In 1744 a Jesuit parish priest, Morales, by his despotic manner and
arrogance, embittered the natives of his flock. One of these, whose
brother's body was left uninterred because his family could not furnish
enough money to satisfy the unjust demands of the avaricious priest,
led a party of natives against him. Morales was captured and executed,
and his own body left in the sun. Dagohoy then raised the standard
of revolt, and was joined by many thousands of his countrymen. He and
his people thus maintained their independence for thirty-five years,
when they finally submitted and were pardoned. On account of the
strength and the multitude of the offenders in this insurrection the
Spaniards were afraid to visit upon them the customary punishment;
they feared to provoke another rebellion.
In 1823 a creole, Andres Novales, conspired to seize the capital and
to control the Government. He and his fellow-conspirators, however,
were seized and executed.
In 1827 there was a small rebellion in Cebú, which was quelled by
the friars. Another insurrection took place in Negros in 1844, when
the Governor of the province was killed, because he made the natives
work for his own private purpose.
The Burgos Revolt.
In 1872 the friars were again the cause of a great revolt. Dr Joseph
Burgos, a prominent native, led a party that urged the exclusion of
the friars from parochial incumbencies. This had been promised at
the council of Trent. The night of a suburban feast was the time
agreed upon by the natives for the attack. The native soldiers of
the garrison were also in the plot; and thus the arsenal was taken
almost without a struggle, while the Europeans were now made the
object of the attack. The latter rallied, however, and drove out the
invaders. The arsenal was re-taken and many rebels were killed and
taken prisoners. Burgos himself, with three other native priests,
was apprehended and executed on the old sea-wall by the Luneta,
that spot so richly sanctified by the blood of patriot-heroes.
Many others of the native clergy were banished. And ever since this
revolt the native priests have been under suspicion, and native
youths are no longer allowed to study for the priesthood. In this
instance the insurgents had planned a revolutionary government, which,
if successfully carried out, would have reflected great honor upon
the leaders.
The Present Rebellion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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