CHAPTER 4

TOPIC 3: CAVITE MUTINY

THE TWO FACES OF THE 1872 CAVITE MUTINY

The 12th of June of every year since 1898 is a very

important event for all the Filipinos. In this particular day,
the entire Filipino nation as well as Filipino communities all
over the world gathers to celebrate the Philippines’
Independence Day. 1898 came to be a very significant year
for all of us— it is as equally important as 1896—the year
when the Philippine Revolution broke out owing to the
Filipinos’ desire to be free from the abuses of the Spanish
colonial regime. But we should be reminded that another
year is as historic as the two—1872.

Two major events happened in 1872, first was the 1872 Cavite Mutiny and the other was the
martyrdom of the three martyr priests in the persons of Fathers Mariano Gomes, Jose Burgos and
Jacinto Zamora (GOMBURZA). However, not all of us knew that there were different accounts in
reference to the said event. All Filipinos must know the different sides of the story—since this event led
to another tragic yet meaningful part of our history—the execution of GOMBURZA which in effect a
major factor in the awakening of nationalism among the Filipinos.

1872 CAVITE MUTINY: SPANISH PERSPECTIVE

Jose Montero y Vidal, a prolific Spanish historian documented the event and highlighted it as an
attempt of the Indios to overthrow the Spanish government in the Philippines. Meanwhile, Gov. Gen.
Rafael Izquierdo’s official report magnified the event and made use of it to implicate the native clergy,
which was then active in the call for secularization. The two accounts complimented and corroborated
with one other, only that the general’s report was more spiteful. Initially, both Montero and Izquierdo
scored out that the abolition of privileges enjoyed by the workers of Cavite arsenal such as non-payment
of tributes and exemption from force labor were the main reasons of the “revolution” as how they
called it, however, other causes were enumerated by them including the Spanish Revolution which
overthrew the secular throne, dirty propagandas proliferated by unrestrained press, democratic, liberal
and republican books and pamphlets reaching the Philippines, and most importantly, the presence of
the native clergy who out of animosity against the Spanish friars, “conspired and supported” the rebels
and enemies of Spain. In particular, Izquierdo blamed the unruly Spanish Press for “stockpiling”
malicious propagandas grasped by the Filipinos. He reported to the King of Spain that the “rebels”
wanted to overthrow the Spanish government to install a new “hari” in the likes of Fathers Burgos and
Zamora. The general even added that the native clergy enticed other participants by giving them
charismatic assurance that their fight will not fail because God is with them coupled with handsome
promises of rewards such as employment, wealth, and ranks in the army. Izquierdo, in his report
lambasted the Indios as gullible and possessed an innate propensity for stealing.

The two Spaniards deemed that the event of 1872 was planned earlier and was thought of it as a big
conspiracy among educated leaders, mestizos, abogadillos or native lawyers, residents of Manila and
Cavite and the native clergy. They insinuated that the conspirators of Manila and Cavite planned to
liquidate high-ranking Spanish officers to be followed by the massacre of the friars. The alleged pre-
concerted signal among the conspirators of Manila and Cavite was the firing of rockets from the walls of
Intramuros.

According to the accounts of the two, on 20 January 1872, the district of Sampaloc celebrated the
feast of the Virgin of Loreto, unfortunately participants to the feast celebrated the occasion with the
usual fireworks displays. Allegedly, those in Cavite mistook the fireworks as the sign for the attack, and
just like what was agreed upon, the 200-men contingent headed by Sergeant Lamadrid launched an
attack targeting Spanish officers at sight and seized the arsenal.

When the news reached the iron-fisted Gov. Izquierdo, he readily ordered the reinforcement of the
Spanish forces in Cavite to quell the revolt. The “revolution” was easily crushed when the expected
reinforcement from Manila did not come ashore. Major instigators including Sergeant Lamadrid were
killed in the skirmish, while the GOMBURZA were tried by a court-martial and were sentenced to die by
strangulation. Patriots like Joaquin Pardo de Tavera, Antonio Ma. Regidor, Jose and Pio Basa and other
abogadillos were suspended by the Audencia (High Court) from the practice of law, arrested and were
sentenced with life imprisonment at the Marianas Island. Furthermore, Gov. Izquierdo dissolved the
native regiments of artillery and ordered the creation of artillery force to be composed exclusively of the
Peninsulares.

On 17 February 1872 in an attempt of the Spanish government and Frailocracia to instill fear among
the Filipinos so that they may never commit such daring act again, the GOMBURZA were executed. This
event was tragic but served as one of the moving forces that shaped Filipino nationalism.

A RESPONSE TO INJUSTICE: THE FILIPINO VERSION OF THE INCIDENT

Dr. Trinidad Hermenigildo Pardo de Tavera, a Filipino

scholar and researcher, wrote the Filipino version of the
bloody incident in Cavite. In his point of view, the incident
was a mere mutiny by the native Filipino soldiers and
laborers of the Cavite arsenal who turned out to be
dissatisfied with the abolition of their privileges. Indirectly,
Tavera blamed Gov. Izquierdo’s cold-blooded policies such
as the abolition of privileges of the workers and native army
members of the arsenal and the prohibition of the founding
of school of arts and trades for the Filipinos, which the
general believed as a cover-up for the organization of a
political club.

On 20 January 1872, about 200 men comprised of soldiers, laborers of the arsenal, and residents of
Cavite headed by Sergeant Lamadrid rose in arms and assassinated the commanding officer and Spanish
officers in sight. The insurgents were expecting support from the bulk of the army unfortunately, that
didn’t happen. The news about the mutiny reached authorities in Manila and Gen. Izquierdo
immediately ordered the reinforcement of Spanish troops in Cavite. After two days, the mutiny was
officially declared subdued.
 Tavera believed that the Spanish friars and Izquierdo used the Cavite Mutiny as a powerful lever by
magnifying it as a full-blown conspiracy involving not only the native army but also included residents of
Cavite and Manila, and more importantly the native clergy to overthrow the Spanish government in the
Philippines. It is noteworthy that during the time, the Central Government in Madrid announced its
intention to deprive the friars of all the powers of intervention in matters of civil government and the
direction and management of educational institutions. This turnout of events was believed by Tavera,
prompted the friars to do something drastic in their dire sedire to maintain power in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, in the intention of installing reforms, the Central Government of Spain welcomed an
educational decree authored by Segismundo Moret promoted the fusion of sectarian schools run by the
friars into a school called Philippine Institute. The decree proposed to improve the standard of
education in the Philippines by requiring teaching positions in such schools to be filled by competitive
examinations. This improvement was warmly received by most Filipinos in spite of the native clergy’s
zest for secularization.

The friars, fearing that their influence in the Philippines would be a thing of the past, took advantage
of the incident and presented it to the Spanish Government as a vast conspiracy organized throughout
the archipelago with the object of destroying Spanish sovereignty. Tavera sadly confirmed that the
Madrid government came to believe that the scheme was true without any attempt to investigate the
real facts or extent of the alleged “revolution” reported by Izquierdo and the friars.

Convicted educated men who participated in the mutiny were sentenced life imprisonment while
members of the native clergy headed by the GOMBURZA were tried and executed by garrote. This
episode leads to the awakening of nationalism and eventually to the outbreak of Philippine Revolution
of 1896. The French writer Edmund Plauchut’s account complimented Tavera’s account by confirming
that the event happened due to discontentment of the arsenal workers and soldiers in Cavite fort . The
Frenchman, however, dwelt more on the execution of the three martyr priests which he actually
witnessed.

UNRAVELING THE TRUTH

Considering the four accounts of the 1872 Mutiny,

there were some basic facts that remained to be
unvarying: First, there was dissatisfaction among the
workers of the arsenal as well as the members of the
native army after their privileges were drawn back by
Gen. Izquierdo; Second, Gen. Izquierdo introduced rigid
and strict policies that made the Filipinos move and turn
away from Spanish government out of disgust; Third, the
Central Government failed to conduct an investigation on
what truly transpired but relied on reports of Izquierdo and the friars and the opinion of the public;
Fourth, the happy days of the friars were already numbered in 1872 when the Central Government in
Spain decided to deprive them of the power to intervene in government affairs as well as in the
direction and management of schools prompting them to commit frantic moves to extend their stay and
power; Fifth, the Filipino clergy members actively participated in the secularization movement in order
to allow Filipino priests to take hold of the parishes in the country making them prey to the rage of the
friars; Sixth, Filipinos during the time were active participants, and responded to what they deemed as
injustices; and Lastly, the execution of GOMBURZA was a blunder on the part of the Spanish
government, for the action severed the ill-feelings of the Filipinos and the event inspired Filipino patriots
to call for reforms and eventually independence. There may be different versions of the event, but one
thing is certain, the 1872 Cavite Mutiny paved way for a momentous 1898.

The road to independence was rough and tough to toddle, many patriots named and unnamed shed
their bloods to attain reforms and achieve independence. 12 June 1898 may be a glorious event for us,
but we should not forget that before we came across to victory, our forefathers suffered enough. As
weenjoy our freeedom, may we be more historically aware of our past to have a better future ahead of
us. And just like what Elias said in Noli me Tangere, may we “not forget those who fell during the night.

PRIMARY SOURCE: EXCERPTS FROM THE OFFICIAL REPORT OF GOVERNOR

IZQUIERDO ON THE CAVITE MUTINY OF 1872

SOURCE: Rafael Izquierdo, “Official Report on the Cavite Mutiny,” in Gregorio Zaide and Sonia Zaide,
Documentary Sources of Philippines History. Volume 7(Manila: National Book Store, 1990), 281—286.

 Mutiny- a rebellion against authority. Mutiny comes

from an old verb “mutine” which means “revolt”.
Cavity mutiny uprising military personnel of Fort
San Felipe (the Spanish arsenal in Cavite,
Philippines) on January 20 1872.

 Around 200 soldiers and laborers rose in the belief

that it would elevate to a national uprising. The
mutiny was unsuccessful, and executed many of the
participants.

 A number of Filipino intellectuals were seized and accused of complicity with the mutineers.
After a brief trial, three priests José Burgos, Jacinto Zamora, and Mariano Gómez were
publicly executed. The three subsequently became martyrs to the cause of Philippine
independence. The Martyrdom of the three priest (GOMBURZA) which is the collective name of
the three martyred priest, tagged as the masterminds of the Cavite mutiny. The (GOMBURZA)
were prominent Filipino priest charge with treason and sedition.

 The Spanish clergy connected the priest to the mutiny as part of a conspiracy to stifle the
movement of secular priest who desired to have their own parishes instead of being assistants
to the regular friars. There are two versions of the Cavite Mutiny the Spanish and Filipino
Version. The accounts of Dr.Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera and the account of Jose Montero
y Vidal. The perspectives of the two historians created an controversy, Is Cavite mutiny
an grand conspiracy an attempt in overthrowing the Spanish government in the Philippines or
Cavite Mutiny is not a grand conspiracy but merely a labor issue.
SPANISH ACCOUNTS OF THE CAVITE MUTINY

 Jose Montero Y Vidal

 His account centered on how the event was an attempt in overthrowing the Spanish
government in the Philippines.
 Spanish historian

MONTERO’S ACCOUNT OF THE MUTINY

 The idea of attaining their independence, it was towards this goal that they started to work, with
the powerful assistance of a certain section of the native clergy.

GOVERNOR RAFAEL IZQUIERDO

 Implicated the native clergy, who were active in the movement toward secularization of
parishes.
 In a biased report, he highlighted the attempt to overthrow the Spanish government in the
 Native clergy attracted supporters by giving them charismatic assurance that their fight would
not fall because they had God’s support, aside from promises of lofty rewards such as
employment, wealth, and ranks in the army.
 It has not been clearly determined if they planned to establish a monarchy or a republic,
because the indios have no word in their language to describe this form of government whose
head in Filipino would be called hari, but its turns out that they would place at the head of the
government a priest that the head selected would be D. Jose Burgos or D. Jacinto Zamora.

GOMBURZA

Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, Jocinto Zamora

On February 17, 1872, at Bagumbayan (Luzon)

three Native Catholic priests, Fathers Mariano Gomez,
Jose Burgos and Jocinto Zamora (Gomburza) was publicly
executed, by garrote. The Spaniards charged the priests
with treason and sedition in connection with the uprising
of the 1872 Cavite Mutiny. The three priests led a
campaign against the abusive Spanish friars and equal
rights among native priests that resulted conflict with the
other Spanish friars, many believe it led to their fate.
Their deaths awakened the fire that’s been burning
inside the native Filipino people (Indios) for over 300
years of abuse and slavery.
Ilustrados like Dr. Jose Rizal dedicated his second novel, El Filibusterismo (1891) to the memory of the 3
priests, Fathers Mariano Gomez] Jose Burgos and Jocinto Zamora.

Noted: Jose Rizal’s older brother, Paciano Rizal was associated with Father Burgos and advice Jose to
change his name to Jose Rizal for his safety against the Spanish authorities and Friars after the execution
of the three priests, Gomburza.

The three priests incurred the hatred of the Spanish authorities for leading the campaign against the
abusive Spanish friars and fighting for equal rights among priests. They fought on unresolved issues
about secularization in the Philippines that resulted in a conflict among the religious regulars and the
church seculars.

The Cavite Mutiny of workers in the arsenal of the naval shipyard over pay reduction owing to increased
taxation was magnified into a dangerous rebellion and was seized by Spanish authorities as an occasion
to silence the proponents of secularization.

The Spanish prosecutors bribed a witness to testify against the three priests who were charged with
sedition and treason, which led to their death by garrote.

Their execution left a profound effect on many Filipinos, including Dr. Jose Rizal, the national hero, who
dedicated his novel El Filibusterismo to their memory.