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DOCUMENTS
OF THE Katipunan |
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Andres Bonifacio Letter
to Emilio Jacinto, circa March 15, 1897 Source: Transcription by Ambeth
R. Ocampo from a photocopy of the original letter,
appended to his “Andres Bonifacio: |
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Introduction This letter is
undated, but its content suggests it was written around the middle of March 1897.[2] Bonifacio refers
to events in mid-to-late February in a manner that suggests they had happened
weeks rather than days ago, but presumably he was writing prior to March 22,
because otherwise he would surely have mentioned the fateful convention held
on that day in the friar estate house at Tejeros. But although the convention has not yet
been held, it is imminent, and Bonifacio already
knows that the Magdalo faction want Emilio
Aguinaldo to be elected president. As
he tells Jacinto, and as the letter itself testifies, the enmity (“pagkakaalit”) between the Magdalo
and Magdiwang factions is “very great.” |
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Tagalog
text ANDRES BONIFACIO MAYPAGASA P. ng K. Kapulungan M. Emilio
Jacinto Pingkian K na Punong
hukbo sa Hilagaan Minamahal na
kap.: tinangap kong lahat ang mga sulat na inyong ipinadala sa akin at gayon
din naman ang kalakip na salapi, polvora at salitre. Ang ating mga kapatid dito ay malabis ang
tua at pasasalamat sa inyong ipinahatid ditong mga kailangang mahigpit sa
pakikipaglaban, at gayon din sa balitang tulong na inyong ginagawa diyan. Sa gulong
ibinabalita ninyong nangyari sa Manila, tungkol sa panghihimagsik ng mga
Carabinero at Yngeniero ay malabis na tulong ang ibinigay sa mga kapatid
dito, gayon ma’y hindi mandin nagbabawas ang mga kalaban dito at may malaki
ding kapanganiban ang mga bayang ito; kaya’t isinasamo ng lahat dito na huag
na ninyong lubayan diyan at dito naman ay di namin tutugutan hangang sa
mabawi ang mga naagaw na bayang inyo ng talastas. Mahigpit na
kinakailangan ang inyong tipunin ang lahat ng baril diyan at kahit na iyong
pagbayaran na magin ari lamang ng Katipunan at abutin ang magkaroon tayo ng
tunay at naayos na mga kawal ng panghihimagsik. Kung magawa na ninyo sa madaling panahon ang
pagaa [?] na ito ay may kagaanan nang isalakay sa alin mang bayan
inaakala [?] ninyong makakayanang pasukin at may tibay na di karakaralang
mababawi ng kaaway. Ang mapaloob
sa isang bayan ay totoong kailangan sa pagkat doo’y makapagaayos na maigi at
makapagtatayo tayo ng maestranza at lahat ng ibig nating gawin ay magagawa,
bukod pa sa tayo’y makalalamang sa kaaway sa pagka’t malalagay tayo sa
ofensiva hangang walang maraming sandatang magagamit. Kasabay na
tinanggap ko ang isang sulat ng Kap. na si M. Rogelio, na hinihiling sa akin
ang siya’y padalhin (han?) ko ng mga kasangkapan gamit sa kapsula and
gayon din naman ang mga taong marurunong gumawa. Yto’y kinilala kong kailangan buhat pa ng
una kaya’t ako’y nagpahanda na ng mga nasabing kasangkapan na kasabay nitong
aking ipinahatid na may kasamang mga tao nagagawa. Dito’y
kinukulang na ng magamit na kapsulang walang laman sa pagkat ang mga kaaway
ay llzbztñd llz vzlldñll llz ñtcy ztñllg llzgzgzvñt [nabatid na mandin na
itoy ating nagagamit], kayat muling pñllxpxjct [pinupulot] kung may kalabisan
diyan ay kami inyong padalhan. Kalakip din
nitong inyong tatangapin ang isang balutang piston na dadagdagan pa sa
pagdaraan sa Llcbqjqtz [Nobeleta] ang 500 na gagawing isang libo. Dito’y
tumangap ang mga kapatid ng llzvztzy [namatay] na si M. Dñvzszjzllg [M.
Dimasalang] ng isang sulat na galing sa Fcllgkcllg [Hongkong] na padala ng
kanilang pinsang nananahan doon, na ipinagbibigay alam na dooy dumating ang
dalawa kataong ating inutusan na si Lckscll [Jokson] at si Zjqfzlldrñllc
[Alehandrino,] nakapua ito walang maipakitang pcdqr [poder] at gayon din
naman walang pñjnk llz [pilak na] dooy dumarating; kayat pinangahasan na nila
ang szjzpñllg llzjzjzgzk [salaping nalalagak] doon ni Rñsnj zt fxvñfñllgñ
txjc’y llg pcdqr zt szjzpñ [Risal at humihingi tuloy ng poder at
salapi.] Ang bagay na ito ay malabis
na ipinagtataka ng mga kapatid dito sa Magdiwang; sapagkat ang mga
hinihinging ito’y naipadala ng lahat ay kung bakit at hindi dumarating doon,
na hindi maalaman na kung ito’y fñwngn [hiwaga] ng mga Kap sa Sb. Vzgdnjc
[Sb. Magdalo] o kaya llg ztñllg [ng ating] mga ñllxtxszll [inutusan]
doon. Sa bagay na ito ang mga kapatid
na taga Vzgdñwzllg [Magdiwang] ay siya na laman kakaya at sampo natin diyan
at hindi pzpzkñkñzjzvñll nllg vgz tzgz Vzgdñwzllg [papakikialamin ang mga
taga Magdiwang[3]
[Magdalo]]. Ang pcdqr [poder] ay aking ipinahatid sa inyo at si Kap na Nakpil
ay makatala diyan. Ang pcdqr [poder]
ay ipinawad sa ngalan ng Kcvñtq [Komite] doong natatayo na sa pagka’t siyang
sa sulat ay hinihiling. Baga mat
nangyayari ito ay may maaasahan kaming darating na zrvzs [armas] sa madaling
panahon at siyang inaantay ng kababayang M. Pzsñzllc [M. Pasiano] sa talagang
salitaang pag zzfxllzll [aahunan] Ang hinihiling
ninyong mga taong marurunong maglagay ng Bzjztqk [balatek] ay akin ng
ipinasundo sa Mzrñgxlldc’g [Marigundo’g] ay hindi pa dumarating ito kapag
karakang sumapit dito ay aking ipahahatid diyan. Sa una kong
sagot sa inyong sulat na tinangap ko ay aking nakaligtaan ang isinasanguni
ninyong si V. Fernandez; ito’y batid na ninyong malakin (?) totoo ang
kataksilang ginawa sa Bayan, sa Katipunan at atin, kayat inaantay ko na sa
madaling panahon ay inyong gagawin sa kanya ang nauukol na kaparusahan. Yto’y inaakala kong inutusan diyan ng mga
vzñllgñtñllg tzgz Vzgdzjc zt llg vzxpztzll dñyzll zllg [maingiting taga
Magdalo at ng maupatan diyan ang] ating mga tao zt vzñpzsck dñtc [at maipasok
dito] ang mga baril. Kung dumating na
diyan ang umalis dito na si M. Nntñbñdnd [M. Natibibad] na inaakala kong
napatungo diyan at tñllxkxjnll [tinukulan] din gaya ng una umupat diyan kayat
kayo ang bahala diyang mag ingat sa kanila at gawin ninyo ang nararapat na
katuiran. Dito’y jzjxllg
vzjnkñ nllg pngknknnjñt [lalung malaki
ang pagkakaalit] ng dnjnwnllg [dalawang] Sb. dahil sa ang Vzgdnjc [Magdalo]
ay fñllñfñjñllg lln sñjn [hinihiling na sila] ng vnvnfnjn sn jnfnt [mamahala
sa lahat] at sa bxcllg Kntngnjxgnl [buong Katagalugan,] sa pagkat di umano’y
walang nakikilala diyan at sa buong europa kungdi ang Gcbñqrllc [gobierno] ng
Yvxs [Ymus.] Yto’y kamakalawa nangyari
sa pagsasadya nila dito sa Vnjnbcll [Malabon] kasama si P. Dnlldnll [P.
Dandan] na isa sa mga kaayon nila. Ang pagtatatag
na inaakalang gawin ay ganito Presidente at General en Jefe ay si Vzgdzjc
[Magdalo]; Director de Obras Militares ay si Bnjdcvqrc [Baldomero] at
ang mga taga Vzgdñwzllg [Magdiwang] ay
pawang lalagay na sub-director o sub-ministro. Ang balak na ito ay totoong ñkñllnpxct [
ikinapuot] ng mga vñllñstrcs [ministros] ng Vzgdñwnllg [Magdiwang] at
nahalata ang kanilang pcjñtñkn lln kxllg vzpñpñjñll nllg Yvxs [politika na
kung mapipilin ang Ymus] ay sila ang vnvnfnjn dñtc [mamahala dito] sa
Vzjnbcll [Malabon]. Nzkzsxsxkjzv [Nakasusuklam] na totoo ang kasakiman ng
taga Vzgdzjc [Magdalo] at siyang nagigindahil ng malimit nilang pagka
pahamak. Dito’y may
bubuan na ng tanso at sa ngayo’y nakagagawa na ng cañon mabuti sa kabila sa
pagka’t hindi na nagkakailangan ng crisol at carbón de Kock: kundi ginagawa
nalamang dito ng isang taga Maynila.
Kayo’y magpahanap diyan ng tanso at ipadadalhan ko kayo ng kanyon sa
madaling panahon at mga bocamarta. Ang inyong
tula ay tinatagalog ni Binong at ang hindi pa ikalimbag ay sa kaualang ng
titik sa Kastila. Ang tugtugin
ng Kap. na Nakpil ay hindi pa tutugtog sa pagka’t dito’y totoong gulo at
ligalig sa pakikipaglaban. Ako’y hindi pa
makauwi diyan sa pagka’t inaantay kong dumating ang ating zrvzs [armas] at ng
tayo’y makabahagi at kundi man ito ay kahit ang ipinasok ni Lucino dito, na
hindi ko magawang ilabas ngayon lalo ng maguipit dito. Si Luciano ay
malakas na at nakakalakad at ang kanyang Riffle ay nasasa kanya na at hindi
ko nakukuha. Ang Mauser tatangapin
ninyo sa mag dala nito, pagingatan laman na huag mawawala sa pagka’t ito’y
ang una nating sandatang na gamit sa panghihimagsik. Sa inyong ina
ay ipinadala ko ang sampong piso muna at ang nalalabi dito ay siya kong
ipinababaon at ginagamit namin dito kinakailangan ang ako’y inyong padalhan
pa din at ng maibigay kong gratificacion sa gumagawa ng cañon at iba pang
kakailanganin gaya ng pana at iba pa. Ang mga taong may taglay nito ay akin
pinabauanan at ang dalawang gagawa ng kapsa ay binigyan ko ang familiang na
iwan ng magasgasta. Tungkol sa
Kap. kong Ciriaco ito’y siyang dumating dito na maydala ng lahat ninyong
padala at dito ay hindi na muna siya makalalabas. Kung tungkol sa akin at ipangangahas ako ng
kahit sino na makagawa ng kasamaan ay may kapatuntulutan kayo na gawin ang
talagang nararapat na hinihiling ng matuid.
Si Nonay na naiwan diyan ay kayo namuna ang bahalang tumingin sa kanya
sa pagkat dito’y totoong panganib ang kalagayan kayat hindi ko minamagaling
sa ngayon na papasukin dito. Si Nicolas de
Lara ay aking ipinapiit din at ginawa sa kanya ang pagsisiyasat na nararapat
[?] kinakailangan na ipadala ninyong agad dito ang informe ng mga taong tunay
na nakababatid ng nangyayari sa salapi. Tangapin ninyo
ang ipinahahatid kong mahigpit na yakap. Andres
Bonifacio |
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English translation[4] Don Emilio
Jacinto, Pingkian Supreme Chief
of the Army of the North. Dear Brother: I have received all the letters you have
sent to me, and with them the money, gunpowder, and saltpeter. Our brethren here are very pleased, and are
grateful for what you have sent, which is urgently needed in the battles
here, and likewise for the aid it is said you have rendered there. The disturbance you mention, created in Manila by
the revolt of the Carabineers and Engineers, has greatly helped our brethren
here.[5] However, our enemies here are not as yet
growing weaker, and these towns are still in great danger, so everybody here
asks you not to let up there, and we will not rest, either, until we have
recaptured the towns they have taken from us, about which you have been
informed. There is an urgent need for you to gather up all the
guns there, even if you have to pay for them. They must become the property
of the Katipunan so that we can have soldiers of the revolution who are
properly armed and ready. If you can
undertake this task soon, it will be easy to invade whatever town you wish
and fortify it in such a way that it will not be easy for the place to be
retaken by the enemy. The occupation of a town is truly a necessity,
because it will give us time to prepare ourselves properly, to establish an
armory, and to be able to do everything we want to do; besides it will give
us an advantage over the enemy, because otherwise we would have to take the
offensive without having many weapons at our disposal. I also received a letter from brother Don Rogelio[6],
who asks me to send him tools for making cartridges, and also people who know
how to make them. I had already
recognized this need previously, so I had the said tools prepared at the same
time as the things I sent you there, together with the operatives. Here there is
a shortage of empty cartridges, because the enemies have now found out that
we are using them, and so they now pick them up; if you have a surplus there,
please send us some. You will
receive herewith a consignment of percussion caps, whose number will be
increased from 500 to 1,000 when they pass through Noveleta. Here the
brother and sisters of the late Don Dimasalang[7]
have received a letter from Hongkong, sent by a
cousin of his who resides there, reporting the arrival of our two emissaries Jocson and Alejandrino[8].
They are unable to show any authorization, and moreover no silver has arrived
there, so they used the money deposited there by Rizal and are asking,
besides, for further authorization and money. This astonishes the brethren
here in Magdiwang very much because all this that
is being requested has already been sent.
It is not known whether it has not arrived there due to some
mysterious doings on the part of the brethren of Magdalo
or, perhaps, of our agents there. For
this reason the brethren of Magdiwang, together
with our brethren there, will pay for everything, so that the Magdalo people will not get involved. I am sending
you the authorization in order that you may sign it together with Bro. Nakpil.[9] The authorization has been made out in the
name of the Committee organized there, as requested in the letter. Despite
what has happened, we hope that weapons will arrive in the near future, and
they are being awaited by the compatriot Don Paciano[10]
at the agreed landing point. The men you requested
who know how to set spear traps I have enlisted from Maragondon,
but they have not yet arrived; as soon as they arrive, I shall have them go
there. In my first reply to
your letter, I overlooked your inquiry concerning V. Fernandez. This man, as you know, has committed a great
crime against the People, the Katipunan, and ourselves,
and so I expect that you will soon hand him the punishment he deserves.[11] I think he is an agent there of the spiteful Magdalo people, and will try to deceive our people there and bring the guns here. I believe the person who left here, M. Natividad[12],
is now on his way there and has been assigned above all to sow intrigue like
the one before. When he arrives there,
you should beware of them and act with due prudence. Here the enmity between the two Sangunian Bayan is very great, because Magdalo wants to rule
everybody and the whole of Katagalugan, because
-they say - nothing but the Government of Imus is
recognized there and throughout Europe.
This happened two days ago, when they came to Malabon accompanied by
Padre Dandan[13],
who is one of their allies. The government that is being planned is this:
President and General-in-Chief is Magdalo[14];
Director of Military Works is Baldomero[15],
and the Magdiwang people will be given positions as sub-director or
sub-minister. This plan truly
disgusted the ministers of Magdiwang, who know that if the Imus people are elected as a result of this politicking
they will govern here in Malabon. The selfishness of the Magdalo people is
truly sickening, and has come to be the cause of their many reverses. There is a copper foundry here and at present it
makes better cannon than on the other side because it needs neither a
crucible nor coke. A resident of
Manila here knows how to make them.
Seek out some copper there, and I can send you some cannons and lantakas
straight away. Your poem was translated into Tagalog by Binong[16],
but it has not yet been printed, owing to the lack of Spanish type. The musical piece of Nakpil
has not yet been performed, because the fighting here has caused so much
turmoil and trouble. I cannot yet return there, because I am awaiting the
arrival of our arms, so that we can get our share; even that will be no more
than those brought here by Lucino[17],
which I cannot take away now due to the grave shortage here. Luciano is
already strong and able to walk[18]
and his rifle is still in his possession; I have not yet taken it back. You will receive the Mauser
from the bearer of this; take special care of it and don’t lose it, because
it was the first weapon that we used in the revolution. I sent your mother ten pesos for now, and put the
balance towards our rations and expenses here. You need to send me some more, because I
have to pay the maker of the cannon and other necessities such as arrows
etc. I paid the expenses of the
bearers of this, and have given an allowance to the family of the two
cartridge makers. As regards my brother Ciriaco,
he was the bearer of all you that sent here and is unable to leave here for
the present. For my part, if any
person dares to use my name for illicit purposes, you are free to deal with
him in whatever way is just and proper.
As to Nonay[19],
who remained there, I ask you to look after her for the time being, because
the situation is very dangerous here and I do not think it is prudent for her
to come here at present. I gave orders for Nicolas de Lara[20]
to be detained and he is to be subjected to a proper investigation; you
should send here straight away the report of those people who really know
what happened to the money. Receive the close embrace that I send you. Andres Bonifacio Notes |
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