The Ingenious Gentleman Supremo Luis Taruc

A nationalist, folk hero and defender of social justice, Luis Mangalus Taruc was born of peasant parents in San Luis, Pampanga on 21st of June 1913, like his father Nicanor, he became a farmer. After high school in Tarlac, he enrolled at the University of Manila, he dropout of college and opted to become a tailor in San Miguel, Bulacan.
He was deeply into socialism & in 1935 exposed to agrarian injustices and poverty around him decided to leave his haberdashery business to his wife so he can help, protect and serve the poor, maltreated and suffering peasants. Influenced by his idol socialist Pedro Abad Santos of San Fernando, Taruc joined his "Aguman ding Maldang Tala-pagobra" (AMT, Union of Peasant Workers) and in 1938, the "Partido Socialista." When the latter evolved into the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas, where he became an officer of rank.

During the 2nd World War, Taruc, together with Casto Alejandrino, Felipa Culala (Kumander Dayang-Dayang) and Bernardo Poblete (Kumander Banal of Minalin), founded the "Hukbalahap" movement (Hukbong Laban sa Mga Hapon) in a barrio of Concepcion, Tarlac on 29 March 1942. He lead a 30,000 strong guerrilla group against the Japanese invaders, harassing and attacking them at every opportunity. Hukbalahap was organized under the able leadership of Supremo Luis Taruc who they called "Lu-Lu" ("the racing one"), then "Alipato" ("the flying spark that spreads a fire"), chairman of the military committee of the united front, then the field commander of the HMB. Throughout the armed conflict of the Huks against the Japanese, in late 1943, during its political expansion, the Huks launched anew its overt operations against the Japanese which brought them into conflict with the USAFFE (United States Army Forces in the Far East) sponsored guerrilla units under an American officer Mackenzie who was spreading vicious rumors that the Huks were bandits. The result was some clashes with these guerrilla units which existed until the landing of the US "liberation forces" in October of 1944.

70,000 troops on Bataan under General Edward P. King, after months of fighting the invading Japanese Army and with food and medicine exhausted, accepting sole responsibility to disobey MacArthur's orders, chose to surrender his troops on the 9th of April, 1942. With Bataan now under Japanese control, the enemy turned their full attention to Corregidor. General Wainwright and his 26,000 troops at Corregidor were the last organized resistance on Luzon. The situation at the island of Corregidor was no better, the soldiers were weary, wounded, malnourished and diseased. At exactly noon on May 6, 1942, General Jonathan M. Wainwright surrendered to Japanese General Homma and by June 9, Allied forces had completely surrendered.

The starving Luis Taruc and his Hukbalahap, without any help from the US, with few arms and ammunition which they acquired from dead Japanese and surrendering American soldiers, Hukbalahap was the best organized anti-Japanese resistance movements in Asia. They helped and took care American soldiers who were lucky not imprisoned in the hands of the Japanese, astonishingly winning the war, Central Luzon was liberated by the Hukbalahap from the Japanese. On October 25, 1944 Gen. Douglas MacArthur waded ashore at Leyte to announce, "People of the Philippines, I have returned" and Hukbalahap were ordered to surrender their arms to the Americans. They were not recognized by the U.S. Army as real guerrilla fighters. In 1946, Taruc ran for a seat in Congress, which he won together with 6 other Communists. Charged with terrorism, he was unseated, fled to the mountains and vowed to defy the American-supported Roxas government. Luis Taruc was the dominating personality of the Huk insurgency. Between March 1942 and August 1948, the Huks became a trained and experienced force, well-equipped and well-prepared for its guerrilla warfare. The initial force of 500 armed Huks which was organized into five squadrons had increased to a fully-armed guerrilla force of 20,000 men.
 
But as the election grew near, the Huk reorganized their prewar peasant and labor organizations, formed the political party called, "Democratic Alliance." This party became the base of action for the various elements dissatisfied with the prevailing situation in the country. Further political trouble divided the leading Nationalista Party which resulted in the formation of the Liberal Party with Commonwealth president Manuel Roxas as its candidate. The Liberal Party consisted of conservatives and many of the prominent members were Japanese collaborators during the war.
 
Manuel Roxas, a very close associate of Gen. McArthur during US colonial administration was the Speaker of the House of Representatives, a senator & a member of Quezon cabinet. Upon the escape of Quezon & McArthur from Corregidor because of the sure victory of the invading Japanese forces, Quezon signed a decree making Roxas in line with Qsmena to the presidency in case of his death. April of 1942, Roxas surrendered or captured, was in the hands of the Japanese. The Japanese aware of Roxas' political innovations, offered the puppet presidency before offering the position to Jose Laurel. The assurance of presidency by Quezon under the US might have stop Roxas in accepting the offer. June of 1943, Roxas was the principal author of the puppet constitution & worked in the Laurel cabinet as Minister Without Portfolio. As the 1944 US Invasion of the Philippines Part II near, Laurel & his cabinet member fled to Baquio. April 1945 US troops were in Baquio, Laurel's cabinet; Roxas, Jose Yulo, Quintin Paredes, Antonio de las Alas & Teofilo Sison crossed the US troop lines. Press released by McArthur indicated; Yulo, Paredes, de las Alas & Sison as "captured." Roxas was reported "liberated." Later in our history Manuel Roxas was "the first president of the independent Republic of the Philippines."
 
US sponsored President Roxas declared the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed faction, HMB to be illegal and seditious. The HMB whose sole aim was the overthrow of the government, sought to establish supremacy for the movement by destroying the effectiveness of the AFP. The government realized that the Huks had no intention of any compromise of surrender until their political and economic objectives were attained.

In 1948, Taruc agreed to negotiate terms to then Pres. Elpidio Quirino. In return, Quirino promised to grant amnesty to all surrendering Huks and reinstate Taruc as congressman. Talks failed with the government accusing the Huks of violating the terms of agreement. Once more, Taruc hied off to the mountains and continued his siege. The Government considered the Huk problem a police matter, their anti-Huk campaign, the military merely saturated the Huk strong areas with combat troops and suppressed the tumultuous situations with force. They were unsuccessful and further complicated the problem with numerous abuses which destroyed the respect and confidence of the people on the military. The people left with no security in the rural areas migrated to the relatively secured urban areas. The mass abandonment of the agricultural fields adversely affected the national economy and created the squatter problem. By mid-1950, the Huk attacks increased in unbelievable proportions and the military reacted ruthlessly. In Maliwalu, Pampanga, with the belief that the people there were active Huk supporters, constabulary troopers plundered the town and massacre menfolk. The military inadequacies also reflected in their lack of knowledge of the basic military skills. The AFP did not have the knowledge  about the enemy who he was, how he operated, what his objectives were and most importantly, how he gained the support of the people.

The Maliwalu incident, the ambush-killing of the wife of the late President Manuel Quezon and infamous crimes blamed to the Huks, brought increased criticism of the government. President Quirino therefore issued Executive Order number 308 which provide the complete reorganization of the entire armed forces. He also appointed Congressman Ramon Magsaysay of Zambales as the new Secretary of National Defense, in charged with the responsibility of restoring peace and order. CIA's Edward Lansdale took advantage of the situation & became the "personal adviser" of Secretary Magsaysay. Told Magsaysay to instilled in the military that the lost political base of action had to be regained by an integrated military, political and social approach. He emphasized that every soldier must be a public relations man, political warfare specialist, civil administrator and an expert in guerrilla warfare. Underlying his policy was the belief, "Any democratic government is neither of necessity nor automatically better than a communistic government in the eyes of the Common Man." The local government must clean its own house. A status quo that has bred virulent communism cannot remain unchanged. Communism seldom flourishes where the people are content and prosperous basically.
 
To implement his policy with the advice from CIA Edward Lansdale, Magsaysay had these goals:
1. Unity of command in the military
2. Trust and confidence of the people in the military
3. Active civilian support in military operations
4. Friendship between the people and the military

During Magsaysay's first term as president, Ninoy Aquino was his close adviser and there was a lull in Huk wars, no news about Supremo Luis Taruc. There were rumors he died of illness or was kill in the field, there was also gossips that he had escaped to China by submarine. Scared of the silence that there might be an offensive attack that the Huks are planning with the help of China, Lansdale, Magsaysay and Aquino were curious to find out whatever happened to Taruc. According to Aquino he went to Conception town and tracked down the Huk mayor Gorgonio Narciso to persuaded him to help in locating the Supremo.

Still according to Aquino, Gorgonio Narciso was a friend of Taruc's half-brother Meliton a tailor who refused to join the Huks with his brothers. Meliton's tailoring shop had flourished while it had contracts to do ROTC uniforms, but lost those contracts when some ROTC officers decided it was outrageous to be wearing uniforms tailored by a brother of the Huk Supremo. Aquino said through Meliton he got in touch with a former Huk Juan Calma and from Calma brought in another operative, Teofilo Ortiz. Came later was the Supremo's uncle Arsenio Taruc, Aquino found the bent old man hiding, hauling big baskets of fish at Divisoria Market living in poverty. These four men formed the Aquino's search party, the idea to contact Taruc through any of them.

In mid-February, Aquino received a message from Taruc "He said he was willing to grant me an interview but stipulated that Manuel Manahan, then head of the Presidential Complaints and Action Committee, was to be with me." Aquino went to Magsaysay and told him the Supremo of the Huks Ka Luis Taruc, suggesting a talk. With Magsaysay's approval, Manahan preparing to reply to meet on Valentines Day with Taruc, but the ambitious  Aquino was trying on his own to interview the Supremo. Aquino using his proper contacts (Calma, Ortiz, Meliton and Arsenio Taruc), challenged Manahan and Manahan fearing leakage, cooperated.

February 15, Aquino, Romeo Taruc (Luis Taruc's son), Mahanan, Dario Arellano (a photographer) and Moises Escueta who drove the jeep, were on their way from Angeles to meet Taruc to the no man's land beyond Clark Field. The meeting was set at Hacienda Ramona at the foot of Mt. Pinatubo, 7:00 in the evening, an hour passed no trace of the Supremo but young men with in olive drab appeared with Garands, Thompsons and Browning automatic rifles. A while later came a team of heavy armed men and with them was Supremo Taruc. The Supremo had a very gentle voice, humble & greeted them with an old fashion Filipino hospitality. The Supremo asked his son Romeo to stay in one place and stay away from the camera lens, he refused to discuss possibility of peace negotiations between him and the government, he discussed about poverty, injustice, Philippine agrarian reform and willingness to cooperate with Magsaysay and said... "I'm a Filipino first and last, if I did not endorse Magsaysay last election it was because I suspected him of being a dangerously inclined to the American imperialist. But the people had spoken, had elected Magsaysay as their president. It is for us to accept their verdict." The Supremo also believed on the president's promise of internal democratization, agrarian semi-revolution and modest industrialization. The interview lasted three hours, until midnight and photos were taken during the talk. After the interview Taruc and his men escorted Aquino's party to the foot of the mountain pass and said goodbye.
  
Ninoy Aquino's scoop on Taruc was released by Manahan to all Manila newspapers, but after three days Aquino was informed by his "search team" (Calma, Ortiz, Meliton and Arsenio Taruc), that the Supremo wanted to meet again. According to Aquino, Taruc had fallen out with the Huk movement specially with the Lava brothers and had been relieved as commander-in-chief. The second meeting was on February 18, was held in broad daylight and lasted after sundown. Aquino said that he was convinced that the Supremo is will to negotiate because Taruc was talking about God, socialism, nationalism, about his idol/mentor Pedro Abad Santos and his love for the masses and country.

Again, according to Aquino on the last week of April his "search team" brought him a note from the Supremo, who proposed a meeting in a restaurant called "Apung Gari" in San Fernando. Aquino went to the restaurant, when a little boy came to him and said... "you have been followed, you are being watched. Go to Minalin Church this afternoon." As he went to the church of Minalin, Aquino was approached by a courier... "The Supremo can not come, on the way here last night, we were ambushed."

First week of May, Aquino again received a note from the Supremo on it defined terms on which he'll be willing to come down from the mountains.
1.) the word "surrender" was not to be used to describe his return to society.
2.) that he was to be turned over not to the army but to president Magsaysay.
3.) that he was to be provided with lawyers for his trial.
...and if the president accepted these terms, said the Supremo, Ninoy Aquino was to give a "signal" on Rafael Yabut's popular radio program "Tayo'y Magaliw" by mentioning the line... "Mura ang bigas sa Maynila." If his terms were rejected, the line should be... "Mahal ang bigas sa Maynila." Taruc's terms were accepted and the line... "Mura ang bigas sa Maynila" was the signal for the Supremo to send a note to Aquino... "I'm coming down on May 17, pick me up. I will send a guide who will bring you to where I'm." But Magsaysay changed his mind on the advised of the CIA, Edward Lansdale and army officers. To them a good commie is a dead commie and they want Taruc dead. With the help and support of Manila Times owner Chino Roces, Magsaysay was torn between Aquino, Roces and the CIA/army. Magsaysay scared of bad publicity by the media (Manila Times) he gave in to Aquino's plan.

Finally on May 17, meeting was set early in the morning at Barrio Santa Maria, Pampanga. This time troops was with Aquino, surrounded the area. Meeting was at 6:30 am & if Aquino failed to return by 9:00 am, the troops will blow the place down! According to Aquino... "Taruc was surrounded by the peasants and he looked like them, in a gray peasant shirt, brown pants & straw hat."
After shaking hands, Aquino said... “Do you accept the president's terms?"
Ka Luis Taruc said... "I accept."

Instead of meeting Magsaysay, Taruc was brought to Manila and was accused in court for revolt and terrorism, sentenced to 12 years in prison. After being denied clemency by then president Diosdado Macapagal, he was pardoned by Ferdinand Marcos in September 1968 and finally released. Ninoy Aquino and Luis Taruc didn't see each other since the Supremo was incarcerated, though when asked about Aquino, Taruc never said bad things about him and just said "he tried to do his best." The old Filipino "Don Quixote," the guerrilla hero of WW II, defender of the oppressed workers, farmers, social justice, continue to work for social and agrarian reforms, worked for Huk veterans recognition and for their proper compensation. Ka Luis Taruc passed away on the 4th of May 2005, of heart attack at the St. Luke’s Hospital at age 91. There are no statues, markers to pay tribute to the great Supremo Taruc, so I quote myself...

"Ang tunay na bantayog ay nakatirik sa ating puso at damdamin, ang nagawang lampas sa ating kakayahan ay hindi kinakailangang ipagyabang!"
- - ka tony
the 20th of June '13

Communication is a Weapon

...who created "RAMON MAGSAYSAY" (31 August 1907 - 17 March 1957) the marketing/advertising "product" campaign with millions of dollar media budget? The presidential winner that up to this day still positioned in our mind a "common man," a poor mechanic and the "best Philippine president." How did this poor auto-mechanic from Zambales afford to spend millions of dollars on one of the most expensive and one of the first successful political advertising campaign in the world?
...this remarkable advertising strategy was created by the CIA officer Colonel EDWARD LANSDALE, a former advertising agency copywriter later was a propaganda writer for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS - an agency of the US federal government). The book "Gold Warriors" and the movie "The Ugly American" was based on his life and dirty unconventional military tactics. Lansdale helped the PAF develop psychological operations, civic actions and the rehabilitation of Huk prisoners in projects such as EDCOR. But the secret magic to Lansdale's CIA success was his experience in the advertising trade. Advertising can position people's mind and can reposition the competition or neutralized a problem, it is the power of communication at its highest form. To Lansdale, radical insurrections could be solved by "psychological warfare" techniques and strategies borrowed from advertising gimmicks. The ex-adman made counterinsurgency sound so simple as the direction on a hot-cake mix... "communist guerrillas hide among the people, so if you win the people to your side, the communist guerrillas have no place to hide, you can find them and finish them!"

Seventeen months right after World War II Uncle Sam gave his colony the Philippines independence to avoid expensive war reparation, which he was responsible in destroying Manila to avoid American casualties from the escaping Japanese, later Uncle Sam helped and rebuilt Japan instead, his former enemy. Anti-American sentiment, nationalism and followed by agrarian problems were on the rise. Before the Korean War, the "Cold War" actually began in the Philippines early in 1946 when a real agrarian reform of poor farmers known as the Huks (were WW II Filipino guerrilla against the Japanese) was malignantly re-labeled by Lansdale as "Marxist conspiracy to overthrow the government." Lansdale needed a "Filipino Political Product" with an objective and positioned in the mind of the Filipino society, to counter and reposition the problem.    

...like Lansdale, I'm in marketing/advertising business. I made an advertising "templates" which we usually do in marketing/advertising to research, study, analyzes the advantage and the problem, know/study the market and how to position the product into the consumer's mind. This is how the ex-adman  Lansdale probably did in creating a must have "Filipino Political Product" for the Philippines society and for Uncle Sam's interest...
# MARKET BACKGROUND:

In 1940, Philippines was a Commonwealth of the United States. Philippines had no quarrel with Japan or the Japanese people, unfortunately there were US Armed Forces stationed in the Philippines and when the United States and Japan were unable to resolve their differences over a number of issues, war became inevitable. Filipinos were recruited to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States and fought alongside US soldiers with loyalty and determination.

During Japan’s occupation of The Philippines, there were guerrilla bands on different islands, but the most effective fighters were the Huks of central Luzon. Some 50,000 men and women, mostly poor farmers in the rich agricultural lands of Pampanga and neighboring provinces. They took to the hills and harassed the Japanese, often aided by American soldiers who escaped during the Bataan Death March. Most Huks had no education or political ideology and were driven to rebellion by the tyranny of big landowners. But among their leaders were a few radical student activists, who entered politics after the war to continue campaigning for land reform. The big landowners fought back by calling them communist terrorists.
Legally as citizens of a Commonwealth of the US, Filipinos were American nationals entitled to all benefits afforded those serving in the United States Armed Forces. However when the war ended, the US Congress passed a law, the "Rescission Act of 1946," declaring that "the service of Filipinos shall not be deemed to be or to have been served in the military or national forces of the United States or any component thereof." This effectively stripped Filipinos of their recognition as US veterans and blew away whatever benefits they may have been entitled to.

The US Congress debated the issue of Huk veteran rights. It had long been established that any Filipino who served in the US military, including those who fought as guerrillas against the Japanese, were to be considered as American soldiers. In a move that shocked Filipinos, Congress initially denied the Huks their rights and benefits under the GI Bill, breaking a promise made to them by Gen. MacArthur. They were also denied back-pay, hospitalization, mustering-out pay and burial benefits. It was the first legislative sign that America had now entered into a Cold War mentality, not against a particular nation but against an alien state of mind, colored red, subgroup "terrorist."

# MARKET ANALYSIS:

Five years after WW II during the 50s, after the US turned her back to his former colony, helped instead her former enemy Japan. Filipino patriotism was on the rise once again and socialism was gaining momentum. Agrarian problem, the black propaganda against the Chinese in the Philippines (media said that most of them were communist) will take over the entire business of the Philippines and corruption during Quirino administration, empowered the HUKS are on the rise. The Huks are socialist poor peasants fighting for reforms, resisted Japanese and other imperialist invaders, not funded or given help by the US, outlawed after WW II forced them into guerrilla warfare.
# PROBLEM:

1) Filipino Nationalism and anti-US sentiment is decreasing to the most important "Door of the Orient" where US biggest military base in the world is located.
2) US center of business/warehouse in Asia is attracted to communism because of land grabbing, agrarian problem and poverty. The present President Quirino is being blamed for the state of civil war, the imposition of martial law, the rampant graft and corruption in the reactionary government.
3) rising membership of the Huk, Filipinos are loosing faith on their government, rising poor/mass base population and rising crimes.

# OBJECTIVE:

1) create a "puppet product" that will represent the poor masses with a strong nationalistic image.
2) attack Chinese business retailers who merely ranked third after American and British among merchants of foreign nationality engaged in domestic trade.
3) create an awareness on the danger and hardship of a communist government and society.
4) enforce in school the "Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo Law" requiring the study of Rizal writings, to cover up the anti-national and anti-democratic character of the next regime.
5) support American Jesuits in preparing the Anti-Subversion Law that will whip up a counter revolutionary atmosphere of anti-communism and to trammel the people's democratic right of assembly and expression.
6) create a program of land settlement but this merely disguised land-grabbing by the ruling classes in frontier areas.
7) create and support the first Agricultural Commodities Agreement with the US, agreement designed to make use of US agricultural surplus to help perpetuate a colonial pattern of economy in the Philippines, keep local agricultural production at the mercy of US control intermediate industries requiring imported agricultural raw materials and support US propaganda.
8) support US government issue "The Brownell Opinion" making a formal claim of ownership over the US military bases in the Philippines.
9) allows US to bring its allies into the Philippines and attack the people under the pretext of regional defense.
10) allow US military bases in the Philippines to launch the interventionist and aggressive activities of US all over Asia.

# PRODUCT ANALYSIS:

1) Product - RAMON MAGSAYSAY - in February 1945, General MacArthur appointed Major Magsaysay the military governor of Zambales due to his honesty, integrity and ability. During his tenure as military governor he became an outspoken champion for veteran rights seven impressed the local population with his dedication to improving their life. A year later, President Roxas asked him to join the Liberal Party and run for a congressional seat.
He received $10 million in emergency aid to pay the military and offer rewards for information about the insurgents and was promised additional assistance under the Military Assistance Agreement of March 1947, was important for the anti-Huk campaign, he met and befriended newly promoted Lieutenant Colonel Edward G. Lansdale, an Air Force intelligence officer familiar with the Philippines, the Filipino society and Magsaysay's personal JUSMAG (Joint US Military Assistance Group) advisor.
2) Background - guerrilla hero of WW II, graduated at Jose Rizal College, currently serving as Secretary of Defense under the present Quirino cabinet, was encouraged by the US to seize power from Quirino via coup d'etat but Magsaysay refused. He was credited by US and the local exploiting classes on neutralizing the revolutionary mass movement.
3) Strength - Magsaysay have a strong mass base followers, speak some English and has a strong Filipino nationalistic image.

# COMPETITION ANALYSIS:

1) Competition - present President Elpidio Quirino
2) Background - came from an elite Spanish rich ilustrado family, was a Japanese collaborator but pardoned by the US and under the CIA payroll.
3) Image - dictator, graft, corruption, crimes against the people and loosing the country's business to the Chinese.
4) Weakness - gossip about Quirino's "golden arrinola" at Malacanan, extravagant and the last of the rich elite presidential ilustrados.
# PRODUCT STRATEGY:

1) Position - The Filipino Champion of Democracy, "political product Magsaysay" as the answer to the growing Filipino patriotic sentiment.
2) Image - Magsaysay in a humble Barong Tagalog, Tagalog as his official language, open Malacanan Palace to the people specially the growing mass base, photos with poor people - shaking hands - focus on his dirty mechanic hands, man of the people, fight for democracy, strong resistance on communism and the mortal enemy of the Huks.
3) Presentation - all-out support to his bid for presidency in exchange for his brutal suppression of the masses and trammeling of democratic rights.
# COMMUNICATION PLAN:

1) to create communication campaign on Magsaysay's "Honesty" (against corrupt Quirino administration).
2) PR - newspaper write up on Magsaysay's local and international achievements.
3) print campaign on all newspapers and magazines.

4) payola and endorsements on popular radio talk show and programs.

5) make use of poster and outdoor billboards on areas that can not be reach by newspapers and radio.

# CREATIVE PLAN:

1) make use of short, but memorable campaign tagline "Magsaysay is Honest That's Why He's My Guy"

2) full page ads on the leading daily newspaper and magazines, plus vernaculars
3) create radio jingle incorporating campaign words, "Magsaysay" "democracy" "patriotism" and "honesty"
5) billboards, transit ads, posters, leaflets
6) promotional give away; pins, t-shirts, caps, pencils, key-chains

# MEDIA STRATEGY:

1) Print ads - full page, half page & one fourth page on all major newspaper, magazines and vernaculars.
2) Posters - reach weak market and none radio areas
3) Leaflets, sample ballots, pocket cards
4) Radio commercial for long reach
5) campaign buttons & pins
6) T-shirt
7) baseball caps
8) snacks, clothes, can goods, donations during "meeting de avance"
9) "meeting de avance" endorsements from former/reformed HUK members who idolized Magsaysay, like the notorious ex-HUK called "Manila Boy"

...the Magsaysay puppet regime was shamelessly proud of the fact that its chieftain Magsaysay was a running dog of U.S. imperialism. The regime tried futilely to label its slavishness as positive nationalism when faced with the anti-imperialist criticism made by Senator Claro Mayo Recto.
- - ka tony
the 17th of March,'13

The "Battling Bastards" and the "Fleeing General"

Jonathan Mayhew "Skinny" Wainwright  the son of Robert Powell Page Wainwright, an officer killed in action in the Philippines, in 1902. Jonathan Wainwright was promoted to Major General (temporary) returned to the Philippines, in December of 1940, as commander of Filipino and US forces under General Douglas MacArthur. Upon the "relocation" of Douglas MacArthur to Australia said to had been ordered out of Corregidor because the President Franklin Roosevelt was concerned about the negative impact MacArthur's death or capture would have on the American public during the critical first year of the war, the unenviable position of Allied commander in the Philippines was handed down to Wainwright. Also that same month, Wainwright was promoted to Lieutenant General (temporarily).

With 70,000 troops on Bataan General Edward P. King grandson of a Confederate General of the Civil War, after months of fighting the invading Japanese Army and with food and medicine exhausted, accepting sole responsibility to disobey MacArthur's and Wainwright's orders, chose to surrender his troops on the 9th of April, 1942. King never informed Wainwright, a move which would cost him professionally. He wanted the responsibility all to himself saying: "You men remember this. You did not surrender ... you had no alternative but to obey my order." His courageous act saved the lives of thousands of his troops, who would have been annihilated by the Japanese if he had not surrendered. Of course, General King had no way of knowing the horrors they would face in captivity, including the Bataan Death March (which claimed the lives of at least 1,000 Americans and 5,000 Filipinos); brutal conditions in Japanese POW camps (where thousands more perished) and for a unlucky few, transport to the enemy homeland on "hell ships" with little food, water or ventilation. Some of the ships were torpedoed by U.S. submarines, which had no way of knowing that their fellow Americans were being held below decks.

King spent three and half years as a captive of the Japanese and was often mistreated by them because of his rank. In a meeting with his troops prior to being sent to a POW Camp in Manchuria, he assured his men, in a tearful farewell, that he alone was responsible for the surrender. In General King’s own words, "We were asked to lay down a bunt. We did just that. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

When he emerged from a Japanese POW camp, King expected to be court-martialed for failing to obey a direct order. Instead, he was treated as a hero--and deservedly so. As we noted four years ago, the surrender on Bataan was a product of false expectations and poor leadership. Any hope of reinforcing the Philippines ended with the debacle of Pearl Harbor, though MacArthur kept telling his troops that help was on the way.

When the war in the Pacific finally ended both MacArthur and Wainwright received promotions and the Medal of Honor for their defense of the Philippines. However, Edward King had a different fate. For his actions, King received no promotions and no accolades. MacArthur even refused to see or speak to him after the war believing that he should not have surrendered. In the 1977 film "MacArthur" starring Gregory Peck, his name is not even mentioned. This however, was a sentiment not shared by the soldiers. Many veterans of the Philippines Campaign of 1941-42 were angry at MacArthur and remained bitter at him for the rest of their lives. They believed that he was out of touch with what the troops were really going through during that time. At the time of King's surrender, Wainwright disapproved but later said of King's decision that it "required unusual courage and strength of character."

With Bataan now under Japanese control, the enemy turned their full attention to Corregidor then was called "The Rock." General Wainwright and his 26,000 troops at Corregidor were the last organized resistance on Luzon. In all, more than 400 fighter plane and bombing attacks were launched against the 2 square mile island. For almost a month, while the Japanese continued their wholesale slaughter of Bataan's valiant defenders during their infamous death march, Corregidor held. By May 6th the Philippine defenders had continued to fight the delaying action called for in Orange No. 3 for the full six month period determined necessary for resupply and reinforcement. The defenders had done their part, but now they knew there would be no resupply or reinforcement.

The situation at the island of Corregidor was no better. Here too, the soldiers were weary, wounded, malnourished and diseased.  From the Malinta Tunnel General Wainwright did his best to direct the tactical aspects of the resistance. Unlike MacArthur, who had only once left the tunnel to visit troops on Bataan, "Skinny" Wainwright made frequent visits to the peninsula to check on the status of his men and to fight Japanese. In the months preceding his promotion to command of all forces in the Philippines, Wainwright had not only commanded the Philippine Scouts in I Corps, he had fought with them. On more than one occasion he had come under direct fire from enemy soldiers, watched men next to him die, and returned fire on the enemy. A unique kind of commander, many who witnessed his bravery called him, "Last of the Fighting Generals."

For long days and nights, General Jonathan Wainwright had struggled to determine in his mind the best course of action. He was proud of his men and they had come to love, admire, and obey him. Finally, on the morning of May 6th in the interest of minimizing casualties, Wainwright with his 10,000 troops left on Corregidor, he notified them of his decision. "With broken heart and with head bowed in sadness, but not in shame," he told his soldiers, today I must arrange terms for the surrender." At 10:15 A.M. he sent the last message from Corregidor to President Roosevelt. At exactly noon on May 6, 1942, General Jonathan M. Wainwright surrendered to Japanese General Homma and by June 9, Allied forces had completely surrendered. A historian of the Civil War, Wainwright later said of that moment, "Suddenly, I knew how Lee felt after Appomattox. Wainwright was then held in prison camps in Luzon, Formosa, and Liaoyuan (former Xi'an in Manchukuo) until his liberation by the Soviet Red Army in August 1945. He was the highest ranking American POW and despite his rank like POW General Edward King, his treatment at the hands of the Japanese was not pleasant.

In Australia MacArthur was furious, in his own mind he expected these generals to die fighting to defend the Philippines. King and Wainwright, the generals he had selected to complete their mission had let him down. On July 30, 1942 General George C. Marshall proposed that a Medal of Honor be awarded to the last of the fighting generals. It prompted an act of resistance to a Medal of Honor award, unprecedented in the Medal's history. General MacArthur wrote, in part...

"The citation proposed does not represent the truth. As a relative matter award of the Medal of Honor to General Wainwright would be a grave injustice to a number of general officers of practically equally responsible positions who not only distinguished themselves by fully as great personal gallantry thereby earning the DSC but exhibited powers of leadership and inspiration to a degree greatly superior to that of General Wainwright thereby contributing much more to the stability of the command and to the successful conduct of the campaign. It would be a grave mistake which later on might well lead to embarrassing repercussions to make this award."

During his more than three years of captivity, General Wainwright suffered deprivation, humiliation, abuse and torture at the hands of the Japanese. In his own mind he feared the moment of his return, sure that he would be considered a coward and a traitor for his surrender at Corregidor. He knew nothing of the award that had been proposed, then shelved because of MacArthur's scathing objections. Throughout the period he struggled to survive, General Jonathan Mayhew Wainright was the highest ranking and he was also one of the oldest American prisoner of war in World War II and celebrating his 60th birthday in a POW camp in Manchuria.

On October 25, 1944 General Douglas MacArthur waded ashore at Leyte to announce, "People of the Philippines, I have returned."  Almost a year of bitter fighting remained for Allied forces in the Pacific. Then, on August 6, 1945 the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, three days later a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. On August 14 the Japanese announced that they would surrender. The final documents of surrender would be signed in Tokyo Harbor on September 2nd, General MacArthur would preside over the historic event and sign on behalf of the President of the United States.

On August 19 General Wainwright learned that the war had ended, he would finally be going home. Upon release, Wainwright was flown from Mukden, Chongqing, China. He met with Sid Huff, who escorted him to a barber and a tailor. He had lost so much weight that his uniform was loose on his wiry frame. He was flown first to Yokohama, where he arrived looking tired and gaunt on August 31st. MacArthur's second evening in Japan he met Wainwright. MacArthur recalled...

"I rose and started for the lobby, but before I could reach it, the door swung open and there was Wainwright. He was haggard and aged.... He walked with difficulty and with the help of a cane. His eyes were sunken and there were pits in his cheeks. His hair was snow white and his skin looked like old shoe leather. He made a brave effort to smile as I took him in my arms, but when he tried to talk his voice wouldn't come. For three years he had imagined himself in disgrace for having surrendered Corregidor. He believed he would never again be given an active command. This shocked me. "Why, Jim," I said, "your old corps is yours when you want it."

Wainwright arm-in-arm with MacArthur, could only respond with "general..." before he broke down in tears. MacArthur did not notice at the time of the reunion, but afterwards he realized that the cane Wainwright walked in on that evening was a present from MacArthur before the war; he had kept it near him through the years in the prison camps. It was given by MacArthur so that his friend, a fellow general, could use it as a swagger stick, a symbol of his rank; ironically, Wainwright used it to support his weakened weight and defeated spirit.

Wainwright never felt any bitterness toward MacArthur for his actions in the Philippines or MacArthur's attempt to deny him the Medal of Honor. In fact, when it appeared that MacArthur might be nominated for president at the 1948 Republican National Convention, Wainwright stood ready to make the nominating speech. He died of a stroke at San Antonio, Texas on September 2, 1953.

To many Filipinos and Americans MacArthur was a hero. Through the dark years ahead they believed that, as he had promised, he would return. But to some, specially enemy powers sought to portray MacArthur differently; Germany and Italy to Japan he was labeled in the media as arrogant, egoistic, self important, over rated, a coward, a deserter and the "fleeing general." MacArthur had been ordered out of Corregidor because the President Roosevelt was concerned about the negative impact his death or capture would have on the American public during the critical first year of the war. To counter the propaganda of the enemy, General George C. Marshall suggested awarding MacArthur the Medal of Honor. The President agreed and the same award his father had received 80 years earlier was presented to General Douglas MacArthur in Australia on June 30, 1942. Arthur and Douglas MacArthur became the only father and son in history to both receive the Medal of Honor.

Truth be told that in 1940, the Philippines was a Commonwealth of the United States. We had no quarrel with Japan or the Japanese people. Unfortunately there were US Armed Forces stationed in the Philippines and when the United States and Japan were unable to resolve their differences over a number of issues, war became inevitable. Filipinos were taken in to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States and we fought alongside US soldiers with loyalty and determination.

Legally as citizens of a Commonwealth of the United States, Filipinos were American nationals entitled to all benefits afforded those serving in the United States Armed Forces.

However when the war ended, the US Congress passed a law, the “Rescission Act of 1946,” declaring that “the service of Filipinos shall not be deemed to be or to have been served in the military or national forces of the United States or any component thereof.” This effectively stripped Filipinos of their recognition as US veterans, and blew away whatever benefits they may have been entitled to.

More than 60 years later, a new law was passed granting certain payments to eligible persons who served in the US Armed Forces during World War II to include Filipino veterans. If the eligible person was not a citizen of the United States, he was granted $9,000. For a citizen of the United States, the amount was $15,000.

In February and March 1942, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, some 117,000 Japanese-Americans (Niseis) living along the West Coast of the United States were herded into internment camps where they were kept under difficult living conditions. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed the “Civil Liberties Act,” providing each of the surviving 60,000 Japanese-American internists with $20,000 along with an apology for a grave injustice.

So much for our steadfast devotion to Uncle Sam and the red, white, and blue. By the way, the United States does not observe Bataan Day as a national holiday. Rightly so because it was a day of defeat. Seventy years after, very few Americans know what Bataan and Corregidor was all about, or where these places are located.
- - ka tony
the 9th of April, 2012

Macabebe, Pampanga and the Macabebe Scouts

At the height of the Luzon Empire's importance in the China trade in the 16th century, maritime trading and even piracy, became the main source of profit. As one of the "Lucues" (people of Luzon), many Tondenos and Kapampangans worked as mercenaries for the various states and kingdoms in Southeast Asia. Tundo was a province of Pampanga or Ka-Pampang (meaning of the same river), Kapampangan was the second dialect of Tundo back then. The kingdom had diplomatic ties with China during the Ming Dynasty. Before the arrival of the Spaniards in the late 16th century, the Kapampangan people made up the bulk of the population of what the Ming Dynasty texts referred to as the Luzon Empire or "Lusong Guo" in Chinese.

Fray Casimiro Diaz, a historian of the Augustinian order, referred to the Pampangos as... "the most warlike and prominent people of these islands. Their rebellion was all the worse because these people had been trained in the military art in our own schools, in the fortified posts of Ternate, Zamboanga, Jolo, Caraga and other places where their valor was well known."

In 1565, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, led an expedition to the Philippines to enslave the natives. At first he established his capital in Cebu, but in 1571 using the Cebuano natives, he attacked Maynilad and Tundo in Luzon, two of the three settlements by the Pasig River, the great maritime empire of Sri Vijaya barter partners of the Chinese traders. Raja Soliman called on the chieftains of Pampanga to join him in driving the foreign colonialist away, since Rajah Lakandula made peace with Legaspi. A fleet of 40 warboats was assembled, each equipped with local "lantaka" cannon. Down Pampanga River sailed some 2,000 troops, led by Lakan of Macabebe himself. Unfortunately the Lakan of Macabebe (historian Zaide referred to as "Tarik Soliman") was killed in the Battle of Bangkusay on June 3, 1571.

Legazpi captured the settlement, renamed it Manila and made it the capital of the Philippines, thus, the colonization of the Philippines started. Legazpi served as the governor-general of the new colony. For 250 years -- from 1565 to 1815 -- the Philippines was ruled by the Viceroy of Nueva Espana (Mexico) for the Spanish Crown. Those who succeeded Legazpi as governor-general were all Mexicans until 1815 when Spain took direct control of the Philippines. While the Pampango warriors, known for their courage and skill in battle first to defy Spain, later on fought side-by-side with the Spaniards as mercenaries. They fought against the Chinese pirate Limahong, the Moros, the Dutch and the British.

Mexican immigration to the Philippines mainly occurred during the Spanish colonial period. Between 1565-1821 the Philippines were in fact administered from the Vice royalty of New Spain's capital, Mexico City. During this period trans-Pacific trade brought many Mexicans and Spaniards to the Philippines as sailors, crew, prisoners, slaves, adventurers and soldiers in the Manila-Acapulco Galleons which was the main form of communication between the two Spanish colonies.

During the Spanish Colonial period of the Philippines, Macabebe (meaning: "bordering the river banks") was the oldest and most important communities of Pampanga and Macabebes were the first known Kapampangans. When the Philippine Revolution erupted in 1896, a Spanish Colonel named Eugenio Blanco who had large estates near the town of Macabebe in Pampanga organized a regiment from among his clients. The Macabebes were called as "mga Pilipinong traydor" (Filipino traitors) in Philippine history. In Fairness to our Macabebe brothers, many didn't understand or know that the original "Macabebes Scouts" were Mexican soldiers and their descendants, serving under the Spanish flag in the Philippines. They were called "Guachinangos," a Nahuatl term meaning "an inhabitant of a forest" and Guachinangos are Mexican Indians. They were brought in the Philippines as "balance" for the empty ships coming from Acapulco of the infamous Acapulco/Manila galleon trade. To avoid expenses of sending back to their native Sonora, the Spanish authorities settled them in Macabebe, Pampanga. Their salary from the Spaniards - few pesos, rice and a can of sardines...hence "ang kasabihan"..."taksil na Macabebe, bakit ipinagpalit ang Pilipinas sa lata ng sardinas?" They look like Filipinos because of their dark skin, facial feature, height and wore long hair. When Spain lost the war to the Americans, the Macabebes, served the Americans with the same salary and "deal."

At the conclusion of the Spanish-American War 270 men of this 72nd Macabebe Regiment found themselves stranded in Manila. Many shipped out to join a Spanish garrison in the Caroline Islands and the remainder slipped back into Macabebe after it was occupied by the Americans. Some of these offered to serve as native guides for U.S. forces commanded by General Henry Lawton and after authorization by General Elwell Otis, a company of "Macabebe Scouts" was formed under Lieutenant Matthew A. Batson. Macabebes won lasting notability in the operation under General Frederick Funston to capture General Aguinaldo.

Many so called "Filipino historians" defy the story of the "Guachinango Mexican Indians" but of the 250 years existence of galleon trade, hundreds of Manila galleons traveled from present-day Mexico to the Philippines, the exchanged of slaves, culture, language, culinary art, fruits, spirit drinks, etc... it's like denying the diaspora of the "Manila Men" of New Orleans in Louisiana. On the sidestreets of Acapulco the "tuba fresca" heady brew is sold, together with "ceviche" Filipino seafood "kinilaw" and "Manila Mango." Legazpi was a Basque, he had spent 20 years of his life in Mexico City, while his grandsons, Felipe and Juan de Salcedo were born in Mexico. After subduing the native groups in Luzon and thwarting the Chinese pirate Limahong from capturing Manila, died of a malignant fever in his encomienda in Vigan on March 11, 1576. More than half of Legazpi's crew was composed of Mexicans: creoles like the Salcedos, mestizos and Aztec indios, who stayed in the Philippines.
- - ka tony
the 19th of January, '13

Pilipinas at Hawaii

...ayon kay Captain James Cook ang Kaharian ng Hawaii ay kaniya "daw nadiskubre" at dahil dito'y ginawa itong kolonya ng kaniyang bayang Inglatera. Ipinangalan ni Captain Cook sa grupo ng isla ng Hawaii ay "Sandwich Islands." Subalit dahil sa natagpuang likas na yaman dito ng kalapit bayan na America sa Dagat Pasipiko, nagtungo ang mga manggingisdang pumapatay sa mga balyena, mga magsasakang inagaw ang lupaing taniman ng mga Kanaka na tubo at pina, mga ministrong protestante upang ikalat ang ebanghelyo, mga puting guro na "Thomasites" upang magturo at mga sundalo upang mabigyan ng proteksyon ang mga kababayan nilang Amerikano na nandoroon.

Dumami ang mga Amerikano sa Hawaii, hangang ang mga Ingles naman ay nagsawalang kibo at hinayaang angkinin ang kaniyang kolonyang "Sandwich Islands." Kung mapapansin sa "state flag" ng Hawaii, hangang sa ngayon ay taglay pa rin nito ang "union jack" o "St. Andrew's Cross" ng dating kolonyalistang Inglatera.

Dahil sa pagdami ng mga Kano sa kaharian ni Queen Liliuokalani ng Hawaii, siya ay nagpanukala ng bagong saligang batas upang proteksyonan ang kaniyang kaharian, ang kanilang lupain at dagat. Sa bandang huli'y tuluyang inangkin ng mga Amerikano ang kabuboan Kaharian ng Hawaii at noong Enero 17, 1893 hinuli nila si Queen Liliuokalani at kinulong. Ang sanhi ng pagkakakulong sa reyna ay para "daw" sa proteksyon at kaligtasan ng mga Amerikano na nandoroon. Ang nagbuklod na samahan ng "Americans and Europeans Committee of Safety" na binubuo ng mga manggangalakal, politiko at militar, karamihan ay Kano ang siyang namuno, na pinangunahan ni Sanford B. Dole (mayari ng Dole Pineapple & Fruit Company), hangang siya ang kinilalang President of the Republic of Hawaii (recognized by the United States government as a protectorate), noong Hulyo 4, 1894 at tulad ng pekeng kalayaan na ibinigay din sa atin Hulyo 4, 1946, itinama na naman sa araw ng kalayaan ng bayan nilang Estados Unidos.

Dalawang taon pa lamang ng agawin ng Amerika ang Hawaii, pumutok naman ang himagsikan ng Katipunan, noong 1896 laban sa mga Kastila. Sa kabilang dagat naman, noong Pebrero 15, 1898 ay bigla na lamang sumabog ang barkong ng Amerika "USS Maine" sa Havana, Cuba, na hindi malaman ang dahilan. Pinagbintangan ng mga Kano ang mga Kastila sa pagkakasabog ng barkong ito na nasa kolonya, poder ng Espania. Natuloy sa gerang "Spanish/American War" at upang lalong umalab ang galit ng mga Kano sa mga Kastila ay sumigaw sila ng "Remember the Maine, to Hell with Spain!" tulad din ng kanilang gung-ho laban sa mga Mexicano na "Remember the Alamo!"

Sa dahilan ang Pilipinas ay kolonya ng Espania, ang Spanish/American War ay umabot sa atin at dito na naman nakialam ang Estados Unidos sa ating himagsikan. Buwan ng Pebrero 4, 1899, binaril at napatay ni Prvt. William Walter Grayson ang kakamping Pilipinong tatawid lang sa tulay ng San Juan del Monte at dito pumutok ang Filipino/American War, tuloy naging kolonya ang ating bansa ng Estados Unidos. Tuloy, ang mga puting gurong "Thomasites," mga sundalo at protestanteng ministro na pabalik-balik sa Dagat Pasipiko; Presidio ng San Francisco, California, Hawaii at Pilipinas.
...ito ba'y isang pagkakataon lamang???

# ...upang maprotektahan ang mga Kano na iligal na nasa Hawaii, ang naging sanhi ng pagkakaagaw ng EU sa Kaharian ng Hawaii.
# ...ang mahiwagang pagsabog ng Amerikanong barko, USS Maine sa Habana, Cuba, ang sinimulan ng Spanish/American War.
# ...ang pagkakabaril at pagkakapatay na kakamping Pilipino ni Prvt. Grayson, ang nagpasimula ng Filipino/American War.
# ...dahil sa "pagtulong" sa pagsasanay sa mga South Vietnamese ng mga American Special Forces sa Vietnam, nasangkot sila sa Vietnam War.
# ...upang masugpo ang pagtawid ng mga Viet-Cong sa "Ho Chin Minh Trail" sa Cambodia, sinuportahan ng EU si Pol Pot na ang kinawakasan ay "Killing Fields."
# ...dahil sa pagsalakay ng mga terorista noong 9-11 sa Twin Towers, gumanti binomba, sinalakay, ang Iraq, pinatay si Saddam Hussein at mga sibilyan na walang kinalaman at wala nakita sa binibintang na "weapons of mass destruction."
# ...nalaman na si Bin Laden ay nagtatago sa Afghanistan, tapos ay sa Pakistan, pinagbobomba, sinalakay, napatay ang maraming sibilyan at hangang sa ngayo'y patuloy ang gera, kahit nahuli at napatay na nila si Bin Laden.
...ang mga ito ba'y nagkataon lang muli???
- - ka tony - ika 29 ng Enero '13

Thomasites ang mga Puting Guro at Philippine Heroes

Sadyang nilapastangan ng mga kolonyalistang mananakop kasama ng kanilang sponsor na ilustrado/sajonista, ang tunay na kasaysayan ng ating lahi, upang sa ganoon ay mapagtakpan ang kanilang ginawang mga krimen, pagnanakaw nang likas ng ating bayan, pagangkin ng ating tagumpay at pagbura sa ating isipan nang katutubong kultura. Ang itinaguyod nilang paaralan ay nagsilbing "brain-washing school system" upang tuloy-tuloy ang paghulma sa ating puso at pagiisip, ang "colonial mentality" na magsisilbing tanikala sa paa ng salin lahing Pilipino sa kolonyalismo.

Lulan ng barkong USAT Thomas na galing sa kampo ng Presidio sa San Francisco, California, ipinadala ng Estados Unidos ang may bilang na 530 (365 lalake at 165 babae) Thomasites Teachers sa bagong koloniya niyang Pilipinas noong Agosto 21, 1901. Nanatiling tinawag ang mga "puting guro" na "Thomasites," dahil sa patuloy na pagpapadala ng mga gurong ito sa Pilipinas na laging lulan ay ang barkong USAT Thomas, hangang umabot sa bilang na 1,074 isang taon pa lang ang nakakalipas. Ang kanilang magiging sweldo ay $125.00 - kada buwan at ang kanilang tungkuling gagampanan ay magturo ng elementarya sa itinatag na paaralang pangpubliko ng Estados Unidos at turuan/sanayin ang mga lokal na may potensyal na maging guro sa pagtuturo, pagsasalita, pagbabasa sa wikang Ingles.

Bukod sa pagtuturo ng wikang Ingles, ituturo rin nila ang US history, reading, grammar, geography, mathematics, general courses, trade courses, housekeeping, sewing, crocheting, mechanical drawing at freehand drawing. Sa larangan naman ng palakasan ay baseball, track & field, tennis, baseball at basketball. Ang mga aklat na nasa wikang Ingles ang gamit sa paaralan na sinulat ng mga puting autor at sa bandang huli'y mga sinulat ng ilustrado/sajonista na pensyonadong pinagaral sa Amerika.

Tuluyang nalimutan nating mga Pilipino ang katutubo talino, pati na ang pagsulat ng baybaying alibata, na ginamit din sa aklat na "Doctrina Christiana" na una pa sa ano mang nailimbag na aklat ng Amerika. Binasura ang pagaaral at aklat nating Katon, tuluyang nalimot ang mga matanda nating paaralan; Colegio de Santa Potenciana (1589), Universidad de San Ignacio (1590), Universidad de San Carlos (1595), Universidad de Santo Tomas (1611), Colegio de San Juan de Letran (1630) at Colegio de Santa Isabel (1632), ang mga paaralan na hindi lang elementarya o mataas na paaralan, subalit mga universidad na mas nauna pa sa pinakamatandang paaralan ng Estados Unidos - Harvard University (1636). Ano't tayo pang mga Pilipino na naunang maglimbag ng mga aklat at nagkapaaralan ang siyang tinuturuan ng mga puting guro na ito na idinestino sa buong kapuluan, mula Aparri hangang Jolo?

Sa ginawang ito, ang Pilipinas ngayon ang binansagang na "third largest English-speaking nation in the world" sapagkat ang wikang Ingles ay patuloy na ginawang opisyal na wika sa lahat ng ating paaralan at naging batayan din sa uring elite na hagdanan ng lipunan. Malaki ang naging kapinsalang nagawa nito sa sambayanan, nawalan ng halaga ang nais na sabihin at pagunawa ng mga Pilipino, sapagkat isasalin muna ang wika natin sa isip, upang masabi sa wikang Ingles. Lalo na ang mga nagpapa-elite na mga Pilipino na tila ayaw gumamit ng kolokyal na Ingles, upang lalong makapagyabang ay gumagamit ng malalalim na pangungusap na kahit na ordinaryong Amerikano'y gagamit pa ng diksyonaryo upang maintindihan ang sinasabi. Ang mga ito'y lalo lang nagpababa sa sistema ng edukasyon, nagpapainutil sa sintido komon at talino ng sambayanang Pilipino.

Patuloy ang pagpapalaganap ng "colonial mentality" sa pamamagitan ng paaralan, pagpagawa ng mga lansangan, gusali at patuloy din ang pagbigay ng mga donasyon, nang mapatunayan na ang hangarin ng Estados Unidos ay makatulong sa ating kamangmangan, kahirapan at turuang makatayo na magisa hangang matuto na makapagtaguyod ng sariling pamahalaan. Sa likod ng lahat ng pangyayaring ito, ang mga kolonyalista naman ay sinasamantala ang pagnanakaw ng ating likas na yaman, pagkontrol ng ating soberenya, pagtatayo ng mga base militar upang lumawak ang kanilang sakop pang ekonomiya at sandatahang lakas sa Asia.

Pati na ang ating mga magigiting na bayani na ang adhikain ay kabuuang soberenya at kalayaan ng ating bayan ay binaliktad, ang tunay na mga bayani ay kanilang ginawang tulisan, bandoleros at ang iba naman ay pinababa ang imahen at pagkatao, upang huwag tularan. Ang mga taksil sa Katipunan, mga ilustrado/sajonista na naging "pensyonados" na naghahangad lang ng reporma at ang mga opisyal ng ilustradong himagsikan ni Aquinaldo na sumuko, ang kinilalang bayani ng mga Amerikano para sa Pilipino.

Upang masugpo ang kumakalat na damdaming makabayan, maka-Bonifacio at idelohyang komunista sa katatapos na pakikibakang naganap noon unang "Araw ng Mangagawa" o "Labor Day" sa Moriones, Tondo, ika-1 ng Mayo,1903 na nauwi sa isang rayot, pinagbawal ang larawan ng Supremo at ang bandilang Pilipinas na ilantad sa publiko. Inutusan ng US Insular Government in the Philippines ang kanilang Pilipinong pensyonados na historyador na umisip at bigyan ng nararapat na mga bansag o titolo para sa ating mga bayani na babagay sa kasalukuyang "benevolent assimilation" at "pacification program" na kanilang ginagawa sa buong kapuluan...

# ANDRES BONIFACIO - "The Great Plebeian" at "President of the Tagalog Republic." Ginamit ang "plebeian" upang ibaba ang imahen ng Supremo sa antas ng masa, upang laitin ng "colonial mentality" nating lipunan. Ang "plebeian" ay pinakamababang uri ng lipunan sa Roma noong araw, hindi naman tayo Romano at lalong-lalo naman ang Supremo, bakit plebeian? Ang triangulong antas sa hagdanan ng lipunan noong kapanahunan ng Supremo ay; Peninsulares, Insulares/Creole/Filipino, Mestizo, Indio/Tagalog at Sangley.

...bakit hindi ginamit ang tunay na kahulugan ng "Pangulo ng Haring Bayang Katagalugan" na kung isasalin sa wikang Ingles ay "President of the Sovereign Nation of Katagalugan"? Mahigpit na pinagbabawal ng Supremo Bonifacio ang paggamit ng "Filipinas" sapagkat ito'y kolonyal na pangalan. Ang "Filipino" naman ay natataging tawag lamang sa mga Insulares/Creole (Kastilang ipinanganak sa Filipinas). Indio o Tagalog ang tawag sa mga lokal na mamayan, kaya ginamit ng Supremo ang "Katagalugan" para sa ating bayan.

...kung ang Supremo Bonifacio ang "Pangulo ng Haring Bayang Katagalugan" bakit si Aquinaldo ang binansagan at tinuturing na "The First President of the Philippine Republic." Hindi ba't naitatag na ang Katipunan at ang pamahalaan ng Supremo Bonifacio bago pa sumapi sa Katipunan si Aquinaldo?

...bakit Pilipinas lang sa buong mundo, ang nagsimula ng himagsikan hindi National Hero? Hindi ba't nararapat na si Gat Bonifacio ang tanghaling taging National Hero ng Pilipinas, tulad ng national hero ng mga iba't ibang bansa sa mundo? Bukod dito ang Katipunan ang pinakaunang armadong himagsikan laban sa konloyalismo at imperyalismo sa buong Asia. Nabangit sa aklat na "Between Two Empires" ni Theodore Friend... "William Howard Taft with other American colonial officials and some conservative Filipinos chose him (Rizal) a model hero over other contestants - Aguinaldo too militant, Bonifacio too radical, Mabini unregenerate."

# JOSE RIZAL - "The National Hero of the Philippines" at tinawag din na "The Pride of the Malay Race." Ang Amerikanong Governor General Howard Taft ay nagpanukala sa Philippine Commission, noon taon 1901 na gawin "national hero" si Jose Rizal at naglabas ng batas: Act No. 346 - which set the anniversary of Rizal’s death as a “day of observance.” Ang dati namang US Governor General W. Cameron Forbes ay nagsasabi... "It is eminently proper that Rizal should have become the acknowledged national hero of the Philippine people. Rizal never advocated independence, nor did he advocate armed resistance to the government. He urged reform from within by publicity, by public education and appeal to the public conscience"

...bakit dapat na tawagin si Rizal na "The Pride of the Malay Race" hindi naman siya taga Malaysia, malakas nga ang dugong Malayo sa ating mga Pilipino, subalit upang lahatin ang buong lahing Malayo ay isang kamalian.

...bakit si Rizal ang pinilit ng mga kolonyalistang tanghalin natin na national hero? Upang siya ay tularan at gawing idolo, sapagkat ang kaniyang hangarin ay reporma, upang ang tulad nilang uring ilustrado ay makapantay ang uring elite sa lipunan. Kinundima't tinalikuran ang himagsikan at wala siyang adhikaing kabuuang kalayaan para sa bayan, nakiusap na gawing probinsya ng Espana ang Pilipinas.

# EMILIO JACINTO - "The Brains of the Katipunan." Tama ang sabi ni Gregoria de Jesus, si Gat Emilio Jacinto ang dapat tanghalin na "Brains of the Revolution" sila ng Supremo ang nagsimula ng himagsikan. Ang walang humpay na kasipagan ni Gat Jacinto sa paggawa ng dokumento, paghakot ng sasapi sa Katipunan, ang pagalaga sa arsenal, propaganda, pagpaplano, pagsusulat ng mga artikulo at paglimbag ng pahayagang "Ang Kalayaan," ilan lamang sa marami pang gawain ng batang aktibista at dahil sa kasipagang ito humina ang katawan, tuloy madaling kapitan ng sakit na kaniyang ikinamatay ng maaga.

...ginamit ang bansag na ito upang maliitin ang nagawang kadakilaan at kabayanihan ng henyong Gat Emilio Jacinto. Hindi binigyan ng mga ilustrado/sajonista ng halaga ang mapusok na makasosyalistang masang himagsikang Katipunan, upang itaguyod ang taksil na umagaw sa himagsikan at liderato, ng ilustradong pamahalaan ni Aquinaldo.

# APOLINARIO MABINI - "The Brains of the Revolution" at "The Sublime Paralytic." ginawa ng naghaharing uring ilustrado/sajonita na ang utak ng "himagsikan" ay si Mabini na kalihim at tagapagpayo ni Aquinaldo at hindi si Emilio Jacinto. Sa ginawang ito, pinalalabas nila na ang tunay na himagsikan ay ang "Ilustradong Rebolusyonaryong Pamahalaan" ni Aquinaldo at hindi ang Katipunan.

...bakit kinakailangan pang ipagdiinan bangitin ang kapansanan at sundan ng "Sublime," ang paralitiko ba'y hindi maaaring makapagisip ng matino? Maraming na ingit nang ibigay ni Aquinaldo kay Mabini ang tungkulin bilang Punong Ministro, bakit daw binigay pa ang tungkulin na ito sa isang paralitiko. Galit na sumagot si Mabini... "Bakit ang tungkulin ba ng Punong Ministro ay higit na kinakailangan ng mahabang paglalakad at pagtakbo?"

# Emilio Aquinaldo - "The First President of the Philippine Republic" ang titolong ito'y nararapat sa Supremo Bonifacio. Matapos maitatag ng Supremo ang himasikang Katipunan, itinatag din niya ang "Pamahalaan ng Haring Bayang Katagalugan" at sa ilalim nito'y siya ang pangulo at may mga ministro. Maliwanag na pinatatangkilik ng mga ilustrado/sajonista ang pamahalaang huwad ni Aquinaldo at hindi ang himagsikan ng masang Katipunan at liderato ng pamahalaan ng Supremo Bonifacio.

...mula sa bibig ni Aquinaldo sa isang pakikipanayam sa kaniya... "The patriotism I speak of today will be unchangeable. We took to the field, not because we wished for separation from the mother country [Spain]. But because we are tired of bearing the material and moral burden of that arch, the keystone of which in our country is the friars.
It is quite true that the Katipunan instilled in us another desire — that of independence — but that desire was unattainable, and moreover, it was in opposition to our sentiments. It served as the banner of Andres Bonifacio, a cruel man whom I ordered shot, and with his death the Katipunan disappeared…”
—Emilio Aguinaldo, Interview with El Imparcial, December 27, 1897.

...bayani bang maituturing si Aquinaldo na isinuko ang himagsikan sa Biak na Bato, ang himagsikang sinimulan, pinaghirapan, pinagbuwisan ng buhay ng Supremo Bonifacio, ibebenta lang pala sa maliit na halaga matapos ang ilang buwang pagkakaagaw ng liderato! Ang "Pack of Biak na Bato" ay ginawang pista-opisyal pa ng mga ilustrado/sajonista tuwing sasapit ang pagkakalagda ng pagsuko at pagbenta ng himagsikan ang araw na ito, na nahinto lang ang pagbibigay halaga ng kapistahang ito noong dekada 60.

...si Aquinaldo ay 'di dapat tanghaling bayani at ihanay sa kadakilaan nila Bonifacio, Jacinto, Sakay, Ricarte at Mabini. Si Aquinaldo ay isang politiko, lahat na lang ng sumakop sa ating bayan, siya ay sumumpa sa bandila ng mga ito; Espania, Amerikano, Hapon at pagakatapos ay sa Amerikanong muli.

# Gregorio del Pilar - "Hero of the battle of Tirad Pass" papaanong magiging bayani si Del Pilar, kung ang tunay na kasaysayan ay walang naganap na labanan sa Pasong Tirad. Dalawang reporter ng diyaryo ang kasama ng sundalong mga Amerikano at nagsulat ng mala-Hollywood na "digmaan" daw ng mga Gringo at Del Pilar sa Pasong Tirad; John McCutcheon ng "The Manila Freedom" at si Richard Henry Little ng Chicago Tribune, upang mabili ang kanilang pahayagan at maipakita sa mundo ang kagitingan ng mga sundalong mga Amerikano na nasa Pilipinas.

...ang tunay na pangyayari tugon sa ibinigay na testimoniya ni Vicente Enriquez, matapat na kaibigan, kababata sa Bulacan at pinagkakatiwalaan ni Del Pilar... "we passed the night in the cabin on the peak. Around dawn (Dec. 2) we heared shooting from Concepcion. At daybreak the general ordered me to go down to the trenches to see what was going on. From the hilltop I saw American troops resting below, their arms stacked up. Our soldiers told me our position was impregnable. We all agreed we are winning the battle. I returned to the peak where I left General Del Pilar, but on the way up I saw him with Lieutenant Telesforo Carrasco & Vicente Morales & the bugler. I told him what I have seen. The general quicken his pace on learning that the Americans could be seen from a certain high point. We arrived on the top of the trenches. Then we went to the hilltop where I was & the moment we got there we heard renewed firing and saw our soldiers giving battle. Our soldiers pointing their hands, warned Del Pilar that the enemy was almost on top of us but could not see nothing save an irregular movement of the cogon grass. So the general ordered a halt to the firing. And erect on the hilltop to see & distinguish the enemy. While he was doing this he was hit by a bullet. The general covered his face with both hands & falling backward & diying instantly. Always handsome & elegant."
...di natin masyadong maunawaan ang pagkakasalin sa wikang ingles nang testimoniyang ibinigay ni Enriquez, na isinulat naman ng mga sundalong Amerikano.

# Gabriela Silang & Teresa Magbanua - "Joan of Arc of the Philippines" sino nga ba ang dapat na tanghalin? Umiral na muli ang maka-macho kalalakihan na manunulat ng ating kasaysayan, napakadaming nagawa ng dalawang magiting na Pilipina at wala man lamang na maibansag sa kadakilaan nila, kung hindi'y ihambing sa puting balat na babaing si Joan of Arc.

...si Gabriela Silang ang nagpatuloy ng pakikibaka, muling pinagbuklod at namuno sa naiwang himagsikan ng kabiyak niyang si Diego Silang. Pinangunahan niya ang may bilang na 2,000 tauhan na karamihan ay mga Ilokanong kalalakihan sa pakikipagdigmaan laban sa mga Kastila. Siya ay nahuli at binitay.

...si Teresa Magbanua ay sumapi sa himagsikan ng Katipunan. Laban sa kagustuhan ng kaniyang kabiyak, si Teresa na noon ay isang guro, ay iniwan ang pagtuturo, muling nakibaka at pinamunuan ang digmaan sa Barrio Yoting, Capiz, laban sa mga Kastila. Ang kadakilaang pakikibaka na ginawa ni 'Nay Isa, na kung siya ay tawagin ay isa sa pinakamahabang pakikibakang naganap sa ating kasaysayan. Lumaban siya sa mga konyalistang Kastila, Amerikano at Hapon.

# Miguel Malvar - "The Last General to Surrender" hindi ba't ang tunay na huling heneral na sumuko sa kasaysayan ng ating himagsikan ay si Macario Sakay? Kung tutuusin, si Sakay ay di sumuko, siya ay nilinlang ng ilustradong Dominador Gomez. Si Malvar ay sumuko sa itinakdang araw ng mga Amerikano ng pagsuko, nang huwag mapasama sa mga naghihimagsik na Pilipino na tatanghaling "tulisan" ng batas na "Ley Bandolerismo." Kaya't sa mata ng Amerikano at mga ilustrado/sajonistang sumulat ng ating kasaysayan, si Malvar ay "The Last General to Surrender" at si Gat Macario Sakay ay isang bandolero o tulisan.

...kinakailangan ba na ipagmamalaki, ikagagalak at isasama sa "kadakilaan" ang isang bayani na bansag ay "the last general to surrender?" Sumuko na nga'y sikat pa? Hindi ba ang pagsuko ay kaduwagan at pagkatalo? Ginawa ito ng mga kolonyalista at ng historyador na sajonista upang gawing "reversed psychology" ang pagdadakila at ang tunay na bayani na pinalalabas ay ang mga gringo at hindi si Malvar!

# Pedro Paterno - "The Peacemaker of the Revolution" ang nararapat na itawag sa kaniya ay "Ang Ama ng mga Balimbing sa Pilipinas!" Si Paterno ay nanilbihan sa Kastilang cortes, ang autor na kasama si Aquinaldo sa pagbebenta ng himagsikan sa Pakto ng Biak na Bato, naging Punong Ministro ni Aquinaldo. Nang naging kolonya ng Amerika ang Pilipinas, si Paterno ay nanilbihan sa kolonyal na pamahalaan. Ang "Peacemaker" ay ibinansag sa kaniya ng kapwa niyang mga ilustrado/sajonista, upang ang kanilang uring "balimbing" ay huwag na matawag na taksil.

...Ang naging kabuuan ay ang pamumuno at pinanggalingan ng ating pamahalaan ay nagmula sa umagaw ng liderato na mga ilustrado at mga balimbing na sajonista na nagbaluktot ng ating kasaysayan. Ito'y kanilang ginagawa upang iligaw ang ating pagiisip at tanging uri lamang nila ang mamuno, makinabang, makapantay sa lipunan ang sinasamba nilang imperyalista at gawing teritoryo ang ating bayan ng mga kolonyalista. Hindi ba't sa bandang huli ang tunay na nagwagi at nangyari ay ang minimithing adhikain ng ilustradong Jose Rizal?

Tunay na naglaho ang itinaguyod na Katipunan at Pamahalaan ng Haring Bayang Katagalugan ng Supremo Bonifacio nang siya ay patayin at agawin ang liderato ng taksil na Aquinaldo. Pinalitan ito ng ilustradong himagsikan at pamahalaan, ito'y binago at dinagdagan pa ng neo-kolonyal na pamahalaang Amerikano ni Quezon hangang kasalukuyang pamahalaan natin. Ano ngayon ang pinagsasabi ng ating mga pulitiko na ang ating Sandatahang Lakas at Pamahalaang Pilipinas ay nagmula sa Katipunan at Pamahalaan ng Haring Bayang Katagalugan ni Gat Bonifacio? Wala ni kaunting bahid ng Katipunan at ng "Kartilya ng Katipunan" na sinusunod, prinsiyo, aral at pamahalaan ng Unang Pangulong Bonifacio na maaaninag man lang sa ating neo-kolonyal na pamahalaan ngayon! Nakapandidiring kasinungalingan at pagangkin ng kadakilaan sa naglahong prinsiyo at konsepto ng tunay na Katipunan at kasaysayan! Lalo lang nadagdagan ang kabobohan ng mamang na sambayanan na tigang sa tunay na kasaysayan ng ating bayan at lahi!
- - ka tony
ika-10 ng Disyembre '12

Gat ANDRES BONIFACIO - Bakit Pilipinas Lang sa Buong Mundo, Ang Nagsimula ng Himagsikan Hindi National Hero?

Bakit Pilipinas lang sa buong mundo, dalawa ang kinikilalang National Hero? Bakit napakalungkot ang naging buhay ng dakilang Andres Bonifacio? Hindi nais na ihalintulad ang malagim na kinahinatnan ng rebeldeng Hesus Kristo, subalit tila mas masakit pa ang nangyari sa rebeldeng Andres Bonifacio na ang taging nasa ay kalayaan ng Katagalugan at katarungan ng masang sambayanan...

# ...namatay nang maaga ang kaniyang magulang at siya ang nagalaga at nagpalaki sa kaniyang limang batang kapatid.
# ...maagang nabalo ng mamatay ang kaniyang unang kabiyak sa sakit na ketong.
# ...nagasawa na muli kay Gregoria de Jesus, na hindi sangayon sa kaniya ang mga magulang nito.
# ...namatayan siya ng kaniyang sangol na anak, kay Gregoria de Jesus.
# ...pinagkanulo ang kaniyang lihim na Katipunan, na magpapalaya sa bayan at sa kahirapan ng masang Katagalugan.
# ...nasunugan ng kaniyang bahay, ang lahat ng kaniyang naipundar na ari-arian at mga dokumento ng KKK ay nadupok ng apoy.
# ...wala man lamang siyang pinalanunan sa larangan ng digmaan.
# ...dinaya sa halalan sa Tejeros.
# ...hinamak siya nang siya ay mahalal sa mababang tungkulin.
# ...inagaw sa kaniya ang liderato at ang ipinundar na himagsikan, pinalitan ng Ilustradong rebolusyon.
# ...pinagbintangan na siya pa ang aagaw sa naitayong pekeng pamahalaan ni Aquinaldo.
# ...ninakaw ang "Acta de Tejeros" na nilagdaan ng mga nakasaksi sa dayaang nangyari at nagsasaad sa pagwawalang bisa sa naganap na halalan sa Tejeros.
# ...pinatay sa kaniyang harapan ang kaniyang kapatid na si Ciriaco.
# ...sinaksak na paulit-ulit sa leeg ni Hen. Ignacio Pawa, pagkatapos ay itinali at hinuli.
# ...pinahirapan, at ninakaw pa ang pangkasal na sinsing nila ni Gregoria de Jesus.
# ...ginahasa ang kaniyang kabiyak ng isa sa opisyal ni Aquinaldo na si Kol.Yntong.
# ...nilitis siya sa hukuman na walang katarungan sa salang sidisyon at na sintensyahan ng kamatayan.
# ...ikinulong ng ilang araw sa Cavite, ginutom at hindi man lamang ginamot ang sugat niya sa leeg.
# ...sa kakulangan niya sa dugo, dahilan sa sugat sa leeg, nanghihina na kasama ang kapatid na si Procopio at dinala sila sa bundok ng Maragondon.
# ...nakita niyang pinatay ang kaniyang kapatid na si Procopio.
# ...binaril siya ay pinagtataga, hangang sa mamatay.
# ...ibinaon ang kaniyang labi sa mababaw na hukay na wala man lamang na nilagay na palatandaan.
# ...hindi siya tinanghal na "National Hero" ng kolonyalistang Gringo di tulad ng mga ibang bansa na ang national hero ay ang nagtatag at namuno ng himagsikan.
# ...ang mga nagsisuko sa Gringo at nagpaalila na dati niyang mga kasamahan sa himagsikan, siya pa ay siniraan.
# ...ilang beses na ang kaniyang imahen sa ating perang "Piso" ay paliit nang paliit ang pagbibigay halaga sa kaniyang kabayanihan.
# ...ngayon naman'y mga mason at mga maka-Rizal ay pinagdududahan at binabahiran na siya ay "taksil" sa pinaliit na parte sa himagsikan at sa ating kasaysayan.

“...kaya isipin ninyo mga kapatid kung katoiran o hindi ang kanilang ginagawa pag api sa amin" - Gregoria de Jesus (1875-1943)

Ang malaking pagkakamali ni Aquinaldo at ang kasamahan niyang ilustrado ay nang kanilang patayin ang Supremo, upang pigilin ang kadakilaan at agawin ang liderato, ay tulad din ng pagkakamali ng mga Romano, may 2,000 libong taon nang nakalipas, upang masugpo ang diwa at sinimulang himagsikan ay pinatay ang isang rebeldeng Hudyo sa pamamagitan ng pagpako sa krus. Lalo lamang nagalab ang naiwang diwa na sinimulan at taos na lumaganap ang pakikibaka.

KOLONYANG PILIPINAS NG AMERIKA
...ang unang Araw ng Manggagawa o Labor Day ay naganap noong ika-1 ng Mayo, 1903. Ang manggagawa ng Union Obrero Democratica de Filipinas at magsasaka ang nagsipagaklas, nagtipon sa Plaza Moriones, Tundo at nagmartsa, nagtungo sa Malacanan na kung saan nandoon ang American Governor-General na si William Howard Taft. Tila bandila ang taglay na mga larawan ng Supremo Andres Bonifacio ng mga nagsisipagaklas na nagmamartsa. Ang pagaklas na nangyari ay nauwi sa "riot," ito ay tinawag na sidisyon at tuloy ginawang labag sa batas, ang larawan ng Supremo na naging sagisag ng himaksikan ay lalong nagpababa sa imahen ng Supremo bilang pangunahing pambansang bayani ng Pilipinas sa mata ng mga kolonyalista. Ang mabilis na pangyayari ito'y sinundan ng pagkakatatag sa Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas.

Sadyang nilapastangan at binaluktot ng mga kolonyalista at ng tuta nilang ilustrado/sajonistang mga pulitiko ang ating kasaysayan, upang mapagtakpan ang kanilang ginawang mga krimen, pagnanakaw sa likas ng ating bayan, pagangkin sa ating tagumpay at pagwawalang halaga sa katutubong kultura. Pati na ang bayaning nagsimula ng himagsikan Gat Andres Bonifacio ay tinawag na "The Great Plebeian" upang ibabang uri ang antas sa "colonial mentality" na lipunan nang huwag tularan at hanggaan. Ang "plebeian" ay pinakamababang uri sa lipunan ng Roma noong araw, hindi naman tayo Romano, bakit plebeian?

Kung tunay ang Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas na sinasabi nanggaling ito sa Katipunan ng Supremo Bonifacio, bakit hindi na aayon sa Kartilya ng Katipunan ang kanilang ikinikilos? Hindi ba't inagaw ni Aquinaldo at ng kaniyang ilustradong pamahalaan ang liderato at himagsikan? Hindi ba't ang mala-mafia na pamahalaang himagsikan ni Aquinaldo'y inagaw naman ng kolonyalistang gringo? Hindi ba't nagsisuko ang mga opisyal at tauhan ni Aquinaldo sa mga kolonyalista't naglingod bilang PC, AFP (dating Philippine Scouts) at PNP, na sila pa ang mga nagkanulo, humuli at pumatay sa mga "second wave" na Katipunero na ipinagpapatuloy ang tunay na Katipunan? ...saan ngayon, kahit bakas man lamang ng Katipunan ni Gat Bonifacio ang makikita sa kasalukuyan Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas?

Tunay na hangang sa ngayo'y kailangan bigyan ng masigop na pananaliksik ang kahinahinalang panyayari at ikinilos ni Aquinaldo sa halalan sa Tejeros. Bakit wala si Aquinaldo sa Kombensyong halalan sa Tejeros? Ang naging dahilan daw kung bakit wala si Aquinaldo sa halalan siya'y nasa digmaan. Kung tunay na napakahalaga para sa mga Magdalo ang Kombensyon ng Tejeros, upang makipagisa sa mga Magdiwang at sa pagtataguyod ng bagong pamahalaan sa pamamagitan ng halalan, bakit kaya ito itinakda sa araw sa 22 ng Marso, isinabay sa kaarawan ni Aquinaldo?

# ...kung napakahalaga ang Kombensyon ng Tejeros at araw din ng kapanganakan ni Aquinaldo, bakit siya ay nasa digmaan samantalang ang kaniyang mga heneral na Magdalo ay nasa kombensyon?
# ...kung tunay na nagpaplano at naghahanda ang mga Magdalo at Magdiwang na pagkakasunduin sila ng Supremo sa kombensyon, bakit wala si Aquinaldo na pinuno ng Magdalo samantalang si Alvarez na pinuno ng Magdiwang ay nandoon?
# ...alam kaya ni Aquinaldo na siya ang magwawagi sa halalan na binabalak at nakalagay na nga kaya ang kaniyang pangalan sa mga balota tulad ng sabi ni Mojica sa Supremo sa dayaang mangyayari, kaya wala siya sa kombensyon?
# ...sinadya kaya ng mga Magdalo na wala sa halalan si Aquinaldo upang hindi paghinalaan ang kaniyang pagwawagi bilang pangulo sa dayaang nangyari?
# ...nang pawalan ng bisa ng Supremo ang halalang naganap, bakit taos pusong tinangap agad na walang pagiimbot ni Aquinaldo. Samantalang ang pagkakahalal sa kaniya at ipinagpatuloy na patago sa lahat ang panunumpa bilang pangulo at ang mga nahalalal?
# ...bakit hindi man lamang binigyan ng paganyaya ang Supremo sa panunumpang gaganapin, samantalang ang Supremo naman ay nahalal din bilang Ministro ng Pangloob?
# ...bakit ibinigay at dineklara na lamang si Pascual Alvarez bilang Ministro ng Panloob na hindi man lamang hiningan muna ng pagbibitiw ang Supremo, sa pagkakahalal sa kaniya ng katungkulang ito?

...ito ang mahalagang katanungan at napakarami pang iba sa maaaring dayaang nangyari at bago nangyari sa Kombensyon ng Tejeros. Kung si Aquinaldo sana ay hindi malisyoso at taong mapagkakatiwalaan, maaari natin ipagpaliban ang mga katanungang ito. Subalit sino ang magtitiwala sa "pangulo ng bayan," kung siya ay...

# ...ang nagtaguyod ng "tayo-tayo - sila-sila" at "salvaging" na mala-mafia sa kasaysayan ng pulitika sa Pilipinas.
# ...umagaw ng liderato at ng masang himagsikang Katipunan.
# ...nagapruba sa walang katarungang paglilitis sa magkapatid na Bonifacio.
# ...hindi nagbigay halaga sa pangagahasa sa maybahay ng Supremo na isinagawa ni Kol. Yntong, isa sa mataas na opisyal niya.
# ...nagapruba sa hindi makatarungan at patago na pagkakapatay sa mga magkakapatid na Bonifacio.
# ...kataksilang ibinenta ang himagsikan sa Biak na Bato.
# ...nakipagsabuwatan sa mga Amerikano, sa iligal na pakikialam ng EU sa ating pambansang himagsikan.
# ...nagutos sa pataksil na pagkakapatay kay Hen. Antonio Luna.
# ...nagdali-daling nagdeklara ng kalayaan sa Kawit, Cavite, na hindi pa lubos na papapalalunan ang himagsikan.
# ...nagbigay ng utos kay Hen. Gregorio del Pilar sa siguradong kamatayang misyon sa Pasong Tirad, upang siya ay makatakas sa mga Amerikanong sa kaniya'y humahabol.
# ...sumunod sa kautusan ng mga Gringo na huwag pasukin at pasukuin ang ang nalalabing mga Kastila sa Maynila (Intramuros), tuloy naagaw ng mga Gringo ang ating tagumpay.
# ...nakipagsabuwatan noong ikalawang digmaan sa mga imperyalistang Hapon.

Ito ang sinulat ni Apolinario Mabini sa kaniyang aklat na "La Revolucion Filipina"

"...The death of Andres Bonifacio had plainly shown in Mr. Aguinaldo a boundless appetite for power and Luna’s personal enemies exploited this weakness of Aguinaldo with skillful intrigues in order to encompass Luna’s ruin.
To say that if Aguinaldo, instead of killing Luna (allowing Luna to be killed), had supported him with all his power, the Revolution would have triumphed, would be presumption indeed, but I have not the least doubt that the Americans would have had a higher regard for the courage and military abilities of the Filipinos. Had Luna been alive, I am sure that Otis’s mortal blow would have been parried or at least timely prevented, and Mr. Aguinaldo’s unfitness for military command would not have been exposed so clearly….

To sum it up, the Revolution failed because it was badly led; because its leader won his post by reprehensible rather than meritorious acts; because instead of supporting the men most useful to the people, he made them useless out of jealousy. Identifying the aggrandizement of the people with his own, he judged the worth of men not by their ability, character and patriotism but rather by their degree of friendship and kinship with him; and anxious to secure the readiness of his favorites to sacrifice themselves for him, he was tolerant even of their transgressions. Because he thus neglected the people forsook him; and forsaken by the people, he was bound to fall like a waxen idol melting in the heat of adversity. God grant we do not forget such a terrible lesson, learnt at the cost of untold suffering." - - mula sa aklat ni A. Mabini "La Revolucion Filipina"

Ang pinanggalingan ng ating puppet na pamahalaan ay mula kay Aquinaldo na umagaw sa ipinundar na pamahalaang "Haring Bayang Katagalugan" na si Gat Andres Bonifacio ang pangulo. Upang huwag bigyan ng halaga ang pamahalaan at lideratong itinatag ng unang bayaning naghimagsik, si Aquinaldo ang ipinatangkilik ng mga kolonyalista na tawaging unang pangulo ng bayang Pilipinas.

RIZAL AT BONIFACIO
Bakit kinakailangang dalawa ang ating kinikilalang National Hero? Sabi ng rebolusyonaryong si Hesus Kristo... "no one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other." Ito'y totoo, subalit sa pagpili ng pambansang bayani, tayong mga Pilipino ay "balimbing" din pati sa ating pagdakila? Kung ang "araw ng mga bayani" na ating dinadakila at ginugunita ang kagitingan ng "Unang Sigaw" na nagsimula sa armadong himagsikan ng Katipunan ng Supremo Bonifacio, bakit si Rizal pa ang mas kinikilalang "National Hero?"

Ang Amerikanong Governor General Howard Taft ay nagpanukala sa Philippine Commission, noon taon 1901 na gawin "national hero" si Jose Rizal at naglabas ng batas: Act No. 346 - which set the anniversary of Rizal’s death as a “day of observance.” Nabangit sa aklat na "Between Two Empires" ni Theodore Friend... "Taft with other American colonial officials and some conservative Filipinos chose him (Rizal) a model hero over other contestants - Aguinaldo too militant, Bonifacio too radical, Mabini unregenerate." Ang naging sanhi kung bakit si Rizal ang pagpiling "national hero" ng mga Amerikano at mga Pilipinong sajonista ay mababasa sa aklat ng dating US Governor General W. Cameron Forbes, "The Philippine Islands" na nagsasabi... "It is eminently proper that Rizal should have become the acknowledged national hero of the Philippine people. Rizal never advocated independence, nor did he advocate armed resistance to the government. He urged reform from within by publicity, by public education and appeal to the public conscience"

Ikinatakot ng mga kolonyalista ang nangyaring pagdakila at paggamit bilang sagisag ng himagsikan ang larawan ng Supremo, maging ang pagbangit sa kaniyang pangalan sa ginawang pagaklas ng mga manggagawa at magsasaka noong unang "Labor Day" sa Plaza Moriones. Tuloy ang kaniyang larawan at ang ating bandila ay naging labag sa batas, ang pagdakila, pagkilala, pagsaludo at pagsabit nang mga nito sa publiko. Bakit nga naman tatangkilikin ng mga kolonyalista bilang "national hero" ang mala-sosyalistang radikal na Supremo Bonifacio na ang adhikain ay...

1. Kunin, ibalik at ipaghati-hati ang mga lupa, kayamanan at ari-arian kinamkam, inagaw, inilit at ninakaw ng mga prayle at mga dayuhan sa mga mahihirap at mga magsasakang Pilipino.
2. Kalayaan ng Pilipinas mula sa mga Kastila at iba pang kolonyalista.
3. Ibagsak ang "elite na socialidad" na pinasimulan ng mga Kastila at itaguyod ang pantay-pantay na lipunan.

Tunay na tinangkilik ng mga kolonyalistang Amerika ang tahimik na repormang adhikain ni Rizal, lalong-lalo na kasalukuyang tinataguyod nilang "benevolent assimilation" na programa para sa kolonya nilang Pilipinas. Bilang pinuno ng mga ilustrado sa Espana, sa pangalang "Dimasalang" si Rizal ay nagsulat sa propagandang pahayagan "La Solidaridad" ng mga: sanaysay, tula, talinghaga at editoryal, laban sa mga: Kastilang pare, prayle at Kastilang cortes. Kaniyang ipinaglalaban na magkaroon ng reporma para sa tulad nilang mga ilustrado at mga sumusunod na mungkahi...

1. Gawing probinsya ng "Inang Espana" ang Pilipinas.
2. Ang uri nilang ilustrado ay magkaroon ng kinatawan sa Kastilang cortes.
3. Mga Pilipinong pareng sekolar ang sila'y maging mga kura sa kani-kanilang paroko at sityo, ipapalit sa mga Kastilang kura-paroko.
4. Kalayaan makapagtipon at makapagpahayag.
5. Pantay sa mata ng batas ang sino man tao ng lipunan.

...bagamat ang mga munkahing reporma na ito'y tinangkilik ng mga Kastilang intelektual, tulad nila Morayta, Umamuno, Margal,  atbp... ang panukalang ito'y hindi binigyan ng pansin ng Kastilang cortes at simbahan.

Maging ang historyador na si Renato Constantino ay nagsabi... "Rizal is a United States-sponsored hero who was promoted as the greatest Filipino hero during the American colonial period of the Philippines." Patuloy ang pagtataguyod sa "benevolent assimilation" at kasabay nito ay ang propaganda sa ilustradong bayaning si Rizal. Maraming ipinangalang mga paaralan, kalsada, tulay, plaza, gusaling pangpamahalaan at mga aklat na ipinasulat ayon sa kabayanihan ni Rizal, ang mga Amerikano upang makakatulong sa pagsugpo sa mga "second wave" na rebolusyonaryong tinawag nilang "tulisan" o "bandoleros" na patuloy ang pakikibakang hangad ay kalayaan sa Amerika. Patuloy din ang paglason sa murang isipan ng mga kabataang magaaral sa tinaguyod ng mga Amerikanong paaralan, aklat at pamamaraang pagtuturo sa buong Pilipinas.

Bakit tatangkilikin ng mga kolonyalsitang Amerikano ang radikal at rebeldeng Bonifacio, samantalang magkatugma ang pinalalaganap nilang "benevolent assimilation" at ang mga sinulat, layunin at ginawa, nang napili nilang "national hero" na si Rizal...

# ...tumalikod at kinondema ang himagsikang binabalak ng Katipunan at nagsabing... "Why independence, if the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow?"
# ...nagprisintang maglingkod sa Cuba sa ilalim ng bandilang Espana, na maggamot sa sugatan na mga sundalong Kastilang nakikipaglaban sa mga naghihimagsik na mga Cubano para sa kalayaan ng kanilang bayan laban sa Kastila.
# ...habang nakapiit sa Fort Santiago, si Rizal ay sumulat ng manipesto sa pagkondema niya sa himagsikan ng Katipunan at naniniwala na ang taging pagasa ng mga Pilipino ay magaral upang makamit ang kalayaan.
# ...pinabulaanan at pumirma bilang retraksyon sa kaniyang sinulat na dalawang aklat na "Noli," "Fili" at ang mga sinulat niyang laban sa simbahang katoliko...

"Me retracto de todo corazon de cuanto en mis palabras, escritos, inpresos y conducta ha habido contrario a mi cualidad de hijo de la Inglesia Catolica. Creo y profeso cuanto ella enseña y me somento a cuanto ella manda.
Manila 29 de Diciembre de 1896
Jose Rizal"

(salin sa wikang Ingles)...
"I retract with all my heart whatever in my words, writings, publications and conduct has been contrary to my character as son of the Catholic Church. I believe and I confess whatever she teaches and I submit to whatever she demands. I abominate Masonry, as the enemy which is of the Church, and as a Society prohibited by the Church. The Diocesan Prelate may, as the Superior Ecclesiastical Authority, make public this spontaneous manifestation of mine in order to repair the scandal which my acts may have caused and so that God and people may pardon me.
Manila 29 of December of 1896
Jose Rizal"

Maraming hindi na niniwala sa retraksyon na ito ni Rizal. Subalit kung hindi nga niya ginawa ang retraksyon...

# ...papaano siyang ikakasal kay Josephine Bracken?
# ...bakit pinapatunayan ng tatlong nakasaksi sa retraksyon na ginawa ni Rizal; ang dalawang pareng mga Jesuits na sila Padre Balaguer, Padre Viza at Kapitan Rafael Dominguez, ang kapitan na nagtatala sa mga huling oras sa buhay ni Rizal.
# ...ayon sa diaryong "La Voz Española" ..."The “original” document of Rizal’s “retraction” was found in the archdiocesan archives in 1935, 39 years after having disappeared the day Rizal was shot. There was no record of anybody seeing this “original” document in 1896, except the publishers of La Voz Española, which published its contents on the day of Rizal’s execution: “We have seen and read his (Rizal’s) own handwritten retraction which he sent to our dear and venerable Archbishop….” Most experts think that the handwriting on the document is authentic. However, scholars are baffled as to why Rizal, who courageously faced persecution for most of his life and who was finally sentenced to death for his beliefs, would suddenly balk at the last, futile moment." ...marahil ang kasagutan dito ay upang maikasal sila ni Josephine Bracken, na noon ay nagdadalang-tao na.
# ...bakit ang kaniyang tulang "Huling Paalam" o "Adiós, Patria Adorada" ay pinalabas na sa pahayagan sa Hong Kong ni Mariano Ponce sa imbentong pamagat na "Mi Ultimo Pensamiento?" Ang orihinal na tulang ito na sinulat ni Rizal ay walang pirma, walang pamagat at walang araw na tinakdaan, dahilan kaya'y umaasa pa si Rizal na siya ay patatawarin sa kaniyang gagawing retraksyon, pagwawalang sala at siya'y palalayain?

Tunay na kontrobersyal at mahiwaga ang kamatayan ni Rizal, tulad din sa sinapit na kamatayan ng Supremo Bonifacio, ang ating binaluktot na kasaysayan at pati na ang tunay na hihiranging "National Hero" ng ating bayan. Sa darating na Nobyembre 30, 2012 ay ika-149 taon anibersaryong kapanganakan ng Unang Pangulo ng Haring Bayang Katagalugan, ang Supremo ng Katipunan, ang Ama ng Himagsikan - Gat Andres Bonifacio. Hahayaan ba nating maglaho at malimutan ang kaniyang kabayanihan, tulad ng kaniyang nawalang labi sa Mt. Buntis? Isigaw natin at tanungin sa sambayanan... "Bakit Pilipinas Lang sa Buong Mundo, Ang Nagsimula ng Himagsikan Hindi National Hero?"

Pangagahasa, dayaan sa halalan, kataksilan, ingitan, asasinasyon, dahas, kasinungaligan, pagtatakip sa krimen, walang katarungan, kasakiman sa kapangyarihan, pagpapangkat-pangkat at pagbenta sa ating kalayaan, ito lahat ang mga krimen at kasalanan na naganap sa ating kasaysayan. Ito'y ating daladala sa ating lahi bilang isang Pilipino, tila isang "original sin" na nangangailangan na tayo ay ipanganak na muli sa bisa ng binyag upang banlawan ang ating kasalanan, upang matagpuan ang nawalang "Pilipino Identity." Magbabagon kayang muli ang di makitang labi ng Supremo Bonifacio o ipangangaganak kaya siyang muli mula sa sinapupunan ng Mt. Buntis sa Maragondon, upang ipagpatuloy ang naputol na himagsikan?

 ...nagpapasalamat ng napakalaki sa mga kasamang nagbigay halaga sa proyektong buhayin ang kadakilaan ng Supremo Bonifacio. Marami pong salamat; C.L. Lee at M.L.-Castillo. Mabuhay kayo!
- ka tony
ika-27 ng Oktubre, 2012