulang masang Tondo. Kaawa-awang Supremo, inagawan na ng liderato, pinatay ng pataksil ng mga mapulitikong Magdalo, inaagawan pa ng mga kabayanihang titolo! Subalit tulad mo, hihintayin namin ang susunod na "Bonifacio" upang ipagpatuloy ang naputol mong masang himagsikan na iyong sinimulan. Mabuhay ka aming Supremo Bonifacio!!!
- ka tony
ika-23 ng Nobiyembre '14
para sa ika-151 kaarawan ng Supremo Bonifacio 

The Virgin of Thousand Miracles and the Patroness of the Galleons

Every month of November an icon is borne across Manila Bay to honor this patroness of the galleons - "Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga" or commonly known as Our Lady of Porta Vaga, is the patroness of Cavite province. She is titled as "Reina de Cavite," "La Excelsa Patrona y La Celestial Guardiana y Protectora de la Provincia de Cavite y su Puerto" is one of the most reverent Marian images in the Philippines. She witnessed galleons built at Sangley Point and blessed hundreds of galleons sailed and returned of the 250 years of the infamous Manila/Acapulco Galleon Trade.

Her feast is celebrated every second Sunday of November in Cavite City, where She is honored as the Patroness of the entire city. Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga is also celebrated during Lenten rites as well as the customary observance of All Saints/All Souls Day, where she's referred to as "Inang Magkakandila," the image is given a Pontifical high mass at Binondo Church (Minor Basilica of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz). In 1892, the Philippine National Anthem composer Julian Felipe, composed a hymn called "Reina de Cavite" on her honor.

On March 16, 1984, the icon was stolen, after months of search it was recovered on August, 1984, the icon was stripped off all its original gold decorations and precious stones. Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga - the patroness of the galleons was re-enshrined in her altar by devotees include OFWs and other foreign nationals who flock Manila Bay and Cavite to join the Porta Vaga Festival.
- ka tony
**photo courtesy of our good friend Jing Lo Puertollano

"Nao Victoria" and the Basque Juan Sebastian Elcano

On the 6th of September, 1522, one of Magellan's ships "Nao Victoria" after the long circumnavigation returned in Sanlucar de Barrameda in Seville, Spain and was crewed by only 22 men out of the original 5 ships (Trinidad, San Antonio, Concepcion, Santiago and Victoria) and about 270 men that started the expedition in 1519. Only eighteen European survivors of the voyage and four Asians they had picked up en route. The rest had died, deserted, left behind as unworthy of sharing in the spoils of the rich cargo of spices. After traveling 42,000 miles, the ship was in terrible condition, with her sails torn and only kept afloat by continuous pumping out of water by the eighteen who returned to Seville in Victoria:

# ...Juan Sebastian Elcano - captain-general of Nao Victoria.
# ...Miguel de Rodas - petty officer of Nao Victoria.
# ...Francisco Albo - of Axio, boatswain of Nao Trinidad.
# ...Juan de Acurio - of Bermeo, petty officer of Nao Concepcion.
# ...Martino de Judicibus - of Italy, superintendent of Nao Concepcion.
# ...Hernando de Bustamante - of Alcantara, barber of Nao Concepcion.
# ...Juan de Zuvileta - of Baracaldo, page of Nao Victoria.
# ...Miguel Sanchez - of Rodas, seaman of Nao Victoria.
# ...Nicholas the Greek - of Italy, seaman of Nao Victoria.
# ...Diego Gallego - of Bayonne, seaman of Nao Victoria.
# ...Juan Rodriguez - of Seville, seaman of Nao Trinidad.
# ...Antonio Rodriguez - of Huelva, seaman of Nao Trinidad.
# ...Francisco Rodriguez - of Portugal, seaman of Nao Concepcion.
# ...Juan de Arratia - of Bilbao, seaman of Nao Victoria.
# ...Vasco Gomez Gallego - of Portugal, grumete of Nao Trinidad.
# ...Juan de Santandres - of Cueto, grumete of Nao Trinidad.
# ...Martin de Isaurraga - of Bermeo, grumete of Nao Concepcion.
# ...Chevalier Antonio Pigafetta - of Vicenza, Italy. passenger of Nao Trinidad.

On the 9th of September, 1522, three days after the eighteen gaunt men arrived, with candles in hand, walked barefooted to the shrine of Santa Maria de la Victoria in Seville to give thanks for their safe return. It was three years since they had commended themselves to the Virgin in that same shrine, on the eve of their departure as members of an expedition which was intended to reach the spice islands by sailing west, rather than east and somehow finding a way around or through the great landmass of America, sailed around the world on the remaining Nao Victoria that was built at a shipyard of Gipuzkoa, a province of Spain and a historical territory of the autonomous community of the Basque Country. Basques being reputed shipbuilders like the Pilipinos and had good hardwood timbers as that of the Philippine hardwood that were used in the 300 years of the infamous Manila/Acapulco Galleon Trade.

Like the Nao Victoria, also from the Basque country Getaria, Gipuzkoa of Spain Juan Sebastian Elcano completed the first circumnavigation after Magellan and Duarte Barbosa's death in the Philippines, Elcano took command of the Nao Victoria from the Moluccas. At "Tierra del Fuego" the southernmost tip of South America, Elcano participated in a mutiny against Magellan before the armada discovered the passage through South America, now the "Strait of Magellan" before entering the Pacific Ocean. He was pardoned by Magellan after five months of hard labor in chains later was made captain of the galleon.

Juan Sebastian Elcano as the other crew after Magellan's death on April 27, 1521 at the Battle of Mactan, tried to recover their captain-general's body without success. Thereafter, Duarte Barbosa captain of "Victoria" and Juan Serrano of "Concepcion" were chosen leaders of the expedition, as Magellan wrote in his will that when he dies, his page Enrique de la Macca would be a freeman, both captain refused to give his freedom. Enrique sought out the disillusioned Raja Humabon and Datu Zula, convinced the two about his plot to get the Spanish goods and kill the crew, which the two leaders agreed. On the first of May, Magellan's crew were invited by Rajah Humabon for a banquet ashore to receive a gift for the king of Spain. During the dinner it appeared that a given signal, the native warriors attacked the guest, most were killed or poisoned, including Duarte Barbosa. Juan Serrano who was bleeding and his arms tied was dragged to the beach wanted to exchange him for weapons. Serrano pleaded to his friend pilot Joao Carvalho to ransom him. Fearing another treachery and perhaps thinking that he might be deprived of his command Carvalho refused to rescue Serrano, instead ordered the ships to to sail away. Serrano cursed Carvalho... "May God ask you for my soul on the day of judgement." Pilot Joao Carvalho, who had survived the trap, then became the captain of "Victoria." In August, near Borneo he was deposed and Juan Sebastian Elcano became captain for the remainder of the expedition.

After the successful first circumnavigation of Nao Victoria Juan Sebastian Elcano was awarded a coat of arms featuring a globe with the words expressing the spirit of his accomplishment... "Primus Circumdedisti Me" (Latin - "You went around me first") and a yearly pension, by King Charles I of Spain. In 1525, Elcano joined the Loaisa Expedition and was appointed Captain-General, commanded seven ships and was sent to claim the East Indies for Spain. Both Elcano and many other sailors died of malnutrition in the Pacific Ocean, few survivors reached their destination and a few of them managed to return to Spain. Elcano remained a bachelor but he had a natural son Domingo Elcano by Maria Hernandez Dernialde. In 1572 King Philip II of Spain awarded the male heirs of Elcano with the hereditary title of Marques de Buglas, Negros Island was originally called "Buglas" old Hiligaynon word thought to mean "cut off." To carry on the deliberation of the title of Marques de Buglas by King Philip II of Spain awarded the male heirs of Elcano, the current Marquis is the 17th in line and resides in Silay City, Negros Occidental.
- ka tony
the 5th of September '14

The difference between Judaism from Zionism and how the Philippines was deceived by Tio Samuel

Judaism is the monotheistic religion of the Jews, while Zionism is the worldwide Jewish and non-Jewish movement resulted in the creation and development of the state of Israel. I talked to old Samaritan Jews in Siloan (part of the Old City of Jerusalem where Solomon's pool is supposed to be located), they said there were only 400 of them living peacefully with the Palestinians before WW II. The trouble started when the Jews illegally immigrated to Palestine and created terrorists Lehi - "Lohamei Herut Israel" or Stern's group. These terrorists Stern's group requested alliance with Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, were willing to fight with them against the British in exchange for the transfer of all Jews from Nazi occupied Europe to Palestine. These terrorist Stern's group are composed of Irgun and Haganah attacked both Palestinian Arabs & British soldiers, massacred civilians, bombed hospitals, schools, hotels, train stations, buses, etc... most of the leaders of these terrorists Stern's group became heads of the created state of Israel:

# ...Menachem Begin - Irgun terrorist leader, became prime minister of Israel and also won the Nobel Peace Prize, was called the "godfather of terrorism." He and his Zionist factions competed for the honor of allying to Hitler. By 1940-41, he presented the Nazis with the "Fundamental Features of the Proposal of the National Military Organization in Palestine (Irgun Zvai Leumi). Concerning the Solution of the Jewish Question in Europe and the Participation of the NMO in the War on the Side of Germany." In 1946, Jewish terrorists agitating for their own state in British-occupied Palestine blew up Jerusalem's King David Hotel, killing 91 civilians. Two years later, an independent Israel was established.
# ...Yitzhak Shamir - Lehi leader, became prime minister of Israel. By appointing Shamir Foreign Minister, Prime Minister Menachem Begin had selected the organizer of two famous assassinations: the killing of Lord Moyne, the British Minister representative in the Middle East in 1944 and Count Folke Bernadotte the UN's special Mediator on Palestine in 1948.
# ...Ariel Sharon - commander of the notorious Unit 101, became prime minister of Israel. Sharon led attacks on Palestinian villages in which women and children were killed. The massacre in the West Bank village of Qibya on October 14, 1953 was the most notorious. His troops blew up 45 houses of unarmed Arab village of Qibya and initiated the Sabra-Shatila massacre in which between 1000 and 3000 people (mostly Palestinians) were murdered and lead a terrorist campaign against all Palestinians living in the occupied territories of the West Bank.
#...Benjamin Netanyahu - former army officer now Israel's Prime Minister was involved in many massacre of Palestinian civilians, women and children.

Palestinian-Zionist problem is complicated specially to people who are not aware of the area's past history and continuously following the conflict, because Zionists wanted it to be complicated to hide their political, military and economic interest in the region. Zionism is not only in the Middle East but specially in the US. Zionist's news cover up and propaganda in the media are common because most of Hollywood, television, internet, print, etc... are Zionists owned businesses. Unfortunately the Jewish religion, Samaritans, Orthodox Jews are affected by the terrorism and crimes committed and continue to terrorize the Middle East. World-renowned scientist Albert Einstein, rejected the idea of a Jewish state and said... "the state idea is not according to my heart. I cannot understand why it is needed. It is concerned with narrow-mindedness and economic obstacles. I believe it is bad. I have always been against it." 

Movement called political Zionism had begun in Europe. Its intention was to create a Jewish state in Palestine through pushing out the Christian and Muslim inhabitants who made up over 95 percent of its population and replacing them with Jewish immigrants. As this colonial project grew through subsequent years, the Palestinians reacted with occasional bouts of violence; Zionists had anticipated this since people usually resist being expelled from their land. When the buy-out effort was able to obtain only a few percent of the land, Zionists created a number of terrorist groups to fight against both the Palestinians and the British.

Finally, in 1947 the British announced that they would be ending their control of Palestine, which had been created through the League of Nations following World War One and turned the question of Palestine over to the United Nations. Since a founding principle of the UN was self-determination of peoples one would have expected to the UN to support fair, democratic elections in which inhabitants could create their own independent country. Instead, Zionists pushed for a General Assembly resolution in which they would be given a disproportionate 55 percent of Palestine. While they rarely announced this publicly, their stated plan was to later take the rest of Palestine. So UN proposed a partition of Palestine and was put into a vote among the member nations.

The UN Representative of the Philippines at that time was Carlos P. Romulo. According to him... "The most unpopular stand the Philippines took was over the proposed partition of Palestine to create the State of Israel. I had discussed the issue with President Manuel Roxas, who was against it for the reason that he believed partitioning would mean potential danger in the peace of the world and the Arabs would never accept it. Furthermore, Roxas believed that it would cause friction in the Middle East and establish a precedent, citing the situation in Mindanao which, while the Philippines was still a Commonwealth, was once proposed to be segregated from the rest of the country, prior to our gaining independence from the US. On his part, Romulo felt that "to carve out a country from an already populated land would create a trouble spot that would continue to fester, which it has." 

UN Speech of Romulo has become the precedent of other nations voting against to the said Plan. The UN is already anticipating that Arab countries will be voting against the creation of the State of Israel. After two days, President Roxas called Romulo to reverse the Philippine stand for reasons of national interest. The US Congress was threatening to withdraw any further aid to the Philippines and only a "YES" vote would stop the threat. Because of this instruction to reverse the Philippine position.

After the speech delivered by various delegations, member-countries proceeded to vote on the UN Resolution. The Philippines was one of the last countries to cast their votes. The Philippine vote become the deciding factor or the tie-breaker in the deadlock in the General Assembly. During the time that the Philippines was about to cast the vote, the Haiti Delegation had already reversed their vote from "NO" to "YES" thus breaking the deadlock. The Zionists and Tio Samuel kept quiet about their Nazi business connections and the haven Tio Samuel had given German war criminals in South America. Within three days, the American business tycoon was able to successfully convince his Latin American governmental and business contacts to change their earlier votes. Brazil and Haiti, who had voted "NO" on November 26, voted "YES" on November 29. Nicaragua, Bolivia and Ecuador voted in favor where they had previously abstained. Argentina, Colombia and El Salvador who had voted against, now abstained.

Majority of the Zionists now living in modern day Israel, 80% are probably descendants of the Great Khazars & never were descendants of Abraham. Khazaria Empire lies between the Black & Caspian seas was the old European/Asian Silk Road area & this pagan Asians were brutal, warlike clan-empire, whose King Bulan adopted Judaism from the silk traders, made Judaism as their official religion. They hated the Russians, many migrated to America & in Germany they called themselves "Ashkenazim," which means "Beloved German." Hitler hated them because they held & run their business like the mafia & they "stole" the victory from Germany in World War-1. The Khazaria Jews in America became very successful, but after WW-1 the Ashkenazims made an alliance with Britain guaranteeing that they have the power to convince America to go to war and help Britain win the war with Germany and the Ottoman Empire, which the US did, but the prize will be the creation of state of Israel in Palestine, which lead to the "Balfour Declaration" (2nd of November, 1917) was a letter from the United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour to Baron Walter Rothschild a leader of the British Jewish community, for transmission to the Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland. It said...

"His Majesty's government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country."

After being convinced by the powerful Zionists in the US, announced that they declared war against Germany. But then again during WW-2 the Stern's group (terrorists Lehi - "Lohamei Herut Israel") whose leaders where Menachem Begin & Yitzhak Shamir, requested alliance with Fascist Italy & Nazi Germany, were willing to fight with them against the British in exchange for the transfer of all Jews from Nazi occupied Europe to Palestine.
 
-ka tony
the 21st of July '14, dedicated to the victims of Zionism in the "penal colony of Gaza." ...InshAllah!!!

Manila Open City

When America declared their Philippine colony's capital Manila an "Open City" it was to announce officially that the city is demilitarized during a war, announcing that they have abandoned all defensive efforts and entitling the city immunity from attack under international law. The attacking armies of the opposing military should respect and expected not to bomb or otherwise attack the city, but simply to march in. The "Open City" concept and objective is to protect the city's historic landmarks, ancestral houses and civilian living in the city from an unnecessary battle.

The City of Manila was not attack, lives were saved as well as the buildings, historical/ancestral houses, American colonial military and their government offices. It was on May 6, 1942 at 10:15 am, General Jonathan Wainwright sent the last message from Corregidor to President Roosevelt, that he surrendered to Japanese General Homma and by June 9, Allied forces had completely surrendered. Japanese military forces marched towards the City of Manila to occupy the beautiful Spanish "Pearl of the Orient" city. 

During the Japanese reign of terror in the City of Manila, they officially changed anything "American" and its collaborators, specially names of streets, parks and buildings to Pilipino/Japanese names. Unlike the Americans, they did not name them after their emperor or even to their Japanese heroes:
# Dewey Boulevard - "CALLE HEIWA (Peace)"
# Taft Avenue - "CALLE DAITOA (Greater Far East)"
# Harrison Boulevard - "CALLE KOA (Rising Sun)"
# Jones Bridge - "TULAY BANZAI"
# Quezon Boulevard - "CALLE MULAWIN"
# Plaza Ferguson - "PLAZA SIMBAHAN"
# Plaza Lawton - "PLAZA BURGOS"
# Plaza McKinley - "PLAZA MALAKI"
# Plaza Willard - "PLAZA MALIIT"
# California Street - in Ermita "CALLE ILOKOS"
# Carolina Street - in Malate "CALLE BATAAN"
# Chicago Street - Port Area "CALLE MAKILING"
# A. Craig Street - in Sampaloc "CALLE BAGONG AYOS"
# Florida Street - in Malate "CALLE ISABELA"
# Gov. Forbes Street - in Sampaloc "CALLE SAMPAGUITA"
# Daugherty Street - in Pandacan "CALLE SOLIMAN"
# Kansas Street - in Singalong "CALLE CAGAYAN"
# McGregor Street - in Quiapo "CALLE WATAWAT"
# Nebraska Street - in Ermita "CALLE SORSOGON"
# Omaha Street - in Port Area "CALLE LINGAYEN"
# Pennsylvania Street - in Malate "CALLE MALOLOS"
# Smith Street - in Paco "CALLE YAKAL"
# Tacoma Street - Port Area "CALLE CABANATUAN"
# Tennessee Street - in Malate "CALLE MINDORO"
# Washington Street - in Sampaloc "CALLE MABUHAY"
# Wright Street - in Malate "CALLE KAWANG-GAWA"
# Mehan Garden - "JARDIN BOTANICO"
# Harrison Park - "RIZAL PARK"

On October 25, 1944 General Douglas MacArthur waded ashore at Leyte to announced... "People of the Philippines, I have returned." The "Liberation of Manila" (Battle of Manila), started on the 3rd of February until the 3rd of March 1945, by Americans and retreating outgunned and out numbered Japanese forces. The one-month American forces continuous air-bombing, cannon balls flying, buildings/houses burning from American GI's napalms, military tanks smashed the ancient city's small gates to go through and pulverized Manila's beautiful cobbled stone streets, mortal, grenades, powerful bullets from automatic rifles, all these happening continuously 24 hours, for a month to avoid US Military casualties, Manila was flat on the ground and was named "the second most devastated city of world war second after Warsaw." The "Liberation of Manila was a terrible ruthless slaughter of great number of innocent civilians, women, children who were caught in between and had nothing to hide, it was a total devastation of human lives and a beautiful historical city. It was the scene of one of the ugliest inhumane urban fighting in the world that ended the three years of Japanese military occupation in the Philippines (1942–1945). The city's possession was General Douglas MacArthur's key to victory in the campaign of reconquest of a US colony.
- ka tony the 4th of July, '14

"Pasan" the Procession of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo

The present Black Nazarene statue is one of two surviving life size statues burnt aboard a Manila galleon from Acapulco, Mexico, was brought to Manila by the first group of Augustinian Recollect friars on May 31, 1606. Was originally placed in the first Recollectos Church in Bagumbayan (Luneta), which was established on September 10, 1606.

In 1608, the image of the Senor Nazareno was moved to a bigger Recollectos church dedicated to San Nicolas Tolentino. Again in 1787, Archbishop of Manila, Basilio Sancho de Santas Junta y Rufina, ordered to move the image of the Senor Nazareno to the church in Quiapo, this time under the patronage of Saint John the Baptist. During the stay of Senor Nazareno in Quiapo Church, the image survived the great fires that destroyed Quiapo Church in 1791 and 1929, the destructive earthquakes of 1645 and 1863 and the continues Bombing of Manila in 1945 during World War II that made Manila flat on the ground. Today the head and the cross of Senor Nazareno stay on the "Altar Mayor" of the Minor Basilica and the original body image of the Black Nazarene is used in the processions.
 
The traditional procession was called "Pasan" because the image is carried on the shoulders of the devotees and brought around the streets of Manila in honor to the "Fiesta of the Black Nazarene" (Pista ng Itim na Nazareno), January 9th feast was chosen as a date for the original transfer in 1787 to Quiapo Church and Holy Monday which both events are attended by millions of devotees that crowd the streets of processional route. Serious injuries and even death in previous years were either drunk and foolhardy or simply overestimated their physical abilities to withstand the grueling task of pulling the rope while being crushed on all sides by their fellow barefoot devotees. There were reports, of minor cuts, abrasions on the feet, fainting spells due to sheer exhaustion of many devotees.
 
The parade could last for more than 12 hours, not every one who join is able to withstand the duration. There are those who join for only as long as they could physically manage, while others do so for only a few minutes, as some politicians and personalities who do it more for the photo, to see and be seen opportunities. Veteran devotees wearing maroon, some yellow t-shirts, white ribbons tied around their foreheads, with white towels on their shoulders who climb over peoples' shoulders just to get on the cart and touch the Black Nazarene statue or the cross with their towels, while some are pulling the ropes that moved the Black Nazarene cart. Some devotees grabbing the leading part of the ropes to redirect the flow of the parade to their liking but were pushed back, by veteran devotees to its usual route that has been the tradition for many decades.
 
My father, a veteran "pasan" devotee said, the traditional and forever route of the procession of Senor Nazareno that traces all those side streets of the Quiapo families who gave the biggest contributions to the image. From around Plaza Miranda to calle Villlalobos, to Echague, right to Gomez, right to Carriedo, left to Evangelista, to Quezon Boulevard and under Quezon Bridge, to Globo de Oro, streets behind Times Theater on Quezon Boulevard. To Barbosa, Escaldo, Norzagaray, R. Hidalgo, Farnecio, Duque de Alba, San Rafael, Plaza del Carmen, Raon, Mendoza, back to R. Hidalgo, Echague, Plaza Miranda and back to Quiapo Church, as I remember my father told me. My father added that, somewhere at the same spot of every procession, in one of these streets, same "problem" happens, The Senor Nazareno will almost take a fall from the shoulders of the "Hijos de La Senor Nazareno."
 
Veteran "pasan" devotees are superstitious and they always stick to old ways, original plans, original procession routes, scared of revisions and alterations. The Senor Nazareno might not like it, "baka "castigo" ang abutin ng Pilipinas" (Philippines might suffer because of the consequences). Some veterans said changes were made during the "pasan" of 1940, which caused WW II and the revised "pasan" of 1968 - 270 persons were killed as a result of an earthquake, when a six-storey Ruby Tower building in Manila collapsed. The revised route of the "pasan" of 2001, "Typhoon Ondoy" caused 464 deaths in the Philippines according to the "Los Veteranos Hijos de La Senor Nazareno." Of course these are all superstitious beliefs invented by the devotees so the tradition will stay with The Senor Nazareno de Quiapo, but for whatever reasons "pasan" is one of the most unusual religious traditions that made the Philippines a unique country.
- ka tony
14th of April, '14

First Declaration of Philippine Independence at Pamitinan Cave

...On April 12, 1895, Andres Bonifacio first declared Philippine independence inside a cave called Pamitinan in Montalban (now Rodriguez town) in Rizal.
Earlier, together with Emilio Jacinto, Restituto Javier, Guillermo Masangkay, Aurelio Tolentino, Faustino Manalak, Pedro Zabala and few others, Bonifacio went to the interior parts of Morong (now Rizal province) to find a place to hide in case of the discovery of the Katipunan by the Spanish authorities.

...ang Abril 12, 1895, kung babalikan ang taon at araw na ito'y "Biyernes Santo." Halos lahat ng mga Katipunero, pati na ang Supremo Bonifacio ay may personal na anting-anting. Kinaugalian ng mga nagaari ng anting-anting, sila'y nagtutungo sa maalamat na kabundukan tulad ng Makiling o bundok ng Montalban na pinaniniwalaan na ang maalamat na kuweba ng Pamitinan, ang tinirhan ni Bernardo Carpio. Kaya ang Supremo, Emilio Jacinto at ang iba'y nagtungo sa kuweba ng Pamitinan upang subukan ang bisa ng kanilang anting-anting.

Ayon sa "kasaysayan" dito raw sinulat ng Supremo Bonifacio sa isang pader ng kuweba ang... "Viva La Independencia Filipinas"
...bilang mananaliksik ng kasaysayan, marami akong katangnungan sa pangyayari at sinasabing bahagi ng kasaysayang ito...

1) nang pinundar ang masang himagsikan at pamahalaan ng Katipunan noong Hulyo 7, 1892, ang Supremo Bonifacio ay pinatatawag bilang pangalan ng ating bayan ay "Haring Bayang Katagalugan." Ayon sa Supremo ang "Filipinas" ay pangalang kolonyal, kung ganoon bakit sinulat ng Supremo sa pader ng kuweba'y "Filipinas" at hindi "Katagalugan?"

2) ayon kay Virgilio Almario... "wala sa alinmang katutubong wika ng Pilipinas ang salitang laya?.. malaya?... at Kalayaan? .... Kung ganoon, saan kaya napulot nina Bonifacio at Jacinto ang salitang Kalayaan?" at ayon pa rin kay Almario ang salitang "laya" ay ginamit ni M.H.del Pilar sa propagandang pahayagan noong 1882, kung ganoon'y 10 taon nang ginagamit ang salitang "laya" at dinagdagan ng Supremo Bonifacio at Jacinto ng "ka" upang maging "kalayaan." Bakit sinunulat ng Supremo ang "Independencia" kung tunay na nanggaling ang salitang "kalayaan" kay Bonifacio at Jacinto, bakit hindi nila ito ginamit?

3) kung ang pangalang "Filipinas" ay isang pangalang kolonyal para sa Supremo Bonifacio, bakit salitang Kastila ang sinulat niya sa pader ng kuweba ng Pamitinan at hindi wika ng Katagalugan? "di sana'y nagsasaad ito ng...
"Mabuhay ang Kalayaan ng Haring Bayang Katagalugan!"

...isa na naman ba itong "matalinghaga" o "subliminal" na pagpapaling at pagbabaluktot sa ating kasaysayan at binibigay na titolo ng mga kolonyalista tulad ng tila napakagiting pakingan na... "the last general to surrender" ...but to whom did this brave general surrendered? ...sa ating mga kolonyalistang Kano na nagbigay ng "deadline" sa pagsuko ng ating mga bayani, upang huwag nilang ibilang na bandoleros o tulisan, tulad ni Macario Sakay.
- ka tony
ika 11 ng Abril '13

January 11 - The 13 Martyrs of Bagumbayan

Exactly four months after the 13 Martyrs of Cavite were executed by musketry on September 11, 1896 and only 12 days after the execution of Jose Rizal, another set of 13 unlucky men suffered the same fate on the same execution ground of Bagumbayan. They were casualties of Spanish witch hunt against the members of the secret revolutionary society Katipunan and Rizal's reformist group organization La Liga Filipina whose members were mostly Freemasons. At the early dawn of January 11, 1897, just before the sun rose, the "13 Martyrs of Bagumbayan" bravely faced their final breath to death surrounded by a huge crowd that witnessed the tragic moment.

1) Jose A Dizon - was an engraver in Casa de Moneda in Manila. One of the founders the Katipunan, he was the brother of Josefa Dizon Jacinto the mother of Gat Emilio Jacinto. Dizon a Freemason was of the committee that the Katipunan formed to secure arms from our ally Japan. When the secret society Katipunan was discovered by the Spanish Cortes, Dizon was among the hundreds who were arrested for rebellion.

2) Domino Franco - a tobacco merchant, was originally from Capiz but moved to Manila. A Freemason and joined the propaganda movement La Liga Filipina, he helped raise money to send to the so-called Propaganda Movement in Spain. Later was arrested, his wife attempted to bail him out of the Bilibid prison and told her that "I never was a traitor to my country."
 
3) Numeriano Adriano - was a lawyer and rendered efficient service as Clerk of Court in the third branch of the Court of First Instance of Manila. In recognition of such service at the escribania, he was authorized by the Crown to practice as a notary public. In this capacity, he held office at the Cortes Building at the corner of Ongpin and Rosario Streets, Binondo. He was influenced by Marcelo H. Del Pilar, Timoteo Paez and Deodato Arellano, like the three leaders Adriano joined the Masonry and later attained the 33rd degree and became the grandmaster. He joined La Liga Filipina and after he was one of the organizer of Cuerpo de Compromisarios which supported the La Solidaridad. On the night of September 16, 1896, he was arrested. Identified as one of those in complicity with the plot to overthrow the government, he was sent to jail by Colonel Francisco Olive of the Spanish Army. Court-martialed, he was found guilty of treason, sedition and was sentenced to death.
 
4) Moises Salvador - was the son of Ambrosio Salvador, founding president of the La Liga Filipina. While in Madrid he became friends with Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar and later joined La Solidaridad. Coming back to Manila, Salvador joined the La Liga Filipina of which his father was presiding officer, a week after Rizal was arrested by the Spanish authorities. He joined Cuerpos de Compromisarios, when Katipunan was finally discovered by the Spanish authorities in 1896, Salvador and the other members of the Cuerpos de Compromisarios did not go into hiding thinking that the government will not be after them. But on the 16 of September 1896, Salvador and his father were arrested and imprisoned. Unlike the other Martyrs of Bagumbayan, Salvador's remains were first buried in the Paco Cemetery. After the Spanish government’s defeat, military general Juan Cailles ordered for his remains to be exhumed and moved to the church in Pandacan, Manila.
 
5) Faustino Villaruel - a mason and one of the founding member of the La Liga Filipina, was also the founder of the country's first central Masonic organization and the founder of the first lodge for women called "LA Semilla." Villaruel was a member of a committee who financed the propaganda movement. The house of Mason Faustino Villaruel on No. 8 Calle Asuncion, San Nicolas/Binondo served as meeting place for the members of the Walana Lodge. It was in this house where an auxiliary lodge for women mason was founded. Rosario Villaruel (Don Faustino’s daughter) became the first woman mason in the country. Masonic activities and secret meetings held at the Faustino house were made to appear banquets and ladies’ party. The Spanish authorities learned about his involvement in the propaganda, he was arrested on August 21, 1896 and was jailed in Fort Santiago.
 
6) Francisco L Roxas - he came from one of the richest family in the Philippines at that time. Roxas was appointed to the board of directors of Banco Español-Filipino (now Bank of the Philippine Islands, acted then as the central bank) and he was also appointed as an honorary consejero to the Spanish colonial administration. Roxas like some rich Filipinos were suspected of funding the revolution, though he was approached by a Katipunan officer in June 1896 who solicited cash contribution for the purchase of firearms. Roxas protested and maintained his innocence to the day of the execution, but his name was on a list of Katipunan members found by the authorities. During the day of the execution, witnesses said... "Don Francisco Roxas had lost his mind and believing that he was in church, calmly spread his handkerchief on the ground and knelt upon it as had been his custom in childhood."

7) Luis Enciso Villareal - was originally from Daraga, Albay and was known for his graceful dancing and fiddle playing. He opened a shop on Calle Escolta called "Sastreria y Obrador de Ropa Blanca" (Tailoring and White Linen Workshop), because of this he was able to socialize with patrons belonging to the elite families in Manila. He was initiated into the Masonic brotherhood and joined the Taliba Lodge where he became a venerable member. May 1895, Villareal won the first prize in a lottery draw. He used the money for his travel to Japan to visit his son. The trip was partly a political mission as he was a supporter of the Propaganda Movement. He was then arrested upon his return in August 1896. Villareal’s remains were laid to rest in the church of Arayat, Pampanga.

8) Geronimo Cristobal Medina - was an infantry corporal in the Spanish army, yet his loyalty remained to his country, he was in the regiment known by the nickname "Burgos." He is said to have been one of those who instigated the revolt in San Juan del Monte on August 30, 1896 signaling the start of the 1896 Revolution. When Spanish authorities raided the printing shop of the Diario de Manila and confiscated incriminating materials that would confirm the existence of the much whispered about and feared secret society of determined men who were said to be plotting a bloody revolution for the independence of the Philippines. Houses and other places were also raided and suspected members, sympathizers and supporters of the Katipunan were arrested and thrown into prisons, where many of them were brutally tortured. Cristobal must have been named by one of those tortured as a Katipunero, among them was Pio Valenzuela, who identified Cristobal as a Katipunero during his testimony before a military court on September 6, 1896. Valenzuela admitted knowing him since they were both natives of Polo, (now Valenzuela City), Bulacan; that Cristobal was the Secretary of the Katipunan section "Maluningning" and that he was a zealous recruiter of members, one of them "one Braulio Flamenco, who later established the Polo section to which the witness (Valenzuela) paid his subscription." However, Valenzuela confessed he was unaware whether or not it was Cristobal who had instigated the first revolt in Pasig.
 
9) Antonio Salazar - was a businessman originally from Cavite, a Freemason and joined La Liga Filipina, Pio Valenzuela in his declaration before the Spanish court on September 3, 1896, stated that Antonio Salazar was the owner of the Bazaar El Cisne and was an "active member" of the Consejo Supremo Superior of the Katipunan. The premature discovery of the Katipunan, eventually seal the fate of Salazar and many of his fellow Masons. The Catholic clergy, seized the opportunity to reduce their ranks by linking them with the Katipunan. Homes of suspected members were searched, arrests, imprisoned and tortured in the frantic efforts of authorities to extract confessions. Because Salazar's home was reported to have served as a Masonic lodge, he was among those arrested.
 
10) Ramon Padilla - an employee of the Manila customs house, He had joined the reform movement and later the La Liga Filipina. Padilla was rude to Emilio Aguinaldo, the incident came to light shortly after Aguinaldo was inducted into the Katipunan. Noticing his glumness, Bonifacio, who was with other high-ranking Katipuneros, asked him the reason for it. Aguinaldo told him of his previous experience with Padilla. To assuage what he considered Aguinaldo's sullied honor, the Supremo immediately sent Dr. Pio Valenzuela and Jose Dizon to the house of Padilla for redress, by way of an apology. If Padilla refused to offer one, the two emissaries were to act as seconds to a duel. He later apologized to Aguinaldo and this probably saved his life for the moment, but only until January 11, 1897.
 
11) Braulio Rivera - was the superintendent of the lithographic and printing plant of Ramirez y Cia., publisher of the Diario de Manila. He was the leader of the Katipuneros secretly operating there. It was in the printing shop of the Diario de Manila that Spanish authorities, during the nighttime raid on its premises, found the list of Katipunan members whose names were in codes. Katipunan by Teodoro Patiño, one of the workers in the printing shop. A rivalry for a promotion between Patiño and his co-employee Apolonio de la Cruz, who was a Katipunan member, triggered a grudge fight that eventually drove Patiño to unmask the Katipunan to Fr. Mariano Gil parish priest of Tondo.

12) Benedicto Nijaga - a second lieutenant in the Spanish army, a position rarely achieved at the time by Filipinos. He took an active part in the organization of the Katipunan and was once tasked to solicit support from the millionaire Francisco L. Roxas, who refused. But his loyalty became suspect when he was connected to the Katipunan revolt. Still a question whether his name was on a list of Katipuneros found during the raid of the printing shop of Diario de Manila or whether he was implicated by an enemy or somebody who had been tortured.
 
13) Eustacio Mañalac - little known about him, Mañalac was among the Masons and suspected Katipuneros who were arrested and jailed by the Spanish authorities in the aftermath of the raid on the Diario de Manila and other places in the city. He was probably also tortured along with others while in prison.
- ka tony
the 10th of January '14