Beautiful Philippines: A Handbook of General Information — John Shaqi
Beautiful Philippines: A Handbook of General InformationPhilippine Islands. Commission of Independence
History
Beautiful Philippines: A Handbook of General Information
Philippine Islands. Commission of Independence
Philippines -- Description and travel; Philippines -- Economic conditions
The laws covered many of the subjects which are common in modern
times. A few of the most striking points were: Respect of parents
and elders, carried to so great a degree that not even the name of
one's father could pass the lips, in the same way as the Hebrews
regarded the name of God. Even after reaching manhood and even after
marriage, the son was under a strict obligation to obey his father and
mother. Marriage had reached the stage of mutual consent. Marriage
ceremonies approaching the religious were elaborate, according to
rank. Husband and wife were equal socially and in the control of their
property. Property was acquired principally by occupation, but also by
gift, purchase, and succession. Wills were sometimes made. Contracts
were strictly fulfilled. The Chinese writer, Wang Ta-yuan; in a book
of 1349 says: "The natives and the traders having agreed on prices,
they let the former carry off the goods and later on they bring the
amount of native products agreed upon. The traders trust them, for
they never fail to keep their bargains." In fact, non-performance of
a contract was severely punished. Partnerships were formed and the
respective obligations of the partners enforced.
The Code of Calantiao.--The penal law was the most extensive. Penalties
were severe, altho compared with present laws, they appear cruel and
illogical. However, they compared favorably with Greek and Roman laws
as well as with the contemporary Spanish and English criminal laws.
Calantiao, the third chief of Panay, had, in 1433, promulgated a
penal code. It ran as follows:
"Ye shall not kill; neither shall ye steal; neither shall ye do
harm to the aged; lest ye incur the danger of death. All those
who infringe this order shall be condemned to death by being
drowned with stones in the river, or in boiling water.
"Ye shall obey. Let all your debts with the headmen (principales)
be met punctually. He who does not obey shall receive for the
first offense one hundred lashes. If the debt is large, he shall
be condemned to thrust his hand thrice into boiling water. For
the second offense, he shall be condemned to be beaten to death.
"Observe and obey ye: let no one disturb the quiet of graves. When
passing by the caves and trees where they are, give respect
to them.
"Ye shall obey: he who makes exchange for food, let it be always
done in accordance with his word. He who does not comply, shall be
beaten for one hour, he who repeats the offense shall be exposed
for one day among ants.
"They shall be burned: Those who by their strength or cunning have
mocked at and escaped punishment; or who have killed young boys;
or try to steal away the women of agorangs (rich men).
"Those shall be killed who profane sites where idols are kept,
and sites where are buried the sacred things of their diuatas
(spirits) and headmen."
[Testimonies of Occidental Writers]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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