Katipunan Council Elevates Balangay Mahiganti

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition):

MARCH 8, 1896

The Supreme Council of the Katipunan (KKK), a revolutionary society ruled that the Balangay Mahiganti, a KKK branch in Ermita, Manila be elevated to the status of Sangguniang Bayan. 

The Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK) was founded  by Andres Bonifacio along with other Filipino patriots on the night of July 7, 1892.

(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan B. Uy) All rights reserved

Deodato Arellano Arrested

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition):

OCTOBER 10, 1896

Deodato Arellano, the 1st president of the Katipunan was arrested by the Spanish authorities. 

He founded the Katipunan together with Andres Bonifacio, Ladislao Diwa, Teodoro Plata, Valentin Diaz and Jose Dizon on July 7, 1892 in his house at 72 Azcarraga Street. 

When the Philippine Revolution broke out in 1896, he was the commissary officer of Gregorio del Pilar’s Brigade. 

He also fought battles in Bulacan during the Philippine-American War where he got sick with tuberculosis that led to his death on October 7, 1899.   

(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan B. Uy) All rights reserved

Photo credit: wikipedia.org

Today in Philippine History: Procopio Bonifacio Testifies in Court

APRIL 29, 1897

Procopio Bonifacio, the younger brother of Katipunan Supremo Andres Bonifacio testified in the Military Court Martial under Emilio Aguinaldo’s government. Col. Pantaleon Garcia sat as Judge Advocate and Gen. Mariano Noriel presided the Council of War. Asked where he was captured and why his clothes have blood smears, he narrated his capture at the trench in Limbon and the blood came from his nose after a soldier struck it with the butt-end of a gun. The 24-year old Procopio was surprised with the treatment since he never resisted when they were arrested.

Photo credit: http://philippines-islands-lemuria.blogspot.com/

Today in Philippine History: Aguinaldo's Men Arrest Andres Bonifacio

APRIL 28, 1897

Col. Agapito “Yntong” Bonzon and Maj. Jose Ignacio Paua, Emilio Aguinaldo’s brother -in-law carried out an order to arrest Andres Bonifacio after he refused to recognize Aguinaldo’s new government on charges of treason and sedition. In Barrio Limbon, Yntong’s men fired at Bonifacio’s soldiers killing Ciriaco Bonifacio. The Supremo’s men were disarmed and Bonifacio was shot and wounded by Bonzon while Paua stabbed him on the neck. They then arrested him and brother Procopio. Some accounts say Yntong also raped his wife Gregorio de Jesus.

Photo credit: http://lucbanhistoricalsociety.blogspot.com/

Today of Philippine History: Cry of Paminitan

APRIL 12, 1895

Katipunan leader Andres Bonifacio (November 30, 1863 – May 10, 1897) along with Emilio Jacinto, Aurelio Tolentino, Guillermo Masangkay and other Katipuneros went to the mountains of San Mateo and Montalban. A Good Friday, they came across Paminitan cave in Montalban,  Distrito de Morong (Rodriguez, Rizal) and went inside to hold an initiation rite for new members. Bonifacio then wrote on the walls “Viva la Independencia Filipina” and this came to be known as the Cry of Paminitan or The First Cry for Freedom.