The Katipunan Founding Speech of Andres Bonifacio

by Jesusa Bernardo


The Katipunan was founded following the arrest of patriot and polymath Jose P. Rizal on July 6, 1892. The development made clear to members of the illustrado-initiated, civic society La Liga Filipina, which Rizal established three days earlier, that the colonial Spanish authorities are out to suppress any organization that is openly pro-Filipino.

Reacting with combined grief and patriotic anger over Rizal's arrest, Andres Bonifacio invited  Deodato Arellano, Briccio Pantás, Teodoro Plata, Valentin Díaz, Ladislaw Diwà and José Dizon to a meeting on July 6 or 7, which brought forth the founding of the Kataastaasan Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK).  The Katipunan was a secret society that aspired to unite the country and to gain independence from the Spaniards through the force of revolution.

How Bonifacio, who would still work with the La Liga until its disbandment, even becoming its chief of propaganda owing to his effective personality and communications skills, initiated and powered the Philippine Revolution is perhaps well seen in his speech on that fateful day of the KKK founding. The speech Bonifacio delivered so convinced his co-founders to establish the revolutionary organization, as follows:

"Mga Capatid:"

"Tayo'y di mg?a pantás, caya hindî mariringal na talumpatî at dî maririkit na sulat ang ating idaraos; sa gawâ natin daanin: ang catubusa'y hindî nacucuha sa salita ó sa sulat; kinácamtan sa pagsasabog ng dugô."

"Talastas na ninyo ang calupitáng guinawâ sa ating capatid na si Dr. Rizal, iya'y maliwanag na halimbawang nagpapakilala sa ating di tayo macaliligtas sa caalipnan cung dî daraanin sa pakikibaca."

"¡Sucat na ang pagpapacababà! ¡Sucat na na ang pangangatuwiran! ¡Nangatuwiran si Rizal ay hinuli pagcatapos na mapag-usig ang mg?a magulang, capatid, kinamag-anacan at cacampí!"

"¡Sucat na! Papagsalitain natin naman ang sandata! ¿Na tayo'y pag-uusiguin, mabibilango, ipatatapon, papatayin? Hindî dapat nating ipanglumó ang lahat ng? ito, mabuti pa ng?a ang tayo'y mamatay cay sa manatili sa pagcabusabos."

"At ng maganap natin ang dakilang cadahilanan ng pagpupulong nating ito'y ating maitayô ang isáng malacás, matibay at macapangyarihang catipunan ng? mg?a anác ng? Bayan."

"¡Mabuhay ang Filipinas!!!"

Perhaps, the impact of the speech and  the speaker was so patriotically moving such that sans any reservations, the gentlemen present agreed to form the Katipunan, envisioned to be a powerful and strong society of the children of the land.


The Katipunan would later form its Supreme Council, with the following set of officers:

    * Deodato Arellano, Supreme President
    * Andrés Bonifacio, comptroller
    * Ladislao Diwa, fiscal
    * Teodoro Plata, secretary
    * Valentín Díaz, treasurer

Bonifacio would not become Katipunan Supremo until January 1895. On August 30, 1896, following the discovery of its existence by the Spaniards, Bonifacio and fellow Katipuneros elected to launch the Revolution in what would be known as the First Cry, transforming the underground society into a revolutionary government body. By that time, KKK membership has ballooned to tens, if not, hundreds of thousands.

The Philippines/Katagalugan has become a nation willing to claim its independence and sovereignty.Salamat kay Gat Andres Bonifacio na ang diwang at wikang mapaghimagsik ay nagtulak sa bayan na ipaglaban ang kalayaan.

___________


References:

Agoncillo, Teodoro C. (1990). History of the Filipino People (8th ed.). Quezon City: Garotech Publishing. ISBN 971-8711-06-6

James Alfred LeRoy. The Americans in the Philippines: a history of the conquest and first years of occupation, with an introductory account of the Spanish rule, Volume 1. Houghton Mifflin Col, 1914

Milagros C. Guerrero, Emmanuel N. Encarnacion, & Ramon N. Villegas. Andres Bonifacio and the 1896 Revolution. 16 July 2003. http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/articles-on-c-n-a/article.php?i=5&subcat=13

Pascual H. Poblete. Buhay at Mga Ginawa ni Dr. Jose Rizal. Project Gutenberg, 2006. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18282/18282-h/18282-h.htm

Reyes, Isabelo de los (1899) (in Spanish). La Sensacional memoria sobre la revolución filipina. Madrid: Tip. lit. de J. Corrales

Ricarte, Artemio. The Hispano-Philippine Revolution. Yokohama  This book was published by Ricarte himself, includes his memoirs on the Philippine Revolution.



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