EMILIO AGUINALDO
"We
cannot free ourselves unless we move forward united in a single desire."
Born: March 22, 1869
Died: February 6, 1964
Position in History: Philippines: 1st President, First Republic: Only
President
Presidential Term: January 23, 1899 - April 1, 1901
Duration of Term: 798 days
Aguinaldo, Emilio (1869-1964), Filipino leader and independence
fighter, born near Cavite, Luzon, and educated at the College of San
Juan de Letran, Manila. Aguinaldo led a Filipino insurrection against
Spanish rule in 1896, and two years later, during the Spanish-American
War, he aided the American attack on the Philippine Islands. He was
nominated president of the new republic after the Filipino declaration
of independence in 1898. As head of the Filipino provisional government
in 1899, he resisted American occupation; he continued to lead the
struggle against the United States forces until March 1901, when he was
captured. In April 1901 he took an oath of allegiance to the United
States and retired to private life. He ran unsuccessfully for the
presidency of the new interim Filipino commonwealth government in 1935.
Aguinaldo was taken into custody in 1945, during World War II, by
invading American troops and held on suspicion of collaboration with
the enemy during the Japanese occupation. He was subsequently
exonerated and appointed to the Council of State in 1950.
Philippine leader Emilio Aguinaldo led a rebellion against Spanish rule
in 1896 and assisted the United States during the Spanish-American War
in 1898. He subsequently resisted American occupation of the newly
independent republic.
In August 1896 he was mayor of Cavite Viejo and was the local leader of
the Katipunan, a revolutionary society that fought bitterly and
successfully against the Spanish. In December 1897 he signed an
agreement called the Pact of Biac-na-Bató with the Spanish
governor general. He agreed to leave the Philippines and to remain
permanently in exile on condition of a substantial financial reward
from Spain coupled with the promise of liberal reforms. While in Hong
Kong and Singapore he made arrangements with representatives of the
American consulates and of Commo. George Dewey to return to the
Philippines to assist the United States in the war against Spain.
Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines May 19, 1898, and announced
renewal of the struggle with Spain. The Filipinos, who declared their
independence of Spain on June 12, 1898, proclaimed a provisional
republic, of which Aguinaldo was to become president; and in September
a revolutionary assembly met and ratified Filipino independence.
However, the Philippines, along with Puerto Rico and Guam, were ceded
by Spain to the United States by the Treaty of Paris, Dec. 10, 1898.
Aguinaldo returned to lead his forces, resuming the hostilities against
the Spanish, which had continued even after his exile to Hong Kong.
Elsewhere, Dewey led his naval forces to destroy the Spanish armada in
Manila Bay. With the eventual defeat and surrender of the Spanish,
Aguinaldo unfurled his new flag from the balcony of his home in Cavite
El Viejo town (now Kawit), and proclaimed Philippine independence on
June 12, 1898. Later that year, the Malolos Congress inaugurated the
Malolos Constitution, the First Republic of the Philippines, the first
republic in Asia.
Relations between the Americans and the Filipinos were unfriendly and
grew steadily worse. On Jan. 23, 1899, the Malolos Constitution, by
virtue of which the Philippines was declared a republic and which had
been approved by the assembly and by Aguinaldo, was proclaimed.
Aguinaldo, who had been president of the provisional government, was
elected president.
On the night of February 4 the inevitable conflict between the
Americans and Filipinos surrounding Manila was precipitated. Morning
found the Filipinos, who had fought bravely, even recklessly, defeated
at all points. While the fighting was in progress, Aguinaldo issued a
proclamation of war against the United States, which immediately sent
reinforcements to the Philippines. The Filipino government fled
northward. In November 1899 the Filipinos resorted to guerrilla
warfare, with all its devastating features.
After three years of costly fighting the insurrection was finally
brought to an end when, in a daring operation led by Gen. Frederick
Funston, General Aguinaldo was captured in his secret headquarters at
Palanan in northern Luzon on March 23, 1901. Aguinaldo took an oath of
allegiance to the United States, was granted a pension from the U.S.
government, and retired to private life.
In 1935 when the commonwealth government of the Philippines was
established in preparation for independence, Aguinaldo ran for
president but was decisively beaten. He returned to private life until
the Japanese invaded the Philippines in 1941. The Japanese used
Aguinaldo as an anti-American tool. They caused him to make speeches,
to sign articles, and to address a radio appeal to Gen. Douglas
MacArthur on Corregidor to surrender in order to spare the flower of
Filipino youth.
When the Americans returned, Aguinaldo was arrested and, together with
others accused of collaboration with the Japanese, was held for some
months in Bilibid Prison until released by presidential amnesty. As a
token vindication of his honour, he was appointed by President Elpidio
Quirino as a member of the Council of State in 1950. In the later years
of his life, he devoted his major attention to veterans' affairs, the
promotion of nationalism and democracy in the Philippines, and the
improvement of relations between the Philippines and the United States.
As it became apparent the US did not recognise Philippine independence,
a new revolution began. Aguinaldo led his forces against the US until
he was finally captured in Isabela. He was eventually persuaded to
swear allegiance to the US and resigned from his presidency. Aguinaldo
returned to his home in Kawit to become a farmer. He later ran for the
presidency of the Commonwealth government but was defeated by Manuel
Quezon.
During the Japanese occupation, the Japanese used Aguinaldo to make
speeches and sign articles in an anti-American fashion. After
liberation from the Japanese, Aguinaldo was arrested and imprisoned as
a Japanese collaborator. He was released from prison in the general
amnesty by President Roxas. President Quirino made him a member of the
Council of State in 1950.
An historical error was corrected when President Diosdado Macapagal
moved Independence Day to June 12. Aguinaldo rose from his sick bed to
attend the celebrations as the guest of honour. General Emilio
Aguinaldo died of coronary thrombosis at the age of 95.
.
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