Leaders
Throughout Philippine history, heroes inspired and led the Filipinos in their fight for freedom and justice. From peaceful, non-violent protests to a bloody revolution, these Filipinos were all willing to sacrifice their lives and place the country above ones personal needs and desires.
Jose Rizal
Jose Rizal was a brilliant and multi-talented man. He was a doctor, a novelist, and the founder of La Liga, a peaceful anti-colonial pressure group that met just one time in 1892 before the Spanish authorities arrested Rizal.
Jose Rizal inspired his followers, including the fiery rebel Andres Bonifacio, who attended that single original La Liga meeting and reestablished the group after Rizal's arrest. Bonifacio and two associates also tried to rescue Rizal from a Spanish ship in Manila Harbor in the summer of 1896. By December, however, the 35-year-old Rizal was tried in a sham military tribunal and executed by a Spanish firing squad.
Jose Rizal inspired his followers, including the fiery rebel Andres Bonifacio, who attended that single original La Liga meeting and reestablished the group after Rizal's arrest. Bonifacio and two associates also tried to rescue Rizal from a Spanish ship in Manila Harbor in the summer of 1896. By December, however, the 35-year-old Rizal was tried in a sham military tribunal and executed by a Spanish firing squad.
Andres Bonifacio
Andres Bonifacio, from an impoverished lower-middle class family in Manila, joined Jose Rizal's peaceful La Liga group, but also believed that the Spanish had to be driven from the Philippines by force. He founded the Katipunan rebel group, which declared independence from Spain in 1896 and surrounded Manila with guerrilla fighters.
Bonifacio was instrumental in organizing and energizing the opposition to Spanish rule. He declared himself president of the new independent Philippines, although his claim was not recognized by any other country. In fact, even other Filipino rebels challenged Bonifacio's right to the presidency, since the young leader did not have a university degree. Just one year after the Katipunan movement began its revolt, Andres Bonifacio was executed at the age of 34 by a fellow rebel, Emilio Aguinaldo.
Bonifacio was instrumental in organizing and energizing the opposition to Spanish rule. He declared himself president of the new independent Philippines, although his claim was not recognized by any other country. In fact, even other Filipino rebels challenged Bonifacio's right to the presidency, since the young leader did not have a university degree. Just one year after the Katipunan movement began its revolt, Andres Bonifacio was executed at the age of 34 by a fellow rebel, Emilio Aguinaldo.
Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo's family was relatively wealthy and held political power in the city of Cavite, on a narrow peninsula that juts out into Manila Bay. Aguinaldo's comparatively privileged situation afforded him the opportunity to get a good education, just as Jose Rizal had done.
Aguinaldo joined Andres Bonifacio's Katipunan movement in 1894, and became general of the Cavite area when open war broke out in 1896. He had better military success than Bonifacio, and looked down upon the self-appointed president for his lack of education.
This tension came to a head when Aguinaldo rigged elections and declared himself president in place of Bonifacio. By the end of that same year, Aguinaldo would have Bonifacio executed after a sham trial.
Aguinaldo went into exile in late 1897, after surrendering to the Spanish, but was brought back to the Philippines by American forces in 1898 to join in the fight that ousted Spain after almost four centuries. Aguinaldo was recognized as the first president of the independent Republic of the Philippines, but was forced back into the mountains as a rebel leader once more when the Filipino-American War broke out in 1901.
Aguinaldo joined Andres Bonifacio's Katipunan movement in 1894, and became general of the Cavite area when open war broke out in 1896. He had better military success than Bonifacio, and looked down upon the self-appointed president for his lack of education.
This tension came to a head when Aguinaldo rigged elections and declared himself president in place of Bonifacio. By the end of that same year, Aguinaldo would have Bonifacio executed after a sham trial.
Aguinaldo went into exile in late 1897, after surrendering to the Spanish, but was brought back to the Philippines by American forces in 1898 to join in the fight that ousted Spain after almost four centuries. Aguinaldo was recognized as the first president of the independent Republic of the Philippines, but was forced back into the mountains as a rebel leader once more when the Filipino-American War broke out in 1901.
Ninoy Aquino
Ninoy Aquino came from a prominent family in Tarlac province. At the age of 17, he was sent by the Manila Times newspaper to cover the 1950 Korean War. At 22, he became the Philippines youngest mayor. Thus started a string of notable positions in government.
In 1973, he became the leading candidate for presidency at the time that Marcos was scheduled to leave the presidency after completing his maximum term in office. Ninoy’s dream of becoming president was never realized because Marcos declared “Martial Law,” dissolved the constitution, claimed absolute power and imprisoned his political opponents including Ninoy.
He was charged with murder, subversion, and illegal possession of firearms. Ninoy denied the charges but was found guilty and was convicted to a military tribunal and spent 7 years in prison. Despite his incarceration, Ninoy remained Marcos’ strongest adversary and the Filipinos’ staunchest hero. He fought for the people, their rights and reassertion of democracy.
Ninoy’s opposition ended in August 1983 when, after living in the United States for 3 years, he returned to Manila and was assassinated at the airport. His death however led to the end of Marcos’ rule when the people led a series of massive demonstrations that culminated in the bloodless EDSA Revolution.
To view the full document, visit the following websites:
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/profilesofasianleaders/p/joserizalbio.htm
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/philippines/p/Biography-of-Andres-Bonifacio-Filipino-Anti-Colonial-Leader.htm
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/philippines/p/Biography-of-Emilio-Aguinaldo.htm
http://ninoyaquino.50webs.com/
In 1973, he became the leading candidate for presidency at the time that Marcos was scheduled to leave the presidency after completing his maximum term in office. Ninoy’s dream of becoming president was never realized because Marcos declared “Martial Law,” dissolved the constitution, claimed absolute power and imprisoned his political opponents including Ninoy.
He was charged with murder, subversion, and illegal possession of firearms. Ninoy denied the charges but was found guilty and was convicted to a military tribunal and spent 7 years in prison. Despite his incarceration, Ninoy remained Marcos’ strongest adversary and the Filipinos’ staunchest hero. He fought for the people, their rights and reassertion of democracy.
Ninoy’s opposition ended in August 1983 when, after living in the United States for 3 years, he returned to Manila and was assassinated at the airport. His death however led to the end of Marcos’ rule when the people led a series of massive demonstrations that culminated in the bloodless EDSA Revolution.
To view the full document, visit the following websites:
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/profilesofasianleaders/p/joserizalbio.htm
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/philippines/p/Biography-of-Andres-Bonifacio-Filipino-Anti-Colonial-Leader.htm
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/philippines/p/Biography-of-Emilio-Aguinaldo.htm
http://ninoyaquino.50webs.com/