The development of Philippine politics

THE KATIPUNAN REVOLT

89

There was no time to lose, for General Primo de Rivera. the Spanish Commander, had received reinforcements
and had now four brigades which gave him a decided advantage over the revolutionists. Many of the towns had
been reconquered by the Spaniards. Three brave Filipino
generals were killed, Edilberto Evangelista, Crispulo Aguinaldo, and Flaviano Yengko. Even Aguinaldo was obliged
to go to Batangas and join Malvar, afterwards proceeding
to Biak-na-Bato. But the new revolutionary leader won
the sympathy of the other officials, former followers of Bonifacio. When Aguinaldo arrived at Talisay, he was recognized by the forces of Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto. From Talisay, Aguinaldo went to Laguna and Rizal
with hardly, forty men. At Puray the department government of Luzon was established, comprising what are
now the provinces of Rizal, Bulakan, Laguna, Nueva Ecija,
Bataan, Tarlac, and Pangasinan.
With the coming of the Spanish reinforcements,
amounting to over 20,000 soldiers far better armed than
the revolutionists, the greater part of Cavite was retaken
by the Spaniards. Other reverses were suffered, but by
this time the revolution had spread to more provinces in
spite of Spanish victories; hence the Spanish governor was
obliged to announce a policy of attraction.
The Biakna-cBato Constitution
With Cavite retaken by the enemy, and with Spanish
victories in other provinces, Aguinaldo thought it wise to
establish himself in the mountain fastnesses of Biak-naBato, Bulacan. From that place he continued to give his
commands to the Revolutionary forces. On July 7, 1897,
he issued a manifesto explaining the grievances of the Filipino people against Spain and urging his countrymen to
continue the fight. This document admirably pictures the
pent up feelings of the oppressed people. The document is
printed in full:
On the inauguration of the second epoch of our struggle,
from these mountains, ever faithful to our liberty and independence, we raise our voices to all those in whose breasts