The Philippines: Past and Present (Volume 1 of 2)Worcester, Dean C. (Dean Conant)
History
The Philippines: Past and Present (Volume 1 of 2)
Worcester, Dean C. (Dean Conant)
Philippines; Philippines -- History -- 1898-1946
"I think it necessary to send Aglipay [259] to quiet
Tarlac. Send for him. If you desire, I will go to Tarlac to
investigate the causes of the disorders, in order to find a
remedy for them." [260]
At this stage of events Aguinaldo was summoned to Malolos by a telegram
from Mabini under date of December 29, which reads as follows:--
"Most urgent. You must come here immediately. Trías is sick. We
can come to no decision in regard to the Tarlac matter. Cannot
constitute a government without you." [261]
The measures which were actually taken are set forth in another
telegram of the same date from the secretaries of war and interior
to Aguinaldo, which reads as follows:--
"We have sent civil and military commissioners to Tarlac;
among them the Director of War and persons of much moral
influence, in order to stifle the disturbances. The necessary
instructions have been given them and full powers for the
purpose, and as far as possible to satisfy the people. Have
also sent there six companies of soldiers with explicit
instructions to their commander to guard only the towns, and
make the people return to a peaceful life, using a policy of
attraction for the purpose." [262]
Let us hope that the commander was able to attract the people with
his six companies of soldiers, and make them return to a peaceful life.
Still further light is thrown on the situation in Tarlac by the
following extract from "Episodios de la Revolucion Filipina" by Padre
Joaquin D. Duran, an Augustinian priest, Manila, 1901, page 71:--
"At that period the Filipinos, loving order, having been
deceived of the emancipation promise, changed by the Katipúnan
into crimes and attacks on the municipality of the pueblos,
discontent broke out in all parts, and, although latent in some
provinces, in that of Tarlac was materialized in an ex-sergeant
of the late Spanish civil guard. A valorous and determined
man, he lifted up his flag against that of Aguinaldo. One
hundred rifles were sufficient to terrorize the inhabitants
of said province, crushing the enthusiastic members of the
revolutionary party.... Having taken possession of four towns,
Pecheche would have been everywhere successful if ambition
and pride had not directed his footsteps. In January, 1899,
the Aguinaldista commander of Tarlac province, afraid that
his whole province would espouse the cause of the sergeant,
attempted by every means in his power to interrupt his
career, not hesitating to avail himself of crime to destroy
the influence of Pecheche with the many people who had been
incensed by the Katipúnan and had in turn become firm partisans
of the Guards of Honour.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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