The development of Philippine politics

APPENDIX B
CONSTITUTION OF BIAC-NA-BATO(')
In Biac-na-bato on the first day of the month of November of the
year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-seven, the Representatives of the people of the Philippine Islands, assembled for the purpose of modifying the Constitution of this Republic of the Philippines,
drawn up and proclaimed in the town of Naic, province of Cavite,
on the twenty-second of Marclr of this year, in accordance with the
provisions of Decree No. 29 of current year, after a long discussion,
have unanimously agreed upon the following:
CONSTITUTION OR FUNDAMENTAL LAW OF THE
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES.
The separation of the Philippines from the Spanish monarchy
and their formation into an independent state with its own government called the Philippine Republic has been the end sought by the
Revolution in the existing war, begun on the 24th of August, 1896;
and therefore, in its name and by the power delegated by the Filipino
people, interpreting faithfully their desires and ambitions, we, the
representatives of the Revolution, in a meeting at Biac-na-bato, Nov.
1st, 1897, unanimously adopt the following articles for the Constitution of the State:
ARTICLE I. The supreme government of the Republic shall
be vested in a Supreme Council, composed of a President, a VicePresident and four Secretaries, for the conduct of our Foreign Relations, of War, of the Interior, and of the Treasury.
ARTICLE II. The powers of the Supreme Council of the government shall be:
1st. To adopt measures for maintaining and developing its
existence, issuing such orders as it believes adequate for the preservation and security of the civil and political life of the nation.
2nd. To impose and collect taxes, to issue foreign and domestic
loans, when necessary, and to issue paper money, to coin money and
to appropriate the funds collected to the purposes required by the
several branches of the State.
3rd. To authorize privateering and issue letters of marque and
reprisal, to raise and organize troops and to maintain them, to iatify
treaties, and to make a treaty of peace with Spain, with the ratification of the Assembly of Representatives.
4th. To try as a judicial body, should they think necessary,
the President or any of the members of the Council, who should
be accused of crimes, cognizance of which appertains to the Judicial
Power.

(1) From Taylor, Philippine lIsurgent Records, Vol. I, Exhibit 47.