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Thursday, September 27, 2007

mACariO sAKay a FiLiPiNo hErO

by Paul Flores
© 1996 by Paul Flores and PHGLA
All rights reserved


C
ontrary to popular belief, Philippine resistance to American rule did not end with the capture of Emilio Aguinaldo in 1901. There were numerous resistance forces fighting for Philippine independence until the year 1910. One of these forces was led by Macario Sakay who established the Tagalog Republic.

Born in 1870 in Tondo, Macario Sakay had a working-class background. He started out as an apprentice in a calesa manufacturing shop. He was also a tailor, a barber, and an actor in comedias and moro-moros. His participation in Tagalog dramas exposed him to the world of love, courage, and discipline.

In 1894, Sakay joined the Dapitan, Manila branch of the Katipunan. Due to his exemplary work, he became head of the branch. His nightly activities as an actor in comedias camouflaged his involvement with the Katipunan. Sakay assisted in the operation of the Katipunan press. During the early days of the Katipunan, Sakay worked with Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto. He fought side by side with Bonifacio in the hills of Morong (now Rizal) Province.

During the initial stages of the Filipino-American war, Sakay was jailed for his seditious activities. He had been caught forming several Katipunan chapters and preaching its ideals from town to town.

Sakay's flagThis is the author's impression of what Sakay's Republika ng Katagalugan flag must have looked like. There are no available pictures of the flag; this reconstruction was based on a written description.

Republika ng Katagalugan

Released in 1902 as the result of an amnesty, Sakay established with a group of other Katipuneros the Republika ng Katagalugan in the mountains of Southern Luzon.

Sakay held the presidency and was also called "Generalisimo." Francisco Carreon was the vice-president and handled Sakay's correspondence. Julian Montalan was the overall supervisor for military operations. Cornelio Felizardo took charge of the northern part of Cavite (Pasay-Bacoor) while Lucio de Vega controlled the rest of the province. Aniceto Oruga operated in the lake towns of Batangas. Leon Villafuerte headed Bulacan while Benito Natividad patrolled Tanauan, Batangas.

Sakay's MenL to R: seated, Julian Montalan, Francisco Carreon, Macario Sakay, Leon Villafuerte; standing, Benito Natividad, Lucio de Vega.

Sakay and many of his followers favored long hair, certainly something strange for his era. This affectation may have been exploited by the Americans in their efforts to portray Sakay and his men as wild bandits preying on the simple folk of the countryside. Even today, many in the Tagalog area (most of whom have never heard of Macario Sakay) refer to a man with long hair as "someone who looks like Sakay." This is, perhaps, a testimony to the effectiveness of the American propaganda campaign.

In April 1904, Sakay issued a manifesto stating that the Filipinos had a fundamental right to fight for Philippine independence. The American occupiers had already made support for independence, even through words, a crime. Sakay also declared that they were true revolutionaries and had their own constitution and an established government. They also had a flag. There were several other revolutionary manifestos written by the Tagalog Republic that would tend to disprove the U.S. government's claim that they were bandits.

The Tagalog Republic's constitution was largely based on the early Katipunan creed of Bonifacio. For Sakay, the new Katipunan was simply a continuation of Bonifacio's revolutionary struggle for independence.

Guerilla tactics

In late 1904, Sakay and his men took military offensive against the enemy. They were successful in seizing ammunition and firearms in their raids in Cavite and Batangas. Disguised in Philippine Constabulary uniforms, they captured the U.S. military garrison in ParaƱaque and ran away with a large amount of revolvers, carbines, and ammunition. Sakay's men often employed these uniforms to confuse the enemy.

Using guerrilla warfare, Sakay would look for a chance to use a large number of his men against a small band of the enemy. They usually attacked at night when most of the enemy was looking for relaxation. Sakay severely punished and often liquidated suspected collaborators.

The Tagalog Republic enjoyed the support of the Filipino masses in the areas of Morong, Laguna, Batangas, and Cavite. Lower class people and those living in barrios contributed food, money, and other supplies to the movement. The people also helped Sakay's men evade military checkpoints. They collected information on the whereabouts of the American troops and passed them on. Muchachos working for the Americans stole ammunition and guns for the use of Sakay's men.

Anting-AntingThis vest with all its religious figures and Latin phrases belonged to Macario Sakay. It was his anting-anting and protected him from bullets and other hazards of war.

Many Filipinos who participated in the fight against Spain and the United States used anting-antings of all types for personal protection.

Unable to suppress the growth of the Tagalog Republic, the Philippine Constabulary and the U.S. Army started to employ "hamletting" or reconcentration in areas where Sakay received strong assistance. The towns of Taal, Tanauan, Santo Tomas, and Nasugbu in the province of Batangas were reconcentrated. This cruel but effective counter-insurgency technique proved disastrous for the Filipino masses. The forced movement and reconcentration of a large number of people caused the outbreak of diseases such as cholera and dysentery. Food was scarce in the camps, resulting in numerous deaths.

Meanwhile, search and destroy missions operated relentlessly in an attempt to suppress Sakay's forces. Muslims from Jolo were brought in to fight the guerrillas. Bloodhounds from California were imported to pursue them. The writ of habeas corpus was suspended in Cavite and Batangas to strengthen counter-insurgency efforts. With support cut off, the continuous American military offensive caused the Tagalog Republic to weaken.

Fall of Sakay

While all of these were going on, the American leader of the Philippine Constabulary, Col. Harry H. Bandholtz, conceived a plan to deceive Sakay and his men. He would later be quoted as saying that the technique involved "playing upon the emotional and sentimental part of the Filipino character."

In mid-1905, the American governor-general of the Philippines, Henry Ide, sent an ilustrado named Dominador Gomez to talk to Sakay. Gomez presented a letter from the American governor. The written statement promised that if Sakay surrendered, he and his men wouldn't be punished or jailed. Moreover, Gomez assured Sakay that a Philippine Assembly comprising of Filipinos will be formed to serve as the "gate of kalayaan."

Sakay took the bait, went down from the mountains, and surrendered on July 14, 1906.

On July 17, Sakay and his staff were invited to attend a dance hosted by the acting governor of Cavite. Just before midnight, they were surrounded, disarmed, and arrested by American officers who were strategically deployed in the crowd. Sakay and his men were brought to the Bilibid Prison. They were tried and convicted as bandits.

During the trial, Gomez was not around to produce the letter from the American governor-general. He didn't even show up and the letter had mysteriously disappeared.

Sakay was hanged on September 13, 1907. Before he died, he uttered, "Filipinas, farewell! Long live the Republic and may our independence be born in the future!"

tHe mAn naMEd Che...

Who is this man they call Che? His image is everywhere but few people really knew who the man behind the famous image is.

My first encounter with him was in PUP, I saw his picture hanging on a wall of a small room occupied by student activists. I do not know anything about the man, but that first encounter was not the last but only the beginning. I saw the man behind the picture again sometime in 1997, later I learned that it was the year when his skeletal remain was discovered. From a movie to books I slowly began to learn about the man they call Che. Read and maybe you too can now wear the shirt because you know who he is.


Che Guevara was born Ernesto Guevara de la Serna on 14 June 1928 in Rosario, Argentina, into a relatively upper-middle class family. His father was a construction engineer. He was the first of five children.

Enrolled in the University of Buenos Aires in 1948, studies medicine, becomes interested in leprosy. His asthma disqualifies him for military service.

In 1951, he takes off on a motorcycle journey with his good friend, Alberto Granado. They travel from Buenos Aires, down the coast of Argentina, through the Andes into Chile, and then north into Peru, Columbia and Venezuela. The diary Che kept during this time has been published as: The Motorcycle Diaries: A Journey Around South America.

In September of 1954, he moves to Mexico City, finding work in the General Hospital. Through Hilda Gadea, a Peruvian Marxist, he meets Fidel Castro and involves himself in the planned invasion of Cuba. He marries Hilda Gadea. They had a daughter, Hildita.

Under the influence of Castro, Alberto Bayo and the writings of Mao Tse Tung, he begins to form the primary axioms of his philosophy of guerrilla warfare. In this time he also began to be called 'Che', for his habit of ending his sentences and calling his friends 'Che'- which is an Argentinean expression for buddy.

In 1956, the revolutionaries land in Cuba on the

"yacht" Granma, initiating a three-year guerrilla war against the dictator, Fulgencio Batista. Che is included at first for his medical expertise but soon rises through the ranks to become the Commandante of the Revolutionary Army of Barbutos. In this role, he is directly responsible for dozens of executions of defectors and Batista loyalists. The revolutionaries succeed in overthrowing the Batista regime in January of 1959. Che is now considered second only to Castro, who appoints him Governor of the National Bank.

He marries Aleida March de la Torre, with whom he eventually has four children.

Becomes disillusioned with Soviet Communism, makes a formal break in a speech delivered in February of 1965. Calls for guerrilla-type revolutionary actions in Africa, Asia and South America.

Che goes underground, traveling through Africa, eventually assembling a group of Cubans to fight in the Kinshasa rebellion in the Congo. The rebellion fails and Che withdraws in August of 1965.

In November 1966, he leads a group of guerrillas through southeastern Bolivia, hoping to inspire the peasants and workers into a revolutionary movement that would spread all throughout Latin America, sparking off "twenty new Vietnam". Dispirited by casualties, illness and depression, the ragged group is cornered by a Bolivian battalion (which had been trained by US Special Forces in anti-guerrilla warfare) in a gorge on October 8. Two jets and a helicopter provide air support. Che is taken to the nearby town of La Higuera.

He refuses all attempts at interrogation by CIA and Bolivian officials. The Bolivian president, General Rene Barrientos, orders the execution of Guevara as soon as possible.

9 October 1967. After a few false starts and Che's telling them to get it over with, six or more shots are fired into Guevara's torso. His last words have been: "Shoot, coward! You are going to kill a man."

After his death, a death mask was made and his hands were cut off to ensure identification. His body was buried in a secret grave. Guevara was 39 years old.

In June of 1997, a team of Cuban and Argentinian scientists recovered the skeleton, missing both hands, of Guevara in the town of Vallegrande, Bolivia. The bones have since been "repatriated" to Cuba.

I have books about him, five (5), if you want to borrow just text me.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

gUiLty bEYonD rEAsoNAblE dOUbt...

Next step is for them to go to the Supreme Court.

I am happy that the case has finally ended and the fight for truth has finally won. The trial of Estrada, from the Impeachment up to the Plunder Case at the Sandigan caused so much division in our country. Now that it is finally over, we can start the process of reconciliation, and for me, now is the right time to call for this. Justice has finally been served, now we can talk about Charity.

So much about the Erap case.

My interest is now again focused on the search for truth. The 2004 election controversy stills hang over our head, an issue that has not yet put to rest. Maybe to us who believes that the controversy merits an investigation, it is not yet over. But for most of you who thinks otherwise, this case should be put to rest. But I beg to disagree, and hope you hear me out.

Why did we push for the case against Estrada? Isn’t it because of our search for the truth? Is the case of cheating in an election not as horrible as plunder? Or it is simply because we are part of those who went to EDSA to oust a plunderer and to put into office someone who will be later accused of cheating?

Many questions that I think will remain unanswered not until we stop having double standard in dealing with people accused of committing crimes against us. If we continue to look the other way around every time someone respectable or people we trust were accused of committing something horrible, we will always fall prey to these kinds of vultures.

They can get away with crime easily because we let them. Estrada supporters now whine that “it is not only Erap who committed a crime in the Government, why is he the only one being punished?” Correct! You, have you not wondered why? Is Estrada’s case different from the case being hurled against Gloria? Maybe yes because the other is Plunder and the later Cheating. But what is the difference? For me both are crimes punishable in Philippine Laws!

You will say that Estrada’s case is different because there are proofs! Why? Is the proof of cheating in the last 2004 not overwhelming? In Mindanao after the election of 2004 the Garci tape came out - thanks to Secretary Bunyi – and many witnesses came out to testify that indeed there was cheating that took place in their area. But what happened to them? There was a story about an Election Officer who came out and made a statement alleging that there was cheating, later backed out because some of her family members were taken by armed men believed to be military. That event was part of the Garci recording, conversation was recorded about the abduction and Garci even saying, “Oo, hawak na namin.” It all points to cheating and the efforts of those who committed it to cover it up. It is all there. But alas, we did not believe, we rather believe a self confessed jueteng lord than ordinary citizens who just want the truth to come out.

I am really saddened by what happened, sad not because Erap was found guilty, I am sad because we use different scale in weighing faults committed by our Public Officials. If you are a womanizer and a gambler we use the state of the art and top of the line weighing apparatus. But if you are a Harvard graduate and member of an affluent family, we will use the takal-takal system. Sana ang ginamit kay Gloria yung dankal system, sigurado mapatutunayan na nag-kulang siya. Sayang, di bale, after the 2010 election na lang bumawi. As I have said before, hindi lahat ng araw ay Linggo!

Friday, September 7, 2007

sA iSip, sA SaLiTa, aT Sa GaWa...

To postpone or not to postpone?

This is what our Public Servants are now trying to answer. And guess who they've asked to help them in their discernment? In all the people on earth why the Barangay Officials?! What do you think the answer is?

Good thing they did not asked me, because my answer will be "No way Jose!" Wait, better answer them this way, "No way Garci!" or "No way Bidol!" or better yet "No way Benjie!" Don't get me wrong here, I know it is not the COMELEC who is pushing for the postponement, it is our Honorable Congressmen in the Lower House who are pushing for this. But what have they done (COMELEC) to counter the plan? Benjie right now is busy covering-up his ZTE Scandal.

I am so pissed off with what they are saying right now. They said It is too soon to have an election because we just had one! Stupid reasoning! It is in our Constitution to have the Barangay Elections this coming October! It is also the same Constitution that scheduled the last May 11 National Elections! The same Constitution that these very "Nationalistic" Public Servants promised to uphold and protect! What the hell are they saying now?!

They want the election to be held next year. What is the difference? If we will hold it next year, are they going to say again that we need to postpone the 2010 Presidential Election because It is too soon to have it because we just had our Barangay Elections? Aatakin ako sa puso! Tubig!!!

Now I am asking you my dear friends, do we really need to postpone the elections for the Barangay this coming October? Please do not tell me that you don't care? Young people, the election for the Sangguniang Kabataan is included in this exercise, do you want to postpone it too? I am expecting you will say "No way tongresmen!"

Our right to choose those who will lead and serve us is guaranteed by the Constitution. It is not something that Politicians should use to their own advantage. The problem is, they get away easily with this kind of maneuvering because "most" of us really do not care! I say "most" because that is what I get from discussion groups. It is either; people do not want to talk about it or they do not see they are going to be affected of whatever our leaders do. They are wrong! You know that they are wrong right?

Shame. Our heroes fought with their lives to give us freedom so that we can choose our own leaders and not just to be dictated upon by other Nations. They drafted and fought to protect our Constitution. But what have we done to protect the Constitution? I think not to care is not a good way of protecting our Constitution. Even to keep silent, it is an act of cowardice! Very far from what our heroes of the past have shown.

Let our Public Servants know what you feel. Tell them you do not agree with their plans. You are not asked to offer your life or even to shed a single drop of blood. It is not too late. Be heard. Be a hero. Be a Filipino, sa isip, sa salita, at sa gawa!