The laws of the first Philippine Republic (the laws of Malolos) 1898-1899. / Compiled & edited by Sulpicio Guevara.

DECLARATION OF PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE

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Appendix A-1
Declaration of Philippine Independence*
In the town of Cavite-Viejo, Province of Cavite, this 12th day of
June 1898: BEFORE ME, Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista, War Counsellor
and Special Delegate designated to proclaim and solemnize this Declaration of Independence by the Dictatorial Government of the Philippines,
pursuant to, and by virtue of, a Decree issued by the Egregious Dictator
Don Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy,
The undersigned assemblage of military chiefs and others of the
army who could not attend, as well as the representatives of the various
towns,
Taking into account the fact that the people of this country are
already tired of bearing the ominuos joke of Spanish domination,
Because of arbitrary arrests and abuses of the Civil Guards who
cause deaths in connivance with and even under the express orders of their
superior officers who at times would order the shooting of those placed
under arrest under the pretext that they attempted to escape in violation of known Rules and Regulations, which abuses were left unpunished,
and because of unjust deportations of illustrious Filipinos, especially
those decreed by General Blanco at the instigation of the Archbishop
and the friars interested in keeping them in ignorance for egoistic and
selfish ends, which deportations were carried out through processes
more execrable than those of the Inquisition which every civilized
nation repudiates as a trial without hearing,
Had resolved to start a revolution in August 1896 in order to regain
the independence and sovereignty of which the people had been deprived
by Spain through Governor Miguel Lopez de Legazpi who, continuing
the course followed by his predecessor Ferdinand Magellan who landed
on the shores of Cebu and occupied said Island by means of a Pact of
Friendship with Chief Tupas, although he was killed in battle that took
place in said shores to which battle he was provoked by Chief Kalipulako** of Mactan who suspected his evil designs, landed on the Island
of Bohol by entering also into a Blood Compact with its Chief Sikatuna,
with the purpose of later taking by force the Island of Cebu, and because his successor Tupas did not allow him to occupy it, he went to
Manila, the capital, winning likewise the friendship of its Chiefs Soliman and Lakandula, later taking possession of the city and the whole
Archipelago in the name of Spain by virtue of an order of King Philip
II, and with these historical precedents and because in international law
the prescription established by law to legalize the vicious acquisition of
* Translation by the author.
** Now known as Lapu-Lapu.