Following a 1644 inquiry into the lost of "Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion," a Spanish galleon plying the lucrative trade route between Manila and Acapulco, Spanish officials charged that Manila's colonial governor, Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera, had misappropriated treasures in the Philippines and was shipping them back to Spain as personal cargo. Among the 59 charges brought against Corcuera was the accusation that he shipped personal loot treasures of gold and jewelry procured as bribes for granting special favors and appointments. He was also charged with appointing his nephew, Don Juan Francisco, to command the ship to protect the governor's spoils.
The Manila galleon trade was one of the most constant but dangerous and yet profitable commercial enterprises in Mexico and European colonial history. Between 1565 and 1815 it carried the treasures of the Orient via Acapulco, Mexico in exchange for New World silver and the manufactured goods of Europe. One galleon a year would embark on the trip. More than 40 galleons were lost in the treacherous seas and looted by pirates over the centuries.
Vigan born Ventura de los Reyes a wealthy merchant and member of the Royal Corps of Artillery of Manila, who took part in the Ilocos revolt led by Diego Silang in 1762, was the Filipino representative to the Spanish Cortes - 1810-1813. He wanted the abolition of the galleon trade, he gave the reason to the Spanish court that it brought vast wealth to only a few while the masses of Manila and Acapulco suffered. It's also the main cause of graft and corruption between the colonial government, rich merchants and the church. This became one of the reasons caused by the assassination of Governor Marshal Fernando Manuel de Bustamante y Bustillo was the first recorded "PEOPLE POWER" also led by the Catholic Church in the Philippines! Before he became the Governor General of the Philippines, Bustamante was the Mayor of Tlaxacala, Mexico. Upon arrival in Manila, Bustamante discovered that the treasury contained a mere pittance of gold and silver, but thousands of promissory notes and receipts of sums due to Spain.
Bustamante embargo galleon ships like Santo Cristo de Burgos who avoided payment, seized goods and properties of rich merchants who owed the Public Treasury money. He pursue investigation of activities of the persons who held royal offices in trust before arrival. As a result, Auditor General Antonio Torralba and many royal officials were found guilty in book-keeping, allowing funds to disappear without accounting. Upon Bustamante's investigation, he learned there were corruption involved on the part of the government, rich Spanish, Chinese merchants and the clergy! Many arrested, imprisoned, seizure of their properties, Spanish population into a tumult! Guilty party who have not been investigated or arrested sought help from heads of religious orders. Bustamante learning the conspiracy and plot against him, decided to call on imprisoned Antonio Torralba who, sensing a chance at freedom agreed to cooperate.
Bustamante, appointed a new Audencia, which then arrested more guilty Spanish, Chinese and members of different religious order. Later Don Antonio de Osejo, a notary public took sanctuary in the church like the others and took with him records of his office. The Audencia then issued a decree requiring Archbishop Francisco de la Cuesta to return the records, which the Archbishop refused. The archbishop complained and later excommunicated Bustamante who in turn
issued a call to arms, jailed de la Cuesta and other powerful religious personages in Fort Santiago. October, 1719 intense situation and the streets of Manila was deserted. The night came, convent of St. Augustine opened, out came a procession of friars and "the religious" chanting... "Long live the faith ...Long live the church! ...Long live King Felipe V!" ...and they were joined by people of all classes.
Next morning, bells ringing, mob in the street towards the Governor's palace...
"The Franciscans, Dominicans and Augustinians came out from their convents, each as a body, carrying in their hands crucifixes and shouting, ‘Long Live the Church! Long Live King Felipe V!’… they were joined by people of all classes and proceeded to the Church of San Agustin…
The governor who was roused from his sleep and informed of the arrival of the mob sprang up and ordered the guards to keep back the crowd… He dispatched an order to the fort to discharge artillery at the crowd; but he was so little obeyed that, although they applied a match to two cannons, these where aimed so low that the balls were buried in the middle of the esplanade of the fort.
Without opposition, this multitude arrived at the doors of the palace… As for the soldiers of the guard, some retreated in fear, and others in terror laid down their arms. The mob climbed up by ladders and entered the first hall, the halberdiers not firing the swivel-guns that had been provided, although the governor had commanded them to do so…
Bustamante attempted to discharge his gun at a citizen standing near and it missed fore; then the governor drew his saber and wounded the citizen; the latter, and with him all the rest at once attacked the governor. They broke him right arm, and a blow on his head from a saber caused him to fall like one dead."
Bustamante's son rushed to his help him, but the mob turned on him. The body of the Governor was roped and dragged down from the palace, finally left on a couch in the royal prison together with his son's dead body. Prisoners were freed and "Te Deum" was sung in the streets of Manila. Archbishop Francisco de la Cuesta took over the functions of the Governor General. Investigations indicted no one, since the Philippines was so far from mother Spain and accounts were written by the friars. Finally, Governor Bustamante, his dead son's body and their remaining relatives, were banished to the galleons to return to Mexico and the murder of the honest Governor Marshal Fernando Manuel de Bustamante y Bustillo was forgotten.
Orchestrated "People Power," corruption, conspiracy, involvement of clergy, assassination, unsolved murder, forgotten crime, kulang na lang "yellow ribbon" at parang sirang plaka na paulit-ulit ang kasaysayan ng nakakapandiring pulitikang Pilipino!
- - ka tony
the 26 of February, '11
*Many thanks to "Traveler on Foot" for the photo of Hidalgo's painting of "Assassination of Governor Bustamante"
