BONIFACIO AND THE KATIPUNAN

The

Katipunan

was

nationalistic,

initially

secret,

partisan society founded in the Philippines in 1892 to oust the Spanish colonial government in Manila. The failure of the reform movement was already evident as early as when Rizal was arrested and banished to Dapitan. Yet the more hopeful among the middle class still hung on to the conviction that they could soften the heart of mother Spain into granting the reforms demanded. It is for this reason that the reform movement continued until 1896 when the masses, led by Andres Bonifacio, were forced to take to the field against the Spaniards. Unlike the members of the middle class, Bonifacio and his plebeian associates did not dream of mere reforms. They were interested in liberating the country from the tyranny of the Spaniards, and the only way, to their minds, to accomplish their end was to prepare the people for an armed conflict, the Katipunan. The name Katipunan is actually a shorter version of the official Katipunan name, ng which is Kataastaasang, ng Bayan Kagalanggalangang translated as manga Anak (roughly

Supreme and Venerable Society of the Sons and Daughters of the People). The Katipunan is also known by its acronym, KKK. The word Katipunan is a tagalog term for society, the root word tipon, which means gather. The Founding of the Katipunan The news of Rizal's deportation shocked and surprised the people, for Rizal to them was the symbol of freedom. That

night

of

July

7,

1892,

Andres Diwa,

Bonifacio,

Valentin and

Diaz, a few

Teodoro

Plata,

Ladislao

Deodato

Arellano

others, met secretly at a house on Azcarraga (now Claro M. Recto Avenue), near Elcano Street, Tondo, and decided to form a new association, the Katipunan . The men gathered around a flickering table lamp, performed the ancient blood compact, and signed their membership papers with their own blood. It was agreed to win more members to the society by means of the triangle method in which an original member would take in two new members who did not know each other, but knew only the original member who took them in. Thus, original member A, for instance, would take in new members B and C. Both B and C knew A, but B and C did not know each other. Also agreed upon during the meeting was the payment of an entrance fee of one real fuerte(twenty-five centavos) and a monthly due of a media real (about twelve centavos). The Katipunan Objectives Under the leadership of Bonifacio, the Katipunan laid

down three fundamental objectives or aims: political, moral and civic. The political objectives consisted in working for the separation of the Philippines from Spain. The moral objective revolved about around the teaching of good manners, hygiene, good morals, and attacking obscurantism, religious fanaticism, and weakness of character. The civic aim revolved around the principle of self-help and the defense of the poor and the oppressed. All members were urged to come to the aid of the sick comrades and their families, and in case of death the society itself was to pay for the funeral expenses. For the purpose of economy however, the society saw to it that the

funeral

was

of

the

simplest

kind,

avoiding

unnecessary

expenses so common under the rule of the friars. The Structure of the Katipunan Katipunan reveals that it was influenced by Mansory,

insofar as initiation rites were concerned, and by Rizals La Liga Filipina as to organization. Structurally, the society had three governing bodies: 1. The Kataastaasang Sanggunian or Supreme Council. 2. The Sangguniang Barangay or Popular Councils. 3. The Sangguniang Bayan or Provincial Councils. The Supreme Council was the highest governing body of the society which was the central leadership of the Katipunan. Judicial matters affecting the members of the society were referred to a sort of court known as he Sangguniang Hukuman or Judicial Council. It is sat as a court of justice to pass judgment on any member who violated the rules of the society or to mandate between quarreling brethren or factions. It hadnt passed a death sentenced, but a Secret Chamber, composed of Bonifacio, Jacinto and Valenzuela, sentenced some members to expel for having allegedly violated the secrets of the society. In October 1892, Bonifacio convened the original members and decided to change the method of recruiting members due to triangle method was so slow and clumsy on that time. Thereupon an election was held. Deodato Arellano elected as President or Supremo of the first Supreme Council. In a meeting in February 1893, Bonifacio, disgusted over Arellanos inaction deposed him and put Roman Basa in his place as Supremo.

After all, in early 1895, Bonifacio realized that Basa was an ineffectual as Arellano so he promptly deposed Basa and called a meeting of the society. An election once again held and that time Bonifacio elected as a new Supremo of the Supreme Council. On December 31, 1895, the forth election was held and still Bonifacio became Supremo. Eight months later, in August 1896, immediately before the discovery of the Katipunan, the fifth and the last Supreme Council took its oath of office.

Kinds of Membership When the Katipunan had sufficiently expanded, Bonifacio thought it convenient to divide the members into three grades: 1. 2. 3. Katipon (Associate) wore a black hood in the meetings of society. Password Anak ng Bayan Kawal (Soldier) wore a green hood with a triangle consisting of lines. Password GOMBURZA Bayani (Patriot) - wore a red maskand sash with green borders, symbolizing courage and hope. Password The Katipon which was the lowest rank, the Kawal, and the bayani. Countersigns enabled members to recognize one another on the street. A member meeting another member placed the palm of his right hand on his breast and, as he passed the other member, he closed the hands to bring the right index finger and thumb together.

The Katipon could graduate to the Kawal class if he had brought several members into the society, while the Kawal could become a Bayani upon being elected an officer of the society. The Womans Chapter of the Katipunan They were limited to only the wives, daughter, or relatives of the members of the Katipunan. They were important from the point of view of security, to see to it that the meetings of the Katipuneros served as the watchers during the meetings of the Katipuneros were not disturbed by surprise raids of authorities. Thus, the women, in order to draw away the suspicion of the authorities, danced and sang in the sala in full view of the passerby. The women members acted as a front for the clandestine goings-on of the Katipuneros.