Case Study 2: What Happened in the Cavite Mutiny?

Introduction

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 on immortalized as GOMBURZA. These
events are very important milestones in Philippine history and have caused ripples throughout time,
directly influencing the decisive events of the Philippine Revolution toward the end 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 Filipino of that time.

Spanish Accounts of the Cavite Mutiny

The documentation of Spanish historian Jose Montero y Vidal centered on how the event was an
attempt in overthrowing the Spanish government in the Philippines. Although regarded as a historian,
his account of the mutiny was criticized as woefully biased and rabid for a scholar. Another account from
the official report written by then Governor General Rafael Izquierdo implicated the native clergy, who
were then, active in the movement toward secularization of parishes. These two accounts corroborated
each

Primary Source: 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.h other.

The abolition of privileges enjoyed by the laborers of the Cavite arsenal of exemption from the tribute
was, according to some, the cause of the insurrection. There were, however, other causes. The Spanish
revolution which overthrew a secular throne; the propaganda carried on by an unbridled press against
monarchical principles, attentatory [sic] of the most sacred respects towards the dethroned majesty; the
democratic and republican books and pamphlets; the speeches and preaching of the apostles of these
new ideas in Spain; the outburst of the American publicists and the criminal policy of senseless Governor
whom the Revolutionary government sent to govern the Philippines, and who put into practice these
ideas were the determining circumstances which gave rise, among certain Filipino, to the idea ,of
attaining their independence. It was towards this goal that they started to wok, with the powerful
assistance of a certain section of the native clergy, who out of spite towards friars, made common cause
with the enemies of the mother country.

At various times but especially in the beginning of year 1872, the authorities received anonymous
communications with the information that a great uprising would break out against the Spaniards, the
minute the fleet at Cavite left for the South, and that all would be assassinated, including the friars. But
nobody gave importance to these notices. The conspiracy had been going on since the days of La Torre
with utmost secrecy. At times, the principal leaders met either in the house of Filipino Spaniard, D.
Joaquin Pardo de Tavera, or in that of the native priest, Jacinto Zamora, and these meetings were
usually attended by the curate of Bacoor, the soul of the movement, whose energetic character and
immense wealth enabled him to exercise a strong influence.

Primary Sources: 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

… It seems definite that the insurrection was motivated and prepared by the native clergy, by the
mestizos lawyers, and by those known here as abogadillos…

The instigators, to carry out their criminal project, protested against the injustice of the government in
not paying the provinces for their tobacco crop, and against the usury that some practice in documents
that the Finance department gives crop owners who have to sell them at a loss. They encouraged the
rebellion by protesting what they called the injustice of having obliged the workers in the Cavite arsenal
to pay tribute starting January 1 and to render personal services, from which they were formerly
exempted…

Up to now it has 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 different form of government, whose head in
Filipino would be called hari ; but it turns out they would place at the head of the government a priest…
that the head selected would be D.Jose Burgos or D. Jacinto Zamora…

Such is… the plan of the rebels, those who guided them, and the means they counted upon for its
realization

It is apparent that the accounts underscore the reason for the “revolution”: the abolition of privileges
enjoyed by the workers of the Cavite arsenal such as exemption from payment of tribute and being
employed in polos y servicios, or force labor. They also identifies other reasons which seemingly made
the issue a lot more serious, which include the presence of the native clergy, who, out of spite against
the Spanish friars, “conspired and supported” the rebels, Izquierdo in an obviously biased report,
highlighted that attempt to overthrow Spanish government in the Philippine to install a new “hari” in
the persons of Fathers Burgos and Zamora. According to him, native clergy attracted supporters by
giving them charismatic assurance that their fight would not fail because they had God‟s support, aside
from promises of lofty rewards such as employment, wealth, and ranks in the army.

In the Spaniard‟s account, the event of 1872 was premeditated, and was part of a big conspiracy among
the educated leaders, mestizos, lawyers, and residents of Manila and Cavite. They allegedly plan to
liquidate high-ranking Spanish officers, then kill the friars. The signal they identified among these
conspirators of Manila and Cavite was the rockets fired from Intramuros. 31 The accounts detail that on
20 January 1872, the district of Sampaloc celebrated the feast of the Virgin of Loreto, and came with it
were some fireworks display. The Caviteῆos allegedly mistook this as the signal to commence with the
attack. The 200-men contingent led by Sergeant Lamadrid attacked Spanish officers at sight and seized
the arsenal. Izquierdo, upon learning of the attack, ordered the reinforcement of the Spanish forces in
Cavite to quell the revolt. The “revolution” was easily crushed, when the Manileῆos who were expected
to aid the Caviteῆos did not arrive. Leaders of the plot were killed in the resulting skirmish, while Fathers
Gomez, Bugos and Zamora were tried by a court and sentenced to be executed. Others who were
implicated such as Joaquin Pardo de Tavera, Antonio Ma. Regidor, Jose and Pio Basa, and other Filipino
lawyers were suspended from the practice of law, arrested, and sentenced to life imprisonment at the
Marianas Island. Izquierdo dissolved the native regiments of artillery and ordered the creation of an
artillery force composed exclusively by Peninsulares.

On 17 February 1872, the GOMBURZA was executed to serve as a threat to Filipinos never attempt to
fight Spaniards again.