DOCUMENTS OF THE Katipunan
HOME Emilio Jacinto Letter to Isidoro Francisco, December 8, 1896 Source: Archivo General Militar de Madrid: Caja 5677, leg.1.105
The original of this document is torn, so the transcription has many gaps (indicated by dots), but a few points of interest may be gleaned nonetheless. Jacinto is writing, it is not known from where, to Isidoro Francisco, the president of the Mataas na Sangunian in “the North” (Hilagaan), who was based at this juncture in Pantayanin. Jacinto thanks Francisco for his commitment to “our sacred aims,” but at the same time seems to recognise that Francisco is uneasy about his position, and is perhaps worried about his own safety. If Francisco does not want to go to the Katipunan encampment at Balara, Jacinto suggests, he would be welcome at Jacinto’s own base (kinalalagyan), where “you would not have any worries about food, or about the Spaniards.” Jacinto asks Francisco to take good care of the gunpowder under his control, and to ensure that rifles are allocated only to soldiers who are truly loyal to the Katipunan. Jacinto also enquires about two small cannons (falconete) of which Francisco has charge. Jacinto then refers to something important that is being planned, and says he has convened a meeting for the coming Sunday, December 13, to which he has invited all the KKK branch presidents in his locality. He asks Francisco likewise to notify the KKK presidents in his area, but to stress the need for the utmost secrecy. The meeting is to be held in a barrio of Mandaluyong. Jacinto asks Francisco to send him one hundred pesos so that he can purchase supplies for whatever is being planned. Quite possibly the matter to which Jacinto alludes was an attack on the town of Pasig, which Bonifacio also mentions in the letter he sent to the Mataas na Sangunian from Cavite on December 12, 1896. Jacinto and Bonifacio were seemingly unaware that the Mataas na Sangunian was itself making preparations to attack Pasig more imminently, and had in fact instructed local KKK commanders to assemble their troops at Pantayanin on December 10 with a view to the assault being launched on the 11^th or 12^th. In the event, though, the action was postponed, the Mataas na Sangunian perhaps recognizing that its planning needed to be better co-ordinated. In a postscript to his letter, Jacinto asks about a kapatid with the surname Florentino. The text is incomplete at this point, but it seems likely he is referring to Balbino Florentino – a member of the KKK Supreme Council when the revolution broke out – and fears he may have been killed.
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K.K.K. N.M.A.N.B. Sa M. na Pang-ulo na Kapatid na si Ginoong I. Francisco ----- Minamahal na Kapatid: Aking tinangap ang mahalaga ninyong sulat, at nabatid kong lahat ng mga ipinagsasabi ninyo. Sa bagay na ito, ay lubos ang aking pagsasalamat sa inyo, bagay sa napagtalastas kong pagsisikap ninyo dito sa ating banal na nilalayon. At tungkol naman sa nagiging kadahilanan ng di [torn]..pagparito, ay dinaramdam ko din…..ka’t wala akong hangad kung di….ayo’y magkasamsama sa lahat…at magkadamayan; kaya’t kung…uli kong inaanyayahan dito sa aking kinalalagyan kung kayo man ay aayaw sa Balara, at dito nama’y wala kayong aalalahanin tungkol sa pagkain, gayon din sa Kastila. Tungkol na inyong isinagot sa Punong-hukbo sa Balara ay siya kong inaakalang nauukol. Ang polvora ay huag lamang ninyong pababayaan, at gayon din ang mga baril ay inyong ingatang mabuti at huag ninyong ipahahawak kung di sa mga kapatid na talagang tapat sa ating Katipunan. Ang dalawang falconeteng nariyan ay kaya nangyaring inusisa ko sa inyo ay dahil sa siyang.... nararapat na ....sa may lalung mahigpit na laban sapagka’t... mga falconete namang... rito ay hindi tutoong....bukod.... Ayon sa ating binabalak na mahalagang bagay ay minarapat ko na gumawa tayo ng pulong sa araw ng Lingong darating at ating ipatawag ang lahat ng mga pangulo. Sa bagay na ito, ay magpalibot kayo ng isang circular sa mga Pang-ulong inyong sinasabi at ipatalastas sa kanila ang bagay na gagawing ito. Lamang ay ang aking bilang na ipinagtatagubilin ay ang boong kalihiman tungkol sa pulong na ito na ating gagawin sa nayon ng Malitlit (Mandaluyong), at ipagsabi din naman sa circular na gamitin ang lubos .... hag lilihim. ...sa mga kinakailangan mga paghahanda, at sa iba’t ibang nauukol na bilhin, ako’y inyong padalhan dito ng mga isang daang piso. Kayo’y aking niyayakap ang lubos na pagibig. Emilio Jacinto 8-12-96 Huling-lagda – Aking tinangap din [?].. ang inyong ipinadalang mga plano. Mangyari lamang na ipasabi ninyo sa akin kung na.... ang ating kp. na si.... no Florentino. Vale
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