1897:
Constitution of
Biak-na-Bato
ARAÑA, CLARISSE
AMO, STEFANIE ANN
APALIT, MARJORET
BIAK-NA-BATO
DEFINITION OF TERMS
BANISH- to force (someone) to leave a country
as punishment
TRUCE- an agreement between enemies or
opponents to stop fighting, arguing, etc., for a
certain period of time
CONSTITUTION- the system of beliefs and
laws by which a country, state or organization is
governed
INTRODUCTION
The Constitution of Biak-na-Bato was the
provisionary Constitution of the Philippine Republic
during the Philippine Revolution, and was
promulgated by the Philippine Revolutionary
Government on November 1, 1897.
The constitution, borrowed from Cuba, was
originally written by Isabelo Artacho and Félix
Ferrer in Spanish, and later on, translated into
Tagalog by Francisco Macabulos y Soliman.
The organs of the government under the
Constitution were:
(1) Supreme Council
(2) Supreme Council of Grace and Justice
(3) Assembly of Representatives
EMILIO AGUINALDO MARIANO TRIAS
President Vice President
PEDRO PATERNO
Negotiator
In July 1897, Aguinaldo established the
Biak-na-Bato Republic and issued a
proclamation stating the following demands:
1. Expulsion of the friars and the return of the
friar lands to the Filipinos
2. Representation in the Spanish Cortes
3. Freedom of the press and of religion
4. Abolition of the government’s power to
banish Filipinos
5. Equality for all before the law.
With the help of lawyer Pedro Paterno,
Spain and the Philippines nevertheless made the
peace through the Pact of Biak-na-Bato.
The agreement included the following
provisions:
• That Spain should pay 800,000 Mexican
dollars to be paid in installments in exchange
of exile for Emilio and his associates
• Payment should be made personally to
Emilio, and its use will be totally in the
discretion of the group
• That Spain should give two hostages as
collateral until Emilio and his group have
arrived in Hong Kong and until they are paid
the first installment
• That the friars should be expelled
• That a time of peace shall be declared until
February
Although both sides signed the truce, no
one really believed the other would follow the
agreement to the letter.
Emilio was able to reach Hong Kong in
good hands and he received the first installment
of the payment worth 400,000 Mexican pesos.
But he used this money to purchase more
weapons needed by the revolutionary
movement.
The rest of the payment was not received.
Spanish and Filipino troops did not honour the
peace pact as provided by the truce. Many fights
between the two groups still sparked all over the
country, with most of these the result of lack of
communication between the parties involved in
the truce and the men on the front lines.
FILIPINO REVOLUTIONARIES WHO
EXILED IN HONGKONG
PREAMBLE OF THE
BIAK-NA-BATO CONSTITUTION
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, began 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 Biak-na-Bato, November 1, 1897,
unanimously adopted the following articles for the
constitution of the State.
The Constitution of Biak-na-Bato was
never implemented, since a truce, the Pact of
Biak-na-Bato, was signed between the Spanish
and the Philippine Revolutionary Army.
[News@1] Xiao Time Ang
REPUBLIKA ng BIAK-NA-BATO
Jan. 23 2014.mp4
The story of Biak-na-Bato may be one of
the shortest chapters in the period of the
Philippine-Spanish wars. But it was an
important precursor to the country’s freedom,
because it was the first time a truce was
attempted between Spain and the Philippines
since the revolution erupted. The truce provided
a small window of opportunity that helped the
revolutionary leaders strategize their movements
against the colonisers. It was a risky move, yes,
because peace meant Spain was also afforded
time to regroup. But decisions like these have to
be made to push the struggle forward.
