According to Teodoro A Agoncillo and Milagros C Guerrero in the “History of the Filipino People,” the katipuneros gathered around a flickering table lamp, performed the ancient blood compact, and signed their membership papers with their own blood. They vowed to liberate the Philippines from the tyranny of Spanish friars and civil guards through force of arms.
Under Bonifacio's leadership, the Katipunan had three objectives: civic, moral, and political. The civic aim revolved around the principle of self-help and the defense of the poor and the oppressed. The moral goal was for hygiene, good morals, good manners, and attacking obscurantism and religious fanaticism. The political objective was separation from Spain through force of arms.
On August 23, 1896, at the yard of Juan Ramos y Aquino, the son of Melchora Ramos y Aquino, also known as Tandang Sora and considered as the Mother of the Katipunan, in Pugadlawin, Balintawak, now Quezon City, Bonifacio asked his fellow katipuneros whether they were prepared to fight to the bitter end. Despite the objection of Teodoro Plata, his brother in law, all katipuneros agreed to fight for freedom until their last breath. He then led his men in tearing their cedulas as a symbol of their determination to take up arms and to defy the Spanish colonial government. As the men torn their cedulas, they shouted, “Long live the Philippines!”
On August 30, 1896, Bonifacio and his men, fought the first battle of the Philippine Revolution. Leading 800 katipuneros, Bonifacio attacked a gunpowder storehouse in San Juan del Monte, now Pinaglabanan in the City of San Juan. The storehouse was an important military post of the Spanish army, but it was only defended by a hundred men. Outnumbered, the Spaniards retreated to El Deposito, the place where they stored water supply for Intramuros in Manila. Encouraged by the retreat of the Spaniards, Bonifacio and his men advanced toward Manila where they met an army of Spanish soldiers sent by Governor General Ramon Blanco. Bonifacio and his men were driven to Mandaluyong where more than 150 katipuneros died and another 200 others were captured.
Months later, the Katipunan was divided into two revolutionary groups: the Magdiwangs, which was headed by Bonifacio and the Magdalos, which was headed by Gen Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy. To resolve the issue whether the Katipunan should be superseded by another government, a revolutionary assembly was conducted in Barrio Tejeros, San Francisco de Malabon, now General Trias, Cavite on March 22, 1897. With Bonifacio as chairman, the assembly agreed that a central revolutionary government should be established to replace the Katipunan. He then reluctantly presided over the election and secured the unanimous decision of the assembly to abide by the decision of the majority. General Aguinaldo was elected president although he was absent because he was at the military front in Pasong Santol, now Barangay Anabu II, in Imus, Cavite. The Magdiwangs who were supposed to support Bonifacio did not even vote for him for president or vice president. Instead, Bonifacio was elected director of the interior.
However, Daniel Tirona, General Aguinaldo patron, challenged Bonifacio's election, saying that Bonifacio's position must not be occupied by a non-lawyer and that he was incapable of performing the duties and responsibilities of his position. Tirona nominated lawyer Jose del Rosario of Cavite to fill up the position.
Bonifacio furiously said, "We agreed to abide by the majority vote and accept its choice no matter what the station in life of the person elected. And because of this, I demand from you, Mr Daniel Tirona, an apology. You must restore to the voters and the one they elected the honor you have only now besmirched.” He then pulled out his revolver and took aim to Tirona.
Instead of replying, Tirona slid away and got lost in the crowd. Disorder ensued as Artemio Ricarte, the convention secretary, tried to disarm Bonifacio. Deeply hurt and insulted, Bonifacio declared: “I, as [the] chairman of this assembly and as [the] President of the Supreme Council of the Katipunan, as all of you do not deny, declare this assembly dissolved, and I annul all that has been approved and resolved."
The following day, Bonifacio and his men met again in Barrio Tejeros, San Francisco de Malabon and drafted the Acta de Tejeros where they expressed their reasons for invalidating the results of the Tejeros Convention. They believed that the Magdalos manipulated the election though all officers elected, except General Aguinaldo, were Magdiwang members.
From Tejeros, Bonifacio and his men moved to Naic, Cavite as far as possible from the Magdalos. President Aguinaldo sent him a letter requesting him to cooperate with the new revolutionary government. Bonifacio denied Aguinaldo's request and refused to collaborate with him. The purposes of Bonifacio reached Aguinaldo, and on April 15, 1897, he ordered the arrest of Bonifacio for alleged treason and sedition.
Agoncillo, Teodoro A and Milagros C Guerrero. History of the Filipino People. Quezon City: R P Garcia Publishing Company, 1977.
De los Santos, Epifanio (1955). The Revolutionists: Aguinaldo, Bonifacio, and Jacinto. Edited by Teodoro A Agoncillo. Manila: National Historical Institute, 1993.
Dumol, Paul A and Ernesto D Grio. A History of the Filipino People for High Schools. First Edition. City of Makati: Sinag-Tala Publishers, Inc., 2002.
Medina, Isagani R. Heroes of the Revolution: Andres Bonifacio. Online. Internet. Available URL: http://www.bakbakan.com/heroes.html.
Paular Regino P and Carminda R Arevalo. Kalendaryong Pangkasaysayan 1521-1969. Manila: Ang Pambansang Suriang Pangkasaysayan, 1996.