Aguinaldo, Emilio
(March 23, 1869–February 6, 1964)
Filipino Guerrilla
AGUINALDO, EMILIO
B
anty, little Aguinaldo championed
Philippine independence, whether this
entailed fighting Spain or the United
States. Eventually defeated and captured, he
never abandoned his lofty goal of national
home rule.
Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy was born near
Cavite, Luzon, on March 23, 1869, the son of
Chinese and Tagalog (Malay) parents. He was
educated by Franciscan monks at Santo
Tomas University in Manila and, like his fa-
ther before him, served as major of Cavite
Viejo. The Philippines by this time had been
subject to Spanish colonialism for three cen-
turies, and mounting resentment induced
Aguinaldo to join a secret revolutionary
movement called the Katipunan (Supreme
Worshipful Association of the Sons of the
People) around 1895. This organization,
founded by Andres Bonifacio for the express
purpose of expelling Spain from the islands,
commenced an uprising in August 1896.
Aguinaldo, in the course of 52 days of fighting,
distinguished himself in combat and rose to
prominence. Ominously, he also displayed a
ruthless streak by having Bonifacio arrested
and executed for treason. This rendered him
the undisputed leader of the rebellion. How-
ever, the Spanish government, not wishing to
have its tenuous hold on the Philippines
weakened further, agreed to a peace settle-
ment. All fighting subsequently stopped, and
Aguinaldo was exiled after receiving a sum of
400,000 pesos. The former guerrilla leader
then set up residence in Hong Kong to pur-
chase weapons for future fighting. However,
during the impasse, war broke out between
the United States and Spain on May 19, 1898,
and he negotiated with Adm. George Dewey
for his return to the islands. The admiral as-
sured him that the United States harbored no
designs upon the Philippines, especially as a
colony. Dewey then departed for his fateful
encounter at Manila Bay before Aguinaldo
could join him, but the restive young fighter
managed to return home later that spring.
Once the fleet of Adm. Patricio Montojo
had been defeated, Aguinaldo helped recruit a
large force of 30,000 insurgents who besieged
Spanish forces in Manila. To underscore his
determination for freedom, he formally an-
nounced the country’s independence from
Spain on June 1, 1898. He also designed a na-
tional flag, composed a national anthem, and
ordered public readings of a Philippines Dec-
laration of Independence. By August a small
force of American soldiers under Gen. Wesley
Merritt had arrived, and Aguinaldo, who con-
sidered the newcomers allies, assisted them in
the siege of Manila. The Spanish were deci-
sively defeated, and three centuries of colonial
oppression came to an abrupt end. Moreover,
Aguinaldo summarily proclaimed the creation
of the new Republic of the Philippines, with
himself as president, and established a new
capital at Malolos on September 9, 1898.
Unfortunately for Aguinaldo, the United
States became bound up in its first-ever impe-
rialist surge and had no intention of releasing
the Philippines. In fact, Spain “sold” its for-
mer province to the Yankees for $20,000. Pres-
ident William McKinnley thereafter refused to
recognize Aguinaldo’s authority and forbade
his soldiers from occupying Manila. Incensed
by the betrayal, Aguinaldo urged the national
assembly to declare war against the United
States on February 4, 1899. Heavy fighting be-
tween insurgents under Gen. Antonio Luna
and American forces resulted in considerable
losses to both sides. Beaten back by superior
firepower, the rebel cause was also hindered
by Aguinaldo’s distrust of Luna, as they were
potential rivals. Eventually, the capable Luna
was assassinated by soldiers loyal to
Aguinaldo. In their divided condition, Filipino
forces could not stop the fall of Malolos to