CHAPTER III

One Past but Many Histories; Controversies and

Conflicting
Views in Philippine History
https://youtu.be/S1Coz9OeuvQ?t=17
 January 20,1872
 Sgt. La Madrid and
workers of Arsenal of
Cavite
 Abolition ofthe
privileges of not paying
taxes and exemption in
Polo y Servicio
 Failed
CARLOS MARIA DELA TORRE
• Governor-General of the Philippines
from 1868-1871
• Most liberal-minded and loved Gov.-
Gen.
• He allowed programs that benefited
most natives
Rafael Izquierdo y Gutiérrez
• Governor-General of the Philippines
from 1871 to 1873.
• He was famous for his use of "Iron
Fist" type of government.
• He changed the policies made by his
predecessor, dela Torre.
1872 Cavite Mutiny
• The mutiny was easily crushed when the expected reinforcement
from Manila did not come ashore.

• On 20 January 1872, the district of Sampaloc celebrated the feast of

the Virgin of Loreto, unfortunately participants to the feast
celebrated the occasion with the usual fireworks displays. 
Allegedly, those in Cavite mistook the fireworks as the sign for the
attack, and just like what was agreed upon, the 200-men contingent
headed by Sergeant Lamadrid launched an attack targeting Spanish
officers at sight and seized the arsenal.
1872 Cavite Mutiny
• Major instigators including Sergeant Lamadrid were killed in
the skirmish, while the GOMBURZA were tried by a court-
martial and were sentenced to die by strangulation.  Patriots
like Joaquin Pardo de Tavera, Antonio Ma. Regidor, Jose and
Pio Basa and other abogadillos were suspended by the
Audencia (High Court) from the practice of law, arrested and
were sentenced with life imprisonment at the Marianas Island. 
Furthermore, Gov. Izquierdo dissolved the native regiments of
artillery and ordered the creation of artillery force to be
composed exclusively of the Peninsulares.
1872 Cavite Mutiny
•   On 17 February 1872 in an attempt of the Spanish government
and Frailocracia to instill fear among the Filipinos so that they
may never commit such daring act again, the GOMBURZA
were executed.  This event was tragic but served as one of the
moving forces that shaped Filipino nationalism.
1872 Cavite Mutiny: Spanish Perspectives
• The conspiracy has been going on since the days of La Torre, with the
utmost secrecy.

• The two Spaniards deemed that the event of 1872 was planned earlier
and was thought of it as a big conspiracy among educated leaders,
mestizos, abogadillos or native lawyers, residents of Manila and
Cavite and the native clergy.  They insinuated that the conspirators of
Manila and Cavite planned to liquidate high-ranking Spanish officers
to be followed by the massacre of the friars. 
1872 Cavite Mutiny: Spanish Perspectives
• The plan was for the troops to assassinate their commanders, servants,
and masters and for the Captain-bodyguard General's to kill the
Governor himself at Malacanang. Later, the friars and other Spaniards
would have their turn.

• At nine-thirty in the evening of that day, two hundred native soldiers

under the leadership of Sergeant La Madrid rose in arms, assassinated
the commander of the fort, and wounded his wife.
1872 Cavite Mutiny: Spanish Perspectives
• The military Governor of Cavite, Fernando Rojas, dispatched two
Spaniards to inform the Manila authorities of the uprising.
Nonetheless, they were stopped on the road by a group of Indians
belonging to La Torre's Guias, who killed them quickly.

• Domingo Mijares sailed from Cavite to Manila on a warship, arriving

at midnight. He immediately alerted the commander of Marines of the
incident, and this authority promptly contacted Governor Izquierdo.
1872 Cavite Mutiny: Spanish Perspectives
• January 20,1872: Cavite Mutiny
• January 21,1872: Spaniards waited for the rebels to surrender
to avoid unneccessary shedding of blood.
• January 22,1872: Ginoves launched an assault. He put to the
sword the majority of the rebels and making prisoners of the
rest.
1872 Cavite Mutiny: Spanish Perspectives
• This narrative of Montero y Vidal, a good historian, was so
woefully biased that Dr. T.H. Pardo de Tavera commented
that he, "in narrating the Cavite episode, does not speak as a
historian; he speaks like a Spaniard bent on perverting the
facts at his pleasure; he is mischievously partial."
• Unsupported by positive documentary evidence, this Spanish
historian exaggerated the mutiny of a few disgruntled native
soldiers and laborers into a revolt to overthrow Spanish rule
1872 Cavite Mutiny: Filipino Perspectives
• The incident was a mere mutiny by the native Filipino
soldiers and laborers of the Cavite arsenal who turned out to
be dissatisfied with the abolition of their privileges.
1872 Cavite Mutiny: Filipino Perspectives
• Tavera believed that the Spanish friars and Izquierdo used the
Cavite Mutiny as a powerful lever by magnifying it as a full-
blown conspiracy involving not only the native army but also
included residents of Cavite and Manila, and more
importantly the native clergy to overthrow the Spanish
government in the Philippines.
1872 Cavite Mutiny: Filipino Perspectives
•    The friars, fearing that their influence in the Philippines
would be a thing of the past, took advantage of the incident and
presented it to the Spanish Government as a vast conspiracy
organized throughout the archipelago with the object of
destroying Spanish sovereignty.

• Tavera sadly confirmed that the Madrid government came to

believe that the scheme was true without any attempt to
investigate the real facts or extent of the alleged “revolution”
reported by Izquierdo and the friars.
1872 Cavite Mutiny: Filipino Perspectives
•    The friars, fearing that their influence in the Philippines
would be a thing of the past, took advantage of the incident and
presented it to the Spanish Government as a vast conspiracy
organized throughout the archipelago with the object of
destroying Spanish sovereignty.

• Tavera sadly confirmed that the Madrid government came to

believe that the scheme was true without any attempt to
investigate the real facts or extent of the alleged “revolution”
reported by Izquierdo and the friars.
Relevance of the Event:
It paved way to momentous 1898.
It awakened strong resentment among Filipinos.
Filipinos demanded reforms.