Total Pageviews

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

AHP Cavite 2: Lakbay ng Supremo, A Hero's Journey

The life and death of Andres Bonifacio were filled with tragedy as well as mystery
Andres Bonifacio (1863-1897) a Philippine revolutionary leader / founder of the
Katipunan, was also a great admirer of  Rizal. He led the revolution in its early stages;
until 2 factions were formed within the group. Magdalo and  Magdiwang. and that is
the start of this tragic story in our history. and the start of part 2 of AHP's educational
photo-walking tour this time titled: "LAKBAY NG SUPREMO" A Heroe's journey.





Today, I got another chance of revisiting Cavite this yr. the last one was the AHP
Cavite tour part1. around early summer this year. and I enjoyed my very fist AHP
tour from then on, I got hooked. and every 3rd Saturday of each month. I make my
schedule free and relearn history by joining.

I woke up at 330am and sir Roy and his super red van was already there waiting
for me at exactly 4am with Angel Ann still fast asleep pretty even with no makeup.
the trip was smooth. aircondition was above satisfactory, the way Nissan promised
it to be even on hot weather. and with Roy's red van, I am assured of a safe trip
back and forth.

this is their first stop. yes, we are not there. so were still inside the Van, probably
on the road via mendez, yes, we didnt use waze.. so...I got this picture from AHP
friend Rodel Bugayong he took this shot. credits to him for this wonderful shot.

uhmmm...We took a slightly different route (mendez), I missed two activities listed
in the itinerary so here is what I missed.... the Tejeros Convention. where
a general election was held in Tejeros, between the Magdiwang and Magdalo factions
March 22, 1897, the alternate names include Tejeros Assembly and Tejeros Congress.
this is the first stop where the registration for AHP  members , distribution of IDs

and beautiful souvenir items and flyers through the effort of our ate Bhel.
I missed this first stop but I manage to get pictures by AHP members Arlene Cortes
and Bea Asinas.


group shot

In this place, there was a meeting, an election, the Magdalo, led by Aguinaldo
emerged victorious. and Bonifacio didn’t even win a single position; so he cried
foul Certain events arising in the convention cost Bonifacio to bolt be furious
and ultimately he was arrested by Aguinaldo’s officers, who executed him
and his brother Procopio in the hilly areas of Maragondon, on charges of sedition
and treason, on May 10, 1897.

we also missed the tribunal in Novelta.. so our official first stop officially, is
this: Pinagbarilan Shrine in INDANG.
Image by Allan P. Martinez
and when we arrived....  manong was about to close the gate on us.
and when we got in... we were the only ones there. halah! where is everyone?
they are at the municipal hall of Indang. this is a historical site...

On April 22, 1897, the Supremo's troops assigned to guard the fort were surprised
by the surprise attack of Aguinaldo's men. his less popular sibbling Ciriaco Bonifacio
was killed and his troops captured. & Bonifacio was shot with a revolver by

Agapito Bonzon and stabbed on the right side of the neck by another Ignacio Pawa.
this is the very site at Brgy. Limbon, Indang. and a historical marker can be found beside the municipal hall where Bonifacio was imprisoned before he  was transferred to Naic.


and once you get downstairs, you see a cave. its sealed now..
to prevent meddling kids from entering and having accidents in the process.

after Around 10 minutes of picture taking we proceeded to meet the rest
of the group in Indang municipal hall.

photo shows my pretty photog with her significant other, Marawi hero
Major Mike and me, posing thanks Bea Asinas for this shot.

this  pics are shot by my good friend Allan P. Martinez
the mini museum inside picture by Allan P. Martinez

and the marker

balcony shot by:  Kristian Noe Ignacio Romanaes
I dont have a picture of what can be seen inside. you see Santa, a cute ceiling
light, an exhibit area, oh we had some snacks and coffee.





and then the traditional AHP group shot. before we leave for our nxt destination


but before that, we went to this store located just nearby.
for some kalamay shopping. credits to Arlene for the picture.



then we proceeded to a church called St. Gregory the great or Simbahan ng Indang.
there was a wedding at that time.


it has its remarkable old rose-colored paintings on the ceiling, its l8th century
architecture and the old convent with wide windows and wrought iron works along
the sides. St. Gregory the Great (San Gregorio Magno) the patron Saint  sits on a
well-defined and well-kept plaza at the end of the town.

pictures are from Angel Ann Dimazana



The Indang Church has kept its beautiful carved doors and choir loft balcony.
you can get upstairs to the Bell tower.

this old church has commemorative gravestones along the walls and some pillars
dating from the turn of the century. the traditional carved altar has three levels of
storage for saints. what I don't like is the  heavy , bad painting job that is done.
overall, the church is well kept.
this is the amazing interior.


One of the most elegant woodwork in the entire church must be the exquisite 
pulpit located at the corner of the transept and nave, epistle side of the church. 
Saint Gregory the Great
here are some pics you would see when you climb up the steel
stairs up to the 3rd level of the bell tower.



here are some of the pictures from the bell tower courtesy of Angel Ann.

even my two friends love it up here


 and a video taken when we were up the bell tower. watch.

ok this church is really something else.  not just a beautiful bell tower. but
get ready for this. there is actually a  station of the cross where you trek and
look for the tunnel below the hill. watch and have a look at the video I took.
here is the video
and another video
 and this is the tunnel I was talking about. the stations  of the cross
leading to the grotto, the bridge, and the tunnel/
you should try it. if you can go in. if you dare go in....

wait forgot to give credit to this beautiful photographer who took the shot from
above. Angel Ann Dimazana, history lover, teacher.

LUNCHTIME!!
after this we went to Lolo Claro for our lunch, they got group meals for 10 peeps
at 200-250 budget per head. we ordered chicken, kare kare lumpia and lecheflan
for desert which we took out and bought to the great red van.

Our next stop was this church called Immaculate Concepcion Church or the
NAIC Church or Diocesan Shrine of the Immaculate Concepcion.

it was established in 1796 and constructed in 1839, by the Dominicans following
the Neo-Gothic style its the only one in Cavite by the way.
The church was initially constructed without the bell tower due to the lack of funds
until it was completed in 1892.  and was one of the tallest at 5 flrs Up and the longest
in the province of Cavite. when the friars settled in Naic it led them to build the
administration building of Casa Hacienda, now, presently occupied by  the


Naic Central School. Casa Hacienda de Naic,  the convent of Naic was used
as the headquarters of  Bonifacio during the revolutionary period, after the
Tejeros Convention of March 22, 1897. The Naic conference was held at the
church convent. Naic is also the place where Aguinaldo designed his revolutionary
flag "Sun of Liberty" patterned after the mythical sun located at the foot of the
Blessed Virgin Mary enthroned in her shrine in Naic.
this is the bell tower. notice a crack besides the tower. it was kept intact because
it left a historical scar during the war, its from a Corregidor Cannon ball that
marked this 'scar'.

Here are some pictures of the interior of the church.





Whats with the churches (aside from spiritual enlightenment) that attracts you and
me to it? is it the interior, the pulpit, altar mayor intricate details? or everything?



 magnificent floor tiles.

 altar mayor







here is a short video of the interior with a small talk of its history


the Church has a small airconditioned museum which unfortunately , we are
not allowed to  film or take pictures. so I have nothing to post.
and at the other side of this church, is the Naic Elementary School.

The present site of Naic Elementary School is located beside this church ,
is the Casa Hacienda de Naic, the place where Bonifacio stayed after the
Tejeros Convention. They held the "Naic Military Agreement" or "Acta de Naic."
On April 29, 1897,  Andres  and Procopio Bonifacio were imprisoned here after
their capture in Indang.
here are some of the pictures shot by :Kristian Noe Ignacio Romanaes



 


here are some pictures from the Lens of  AHP member
Kristian Noe Ignacio Romanaes. these pics are what is seen inside the Naic
Elementary School
Afterwards we proceeded to another Church the last Church on our tour




The façade is narrow but tall, To the left of the façade is the taller bell
tower with no clear divisions between the stories. In contrast to the
 
simplicity of its façade is the ornate door, divided into boxes, with
floral designs of different shapes and ships and castles carved on it...

a shot taken from inside looking out.

 facade of the church
Also polychromed in red, blue, gold, and green, is an octagonal pulpit,
located at the right side of the church. Its panel decoration includes the names
of Jesus and Mary in monograms. The bottom of the pulpit is decorated with
swirling foliage that end in an inverted pineapple




the church other name is  Iglesia Parroquial de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción
common name is Maragondon Church
 lapida.



a talk by the Senor


After this we went directly to the Bonifacio trial haus. or the Bonifacio
death court.

A visit to Maragondon is like a walk through history, particularly the life
of Gat. Andres  Bonifacio

A trip to Maragondon is not complete without a visit to the Bonifacio
death house.  In Maragondon, one can visit the house where the
“Father of the Revolution” was tried; and the mountains that are proposed as
sites of his execution: Mt. Nagpatong.


The house was built on 1889 owned by Teodorico Reyes. On April 30, 1897,
the Bonifacio brothers were transferred to Maragondon from Naic. On
May 4, 1897, Bonifacio and brother Procopio were tried by a court-martial headed

by Brig. Gen. Mariano Noriel. The next day, the Council of War gave its decision
declaring the Bonifacio brothers guilty and gave the death penalty. Aguinaldo issued
an order where the brothers put to an isolated place. but in the end, he cancelled his
order and implement the death sentence after an advice by his men.


we were not able to enter the Bonifacio Trial House, which closes at 4 p.m.
Here, the Bonifacio brothers were charged with treason and sedition on
May 4, 1897 and sentenced to death on May 6, 1897.


We then proceeded to our final destination. for the love of heritage
and for Bonifacio. our vans braved the rough roads of uncertainty
and we all put our trust on our experienced drivers to bring us
to our destination and back safely.

As I always say, traveling is not just for the fun of being there; it is for learning
and realizing the significance of a certain place as well as the culture surrounding
that specific region

As we enter the area we could see right away the two large concrete walls with
statues of people and things that relates to the life of the father of Philippine
revolution. From afar, these walls spells out “KKK” and “Bayani”.


According to the tablet on the bottom of the monument. On May 10, 1897.
On this land that is called Nagpatong, near Mt. Buntis, Maragondon. Andres
Bonifacio was hacked by a bolo and his brother Procopio were shot as decided
by the military court of the revolution.

A shrine stands on the area of Mt. Nagpatong where Andres Bonifacio's bones
were said to have been found. Aside from the central shrine there are also two
panels that is flanking it. At first glance these panels shows the words KKK
and BAYANI. the "KKK" part can be found in another picture, upon closer
inspection, one can see the artistic sculptures of the revolutionary struggles
of  Bonifacio and also their last moments before their execution., an even
closer look to the left, you will see the pretty Angel Dimaz all smiles even
with no sleep. now beat that!

A reminder of the tragedy of the Philippine Revolution where political ambition
reigned supreme over national unity



On May 10, 1897, four days after his trial, Andres Bonifacio and his brother,
Procopio, were fetched from their prison by soldiers led by Lazaro Macapagal.
They were to be taken to Mt. Tala, where Macapagal would then open a letter
of instruction given him by Gen. Mariano Noriel on what to do with his prisoners.

On the way to their destination, the brothers, sensing something tragic would
befall them, asked Macapagal if they would be shot. Macapagal denied this.

Andres, heavily wounded in his neck and arm, suggested then that Macapagal
open the letter, severly wounded, he was not sure that he could travel the whole
distance. As they neared Mt. Tala and with Mt. Buntis behind them, Macapagal
finally opened the letter given him and read aloud the command of the Council
of War to shoot the Bonifacio brothers. Procopio was shot first. again, the

Supremo was not shot. He was said to have been hacked to death with bolos and
bayonets by Macapagal’s soldiers. so it is now clear that while Procopio was shot
to death, Andres was stabbed and hacked to death using a bolo, the large Filipino
machete.
Not long after its discovery, the alleged Bonifacio’s bones mysteriously
disappeared. They were last seen in 1926 displayed at the Temple of the
Legionarios del Trabajo. Two probable reasons emerged to explain the
disappearance: Either they were stolen by heartless thieves or, in the words
of famed historian Ambeth Ocampo, disappeared because “they would not
have stood closer scrutiny.

Other accounts claimed that the legendary bones were cremated and deposited
under the Bonifacio Monument immediately after autopsy. On the other hand,
Lazaro Makapagal, one of the actual people who buried the Bonifacio brothers
shortly after their execution, insisted in 1925 that the exhumed “Bonifacio’s
bones” were fake and that the final resting place remain somewhere in
Maragondon mountains.


Additional Research: 


Not long after its discovery, the alleged Bonifacio’s bones mysteriously 
disappeared. They were last seen in 1926 displayed at the Temple of the 
Legionarios del Trabajo. and lost later during the WW2 looting.

Two probable reasons emerged to explain the disappearance: Either they were 
stolen by heartless thieves or, just disappeared for political reasons.

On the other hand, Lazaro Makapagal, one of the actual people who buried 
the Bonifacio brothers shortly after their execution, insisted in 1925 that 
the exhumed “Bonifacio’s bones” were fake and that the final resting 
place remain somewhere in Maragondon mountains.

Other accounts claimed that the legendary bones were cremated and deposited 
under the Bonifacio Monument immediately after autopsy. but I have read
that the UP medical autopsy said that the bones were from a younger  aged
man. and did not match. 


everyone was so happy at the conclusion of this tour

 here are shots from ate Pheeya's camera. we can see
everyone has a smile on their face at the end of the tour.
 

and  even more happy faces


The Cavite trail of Biyaheng Bonifacio helped me to appreciate more about the 
history of the Philippines especially during the Revolution. and the tragedy
of the Philippine Revolution where political ambition reigned supreme over
national unity.



Bonifacio showed  his valor and courage in defending the country as well with
the fact that there are some questions and issues in that historical event which
needs an answer. These questions can be answered by exploring the past
through reading and studying historical chronicles and travelling the sites to
discover our heritage.

This concludes our last AHP Heritage tour for this year 2017. next yr
we will have part 3, of the Cavite tour.  the next gathering will be the
AHP Christmas party that will happen on December 9.  I will miss all my
AHP friends as tradition dictates that I cannot attend any parties until
100 days of mourning.

This is your LOVERBOY Dennis signing out. see you next year AHP.




1 comment:

  1. Very well written and informative as well. That forum we attended with Prof Xiao Chua and those important documents gathered and was kept, dated back in Spain, helped furthermore for our quest of history. Congratulations

    ReplyDelete