Faith+T.+-+PAD+-+SP12

Philippine Annexation Debate -- 27 March 2012

Emilio Aguinaldo was a born in the Philippines and was sent to Manila for an education after his father died while Aguinaldo was only nine years old. When he returned to his birthplace, he learned about the frustration that the Filipinos had with Spain and its rule. Aguinaldo followed Andres Bonifacio in his revolutionary rebel group to raise up arms against Spain. However, when Bonifacio was executed, Aguinaldo assumed the role of leader of the rebels.

He managed to achieve a truce with Spain in 1897 called the Truce of Biak-na-Bato, but neither Spain nor the rebels kept to the full terms of the truce, so it was basically ineffective. While exiled to Hong Kong (a term of the truce), Aguinaldo decided to help the Americans with the Spanish-American War. After the war, with Spain driven out, Aguinaldo declared independence and became the newly formed republic’s first president. However, the US disliked this and showed its disapproval by killing a single Filipino soldier. This sparked Aguinaldo to rebel against the US in the Philippine-American War, though it was ultimately a costly battle, some 200,000 civilians dying by the hand of hunger and disease along with the 70,000 that died fighting. However, by 1901, Aguinaldo declared peace with the US and the US was willing to accept the Philippines’ independence.

Occupation: Leader of the rebel group for the independence of Spain. Later, the president of the Philippines Republic.

Position: Because Aguinaldo attacked the US because it disliked the form of government that Aguinaldo had originally set up, it is safe to say that Aguinaldo was for the independence of the Philippines, but not for the annexation of the area to the US.

Reasons of Interest: Aguinaldo was born and raised in the Philippines and naturally wanted to see his own land free. He saw the frustration that the people at his birthplace showed at Spanish rule and wanted to ease that frustration. He believed that the Spanish had “oppressed” them in “slavery” and that they needed freedom. His inaugural speech says how that time has now passed. “How much pain and bitterness do those passed days of the Spanish slavery bring to our minds and how much hope and joy do the present moments of Philippine liberty awaken in us.” As for the annexation to the US, he wanted “to live independent of any foreign yoke in the democratic shadow of the Philippine Republic.”

References: Mark Twain Grover Cleveland

"Emilio Aguinaldo Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television. Web. 27 Mar. 2012. < http://www.biography.com/people/emilio-aguinaldo-9177563>.

"The Philippines." Digital History. Web. 28 Mar. 2012. .

"Philippine History -- Aguinaldo's Message to Congress on January 23, 1899." VYP. Web. 28 Mar. 2012. < http://www.msc.edu.ph/centennial/republic-message.html>.