Case Study 2: What happened in the Cavite Mutiny?

The year 1872 is a historic year of two events:

  • The Cavite Mutiny,
  • And the martyrdom of the three priests Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora, later immortalized as GOMBURZA.

These significant occurrences in Philippine history have had a lasting impact and had a direct impact on the pivotal moments of the Philippine Revolution at the turn of the century.

While the significance is unquestioned, what made this year controversial are the different sides to the story, a battle of perspectives supported by primary sources.

In this case study, we zoom in to the events of the Cavite Mutiny, a major factor in the awakening of nationalism among the Filipinos of that time.

Spanish Accounts of the Cavite Mutiny

Jose Montero y Vidal, a Spanish historian, focused his documentation on how the incident represented an attempt to topple the Spanish rule in the Philippines.His narrative of the revolt received criticism for being embarrassingly prejudiced and fanatical for a scholar despite his reputation as a historian.The native clergy, who were at the time involved in the push toward the secularization of parishes, were named in another account from the official report produced by the then Governor General Rafael Izquierdo.

These two accounts corroborated with each other.

Primary Source #1: Excerpts from Montero's Account of the Cavite Mutiny Source: Jose Montero y Vidal, "Spanish Version of the Cavite Mutiny of 1872," in Gregorio Zaide and Sonia Zaide, Documentary Sources of Philippine History, Volume 7 (Manila: National Book Store, 1990), 269-273.

The overthrow of a secular throne in Spain, the propaganda against monarchical principles carried out by an unrestrained press, the outbursts of American publicists, and the criminal policies of the senseless Governor whom the Revolutionary government sent to rule the Philippines and who put these ideas into practice were the key factors that gave rise, among some Filipinos, to these idea. They began to work toward this objective with the effective support of a particular segment of the local clergy who, out of animosity for friars, joined forces with the enemies of the mother country.

Primary Source #2: 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 Philippine History, Volume 7 (Manila: National Book Store, 1990), 281-286.

Unmistakably, the indigenous clergy, mestizo and indigenous lawyers, and individuals locally referred to as "abogadillos" were involved in the planning and inspiration of the uprising.

In order to protect themselves from the government's unfairness in not paying the provinces for their tobacco harvest and against usury committed by others, the instigators used documentation that the Finance department sends crop owners who must sell their crops at a loss.

They supported the uprising by criticizing what they believed to be the injustice of requiring the former exempt workers of the Cavite arsenal to start paying homage and performing personal service on January 1.

Spanish Accounts of the Cavite Mutiny

  • The testimonies make it very evident that the "revolution" was motivated by the removal of benefits enjoyed by the Cavite arsenal workers, such as being exempt from paying tribute and completing polos y servicios, or forced labor.
  • They made note of additional elements that appeared to have aggravated the situation, such as the presence of native priests who "conspired and backed" the rebels out of hatred for the Spanish friars.
  • Izquierdo highlighted Fathers Burgos and Zamora's involvement in an effort to overthrow the Spanish government in the Philippines in order to install a new "hari" in an obviously biased report.
  • The events of 1872, according to Spanish reports, were premeditated and the outcome of a massive conspiracy including lawyers, mestizos, educated leaders, and residents of Manila and Cavite. Prior to killing the friars, they reportedly plan to put prominent Spanish officers to death.
  • The Sampaloc neighborhood celebrated the feast of the Virgin of Loreto on January 20, 1872, and there were some fireworks displays to go along with it, according to the legend. The people of Cavite reportedly saw this as authorization to begin the assault.
  • The 200-man squad, under the command of Sergeant Lamadrid, attacked Spanish policemen right away and captured their armory.
  • The "revolution" was swiftly put to a stop when the Manilenos who were expected to assist the Cavitenos failed to appear.
  • The plot's leaders were killed in the ensuing conflict, and Fathers Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora were found guilty and sentenced to death by a court martial.
  • Joaquin Pardo De Tavera and Antonio Ma are among the others who have been accused. On Marianas Island, Regidor, Jose and Pio Basa and other Filipino lawyers were imprisoned, had their licenses cancelled, and were given life sentences.
  • On February 17, 1872, the GOMBURZA were executed as a warning to Filipinos not to attempt an attack on the Spaniards ever again.

Primary Source #3: Excerpts from Pardo De Tavera's Account of the Cavite Mutiny Source: Trinidad Pardo De Tavera, "Filipino Version of the Cavite Mutiny of 1872," in Gregorio Zaide and Sonia Zaide, Documentary Sources of Philippine History, Volume 7 (Manila: National Book Store, 1990), 274-280.

This uprising among the Cavite soldiers served as a powerful level for the Spanish citizenry and friars. The central government in Madrid had made it apparent that it intended to deny the friars on these islands the right to participate in decisions affecting both the management and direction of the institution as well as matters pertaining to civil administration. As a result of these facts and promises, the Filipinos had high hopes for a change in the situation of their country, while the friars feared that their grasp on the colony would soon be completely lost.

Primary Source #4: Excerpts from Plauchut's Account of the Cavite Mutiny Source: Edmund Plauchut, "The Cavite Mutiny of 1872 and the Martyrdom of Gom-Bur-Za," in Gregorio Zaide and Sonia Zaide, Documentary Sources of Philippine History, Volume 7 (Manila: National Book Store, 1990), 251-268.

The Filipinos were tasked with building public roads and were required to pay taxes on a yearly basis. However, from the beginning of time, those employed by Cavite's engineering shops, arsenal, and maestranza of the artillery were exempt from this obligation. The Governor's order withdrew these senior workers' retirement benefits without providing any kind of advance notification and classed them among those who worked on public roads.

Deputy General La Torre assembled a junta of important leaders. composed of a few friars and six Spanish officers… To investigate the same issues raised by the Manila committee, the government in Madrid organized a committee at the same time. It was found that the two came to the same findings after finishing their work.