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Resistance and Collaboration in the Philippine-American War: The Case of Batangas

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 April 2011

Glenn A. May
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For more than two decades, the standard account of the Filipino side of the Philippine-American War has been Teodoro Agoncillo's Malolos: The Crisis of the Republic. Agoncillo's book is, by the author's own admission, a celebration of the role of the Filipino “masses” in the second phase of the Philippine Revolution. “If I appear inclined to sympathize with the masses”, he writes, “it is because their faith in the cause of the Republic was unshaken and their patriotism and self-sacrifice unsullied by selfish motives.” The villains of his story are the “Haves” (Agoncillo also refers to them as the “plutocrats” and the “middle class”) who, in his view, betrayed their countrymen by collaborating with the Americans and undermining the war effort. He directs his harshest criticism at Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera, Benito Legarda, Cayetano Arellano, and other Manila-based men of means. Agoncillo repeats this story, albeit in briefer form, in a popular college-level text, which he coauthored with Milagros Guerrero.

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Articles
Information
Journal of Southeast Asian Studies , Volume 15 , Issue 1 , March 1984 , pp. 69 - 90
Copyright
Copyright © The National University of Singapore 1984

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References

1 Agoncillo, Teodoro, Malolos: The Crisis of the Republic (Quezon City: University of the Philippines, 1960), pp. viii-ix, 621–78.Google ScholarAgoncillo, Teodoro and Guerrero, Milagros C., History of the Filipino People, 5th ed. (Quezon City: R.P. Garcia, 1977), pp. 245–62, 285–86Google Scholar.

2 Constantino, Renato, The Philippines: A Past Revisited, 5th printing (Manila: Tala Publishing, 1979), pp. 233–44. One important point of difference between Agoncillo's interpretation of the war and Constantino's should be noted. Agoncillo is, on the whole, favourably disposed toward Aguinaldo and characterizes him as the representative of the masses. Constantino sees Aguinaldo as a despicable character, ever willing to make deals with the Americans and to repudiate the war effort. On various aspects of the Filipino side of the war, see also JohnGoogle ScholarLarkin, A., The Pampangans: Colonial Society in a Philippine Province (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1972), pp. 119–28;Google ScholarRomero, Ma. Fe Hernaez, Negros Occidental Between Two Foreign Powers, 1888-1909 (Bacolod: Negros Occidental Historical Commission, 1974), pp. 134–214;Google ScholarGuerrero, Milagros C., “Luzon at War: Contradictions in Philippine Society, 1898-1902” (Ph. D. diss., University of Michigan, 1977)Google Scholar; , May, “Filipino Resistance”, pp. 531–56; andGoogle ScholarOwen, Norman G., “Winding Down the War in Albay, 1900-1903”, Pacific Historical Review 48, 4 (1979): 557–89CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

3 In this paper, I use the word “elite”repeatedly, and it would be useful at this point to clarify my usage. By political elite, 1 mean those individuals who stand at the top of the functional political hierarchy. By economic elite, I mean those who stand at the top of the functional economic hierarchy. Both groups can, in fact, be defined with some precision in late-nineteenth-century Batangas, but space does not permit me to do so here. Suffice it to say that members of the province's political elite consisted largely, but not exclusively, of elected local officials and that members of the economic elite would typically own a house valued at several thousand pesos and a sizable amount of land. There is some overlap between the two categories, but as I indicate in the text, there is no exact correlation. (I base these statements about Batangas' elites on an analysis of records in the Philippine National Archives, Manila, particularly the bundles of Fincas Urbanas, Protocolos, and Elecciones de Gobernadorcillos.) I also use “elite”as an adjective in this paper, and in those cases I refer to members of both the political and economic elites. My thinking about elites has been influenced heavily by Putnam, Robert D., The Comparative Study of Political Elites (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1976)Google Scholar.

4 This discussion is based largely on May, “Filipino Resistance”, pp. 531-56, and May, Glenn A., “The ‘Zones’ of Batangas”, Philippine Studies 29, I (1981): 89–103Google Scholar.

5 Let me emphasize that I am not saying that all resistance in Batangas ended with Malvar's surrender. In fact, as 1 indicate later in this paper, a number of uprisings occurred in Batangas after April 1902, and one might justifiably argue that some of them represented continuations of Malvar's earlier struggle.

6 A few words are in order about the term “collaboration”. The 1933 version of the Oxford English Dictionary listed only one definition for the word “collaborate”: “To work in conjunction with another or others, to co-operate; esp. in a literary or artistic production, or the like.” In those days, when one thought of collaboration, what came to mind was Gilbert and Sullivan, or Marx and Engels. In the 1972 supplement of that dictionary, a second definition appeared — “To co-operate traitorously with the enemy” - and, in fact, the word had commonly been used in that way since World War II. Another definition should also be noted. In Webster's Third International Dictionary, published in 1961, one finds the following: “collaborate:… 2: to cooperate with or to assist usu. willingly an enemy of one's country (as an invading force)”. See The Oxford English Dictionary, 12 vols. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1933), 2: 613Google Scholar; Burchfield, R.W., ed., A Supplement to the Oxford English Dictionary, 3 vols. (Oxford; Oxford University Press, 1972–1982), 1:573; andGoogle ScholarBabcockGove, Philip, ed., Webster's Third International Dictionary (Springfield, Mass.: G.&C. Merriam Company, 1961), p. 443. In discussing the war in the Philippines, the first-mentioned definition is obviously inappropriate. The other two are superficially similar, but, on examination, somewhat different. The O.E.D. definition used the word “traitorously”, and because of that, its connotation is a bit more pejorative. For the same reason, the O.E.D. definition is rather restrictive: it refers only to those whose cooperation is traitorous; hence, it does not apply to those whose cooperation falls short of traitorous behaviour. Finally, one should recognize that this definition is ambiguous. What is meant by the word “traitorously”? What standard does one apply? But there are problems, too, with the definition in Webster's. It is restrictive in a different way. By using the words “usu. willingly”, Webster's is making a judgement about attitude — a judgement that the 0. E. D. does not appear to make. One can, after all, act traitorously, but feel otherwise. The definition that I have used here — simply, to cooperate with the enemy — is somewhat broader than both above—cited definitions. In fact, I use the word in the same way that most contemporary scholars of British imperialism use it. No pejorative connotation is implied and no attitude is assumedGoogle Scholar.

7 I elaborate on these points in “Private Presherand Sergeant Vergara: The'Underside'of the Philippine—American War”, forthcoming in a book edited by Peter W. Stanley on Philippine—American relations.

8 In this paper, I refer to the capital of the province as Batangas City, its current name. In 1900, it was known simply as Batangas. I use the current name in order to avoid confusion between the name of the town and that of the province.

9 Alejo Acosta was one who lied about his involvement. See Declaration of Alejo Acosta, 12 Feb. 1902, Record Group 395, U.S. National Archives, File 4229. (Hereafter such declarations will be abbreviated as follows: D/name of declarer. References to Record Group 395 will be abbreviated as RG395/file number.) Acosta's account is contradicted by D/Ysidoro Dinglasan, 18 Feb. 1902, RG395/4233. On fear of the guerrillas: see D/Dalmacio Serrano, 13 Feb. 1902; D/Juan Lira, 15 Feb. 1902; D/Brigido Cepillo, 25 Feb. 1902, RG395/4229, and several other declarations.

10 May, “Filipino Resistance”, pp. 534-37; Glenn A. May, “Filipino Revolutionaries in the Making: The Old School Tie in Late Nineteenth-Century Batangas”, Bulletin of the American Historical Collection 9, 3 (1981): 53–64Google Scholar.

11 D/Fermin Arceo, 17 Feb. 1902, RG395/2398.

12 Batangas City was one of a few towns in the Philippines that had an ayuntamiento (municipal corporation). The alcalde was the second leading official (next to the civil governor of the province), and like ali members of the ayuntamiento, he was appointed. The ayuntamiento made decisions on a number of municipal matters. However, Batangas City also elected a gobernadorcillo, variousyWces, tenientes, and so forth, and these officials shared authority with the ayuntamiento.

13 Islands, Philippine. G'ia official de las Islas Filipines, 1893 (Manila: Secretaria del gobiemo general del archipielago, 1893), p. 380.Google ScholarUrbanas, Fincas, Batangas, bundle 11 (1891), Philippine National Archives, ManilaGoogle Scholar.

14 D/ Potenciano Hilario, 20 Feb. 1902, RG395/4229; Arthur Wagner to George Anderson, 6 Apr. 1900, RG395/4212.

15 D/Potenciano Hilario, 20 Feb. 1902, RG395/4229.

16 Case of Potenciano Hilario, c.1902, RG395/2398.

17 On Babasa: D/ Manuel Scarella, 19 May 1902; D/Fernando Garcia. 7 June 1902, RG395/4229. On the assistance of others, see Scarella's declaration and D/Ventura Tolentino, 15 Feb. 1902; D/Leoncio Arceo, 17 Feb. 1902; D/Ramon Canin, 13 Feb. 1902, RG395/4229; D/Silvestre Borbon, 18 Feb. 1902, RG395/2398; D/Domingo de los Santos, 21 Feb. 1902, RG395/2398; D/Jose Villanueva, 12 Feb. 1902, RG395/2380; and D/Vicente Soriano, 19 Feb. 1902, RG395/4229. Babasa, Rea, and Olmos had, like Fermin Arceo, served on the ayuntamiento of Batangas City. See Islands, Philippine, Guia, 1893, p. 380, and Guia oficialde las Islas Filipinos, 1897 (Manila: Secretaria del gobierno general delarchipielago, 1897), p. 550Google Scholar.

18 D/Juan Calao, 24 Dec. 1901; D/Benito Reyes, 24 Dec. 1901; D/Jose Tempio, n.d.; D/Alfonso Barretto, 14 Feb. 1902; D/Sixto Roxas, 13 Feb. 1902; D/Catalino Dimayuga, D/Catalino Reyes, and D/Antonio Briones, 10 Feb. 1902; all in RG395/4I53. Celestino Gutierrez to Eliseo Claudio, 19, 23, and 27 Nov. 1900, 14 Dec. 1900, box RL4, Claudio folder, Philippine Revolutionary Papers, National Library of the Philippines (hereafter cited as PRP/box number/relevant folder).

19 Only a handful of the 283 non-officers of the Lipa forces owned any property. See RG395/415J.

20 Four cuartos were equivalent to one real, and eight reales equalled one peso.

21 D/Graciano Babao, 8 Mar. 1902; D/Jose Babasa, 18 Feb. 1902; D/Silvestre Borbon, 18 Feb. 1902, RG395/2398; D/Jose Villanueva, 12 Feb. 1902, RG395/2380; D/Fernando Garcia, 7 June 1902, RG/395/4229. Circular from Col. Bolanos, Feb. or Mar. 1900, PRP/Pr 8/Rosario folder.

22 On tax collection, see D/Vicente Soriano, 19 Feb. 1902; D/Ynocencio Aguilera, 18 Feb. 1902; D/Dalmacio Serrano, 13 Feb. 1902; D/Emilio Mercado, 18 Feb. 1902; D/Macario Gutierrez, 28 Feb. 1902; D/Ventura Atienza, 21 Feb. 1902; D/Juan Gutierrez, 14 Feb. 1902; and D/Ventura Tolentino, 15 Feb. 1902; all in RG395/4229.

23 See D/Potenciano Hilario, 20 Feb. 1902; D/Mariano Macatangay, 18 Feb. 1902, RG395/4229; and D/Jose Villanueva, 12 Feb. 1902, RG395/2380.

24 May, “Filipino Resistance”, p. 537.

25 On the Propagandists, see Schumacher, John N., The Propaganda Movement: 1880-1895 (Manila: Solidaridad Publishing House, 1973), andGoogle ScholarMajul, Cesar A., The Political find Constitutional Ideas of the Philippine Revolution, rev. ed. (Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press, 1967)Google Scholar.

26 1 May, “Filipino Resistance”, p. 538.

27 , Guerrero, “Luzon at War”, pp. 48–70, 133, 140-49Google Scholar.

28 D/Silvestre Borbon, 18 Feb. 1902, RG395/2398; D/Ramon Canin, 13 Feb. 1902; D/Potenciano Hilario, 20 Feb. 1902 (on Hilario, also see D/Marcelo Liana, 17 Feb. 1902); D/Alejo Acosta, 12 Feb. 1902 (a note appended to the declaration by the U.S. authorities discusses the Rillo-Acosta connection); and D/Leoncio Arceo, 17 Feb. 1902, RG395/4229. The two classmates were Mariano Macatangay and Vicente Agregado. (See Libros de matricula de estudios generales y de appticacion de segunda ensenanza, 1881 -83, Archives of University of Santo Tomas, Manila.)

29 Interviews with Severino Magsombol, San Luis, 22 July 1976; Crisostomo Cuasay, San Luis, 26 July 1976; and Damian Decipeda, San Luis, 26 July 1976; Taylor, John R.M., The Philippine Insurrection Against the United States: A Compilation of Documents with Notes and Introduction, 5 vols. (Pasay City: Eugenio Lopez Foundation, 1971-1973), 4: 587–91Google Scholar.

30 lnterview with Emilio Vergara, Mataasnakahoy, 27 July 1976; Urban Property Assessment of Florentino Mandigma, Fincas Urbanas, Batangas, Philippine National Archives, Manila; Libros de matricula de estudios ger.erales y de aplicacion de segunda ensenanza, 1886-92, Archives of the University of Santo Tomas, Manila.

31 Felix Farol to Eliseo Claudio, 15 and 16 Dec. 1900, PRP/RL4/Claudio folder; Claudio to Damaso Ybarra, 17 Dec. 1900, PRP/Pr8/Batangas folder; D/Fernando Garcia, 7 June 1902, RG395/4229.

32 John L. Jordan to Elizabeth King Jordan, 15 Apr. 1900, John L. Jordan Papers, Tennessee State Library and Archives (hereafter cited as JLJ).

33 Interview with Damian Decipeda, San Luis, 26 July 1976. Also interviews with Emilio Vergara, Mataasnakahoy, 27 July 1976, Dionisio Laygo, Padre Garcia, 27 July 1976, and Jose Caubalejo, Calatagan, 28 July 1976.

34 D/Feliciano Cantos, 18 Feb. 1902, RG395/4229; D/Domingo Borbon, 17 Feb. 1902, RG395/2398.

35 Padron general de chinos, Batangas, 1895, Philippine National Archives; L.E. Goodier to Adjutant, 38th Vol. Infantry, 7 Mar. 1900, RG395/5007; L. Wheaton to Adjutant, 1st Div., 8 Mar. 1900 (and enclosure, G. Anderson to Adjutant General, Wheaton's Brigade, 8 Mar. 1900), RG395/ 2403; L.E. Goodier o t Assistant Adjutant General, 2nd District, Dept. of S. Luzon, 9 June 1900, RG395/2408; Arthur Wagner t o CO., Batangas, 4 Nov. 1900 (and enclosed record of the trials of Marcelo de Castro and Gregorio de Castro, 16 July 1900), RG395/4212. “Arthur Wagner to CO., Batangas, 4 Nov. 1900 (and enclosed record of the trials of Marcelo de Castro and Gregorio de Castro, 16 July 1900), RG395/4212. ”John L. Jordan to Elizabeth King Jordan, 18 Feb. and 3 Apr. 1900, JLJ; D/Jose Villanueva, 12 Feb. 1902, RG395/2380, and D/Fermin Arceo, 17 Feb. 1902, RG395/4229.

38 George Anderson, Report for Companies A, B, and C, 1st Bait., 38th Vol. Inf., for May 1900 (actually written 5 June 1900); L.E. Goodier to Assistant Adjutant General, 2nd District, Dept. of S. Luzon, 9 June 1900, RG395/2408; T. Lebo to Adjutant General, Dept. of S. Luzon, 7 Jan. 1901, RG395/4208.

39 D/Juan Gutierrez, 14Feb. 1902, RG395/4229. See also D/Jose Seria, II Mar. 1902, and D/Maximino Abacan, 19 Feb. 1902, RG395/4229.

40 A.L. Parmeterto Commanding Officer, Batangas, 5 Feb. 1901, RG395/2408; D/Vicente Agregado, 12 Feb. 1902; D/Fermin Arceo, 17 Feb. 1902; D/Mariano Arguelles, 17 Feb. 1902; D/Florencio Caedo, 14 Feb. 1902, RG395/4229; D/Graciano Babao, 8 Mar. 1902, RG395/2398; D/Jose Villanueva, 12Feb. 1902, RG395/2380.

41 D/Vicente Agregado, 12 Feb. 1902; D/Anacleto Magtibay, 17 Feb. 1902; D/Crisanto Javier, 17 Feb. 1902; D/Mariano Arce, 18 Feb. 1902, RG395/4229.

42 D/Graciano Babao, 8 Mar. 1902, RG395/2398. See also D/Mariano Arguelles, 17 Feb. 1902, RG395/4229.

43 D/ Ramon Canin, 13 Feb. 1902, RG395/4229.

44 D/Diego Gloria, 14 Feb. 1902; D/Florencio Caedo, 14 Feb. 1902; D/Ramon Canin, 13 Feb. 1902, RG395/4229; D/Crisanto Borruel, 15 Feb. 1902, RG395/2398. On the membership of the municipal council: Council Minutes, 24 May 1901, Municipal Council of Batangas, Records Section, Office of the City Mayor, Batangas City.

45 See files 2398, 4153, 4229, and 4333 in RG395.

46 Miguel Malvar, “Disposiciones e instrucciones generales”, 28 Apr. 1901, Reel no. 44, SD772.I0, Philippine Insurgent Records, U.S. National Archives (hereafter cited as P1R/ microfilm reel number/other identifying information); “Resumen de las disposiciones e instrucciones generales dictadasy dadas poresta Jefatura Supr. del Gobierno Departmental desde el 29 de Abril proximo pasado hasta la fecha” (dated 25 June 1901, signed by Malvar), P1R/69/SD 1132. I; General Order of Malvar, 28 Aug. 1901 (translation), PIR/44/SD 772.9.

47 Miguel Malvar, “Mga Capatid at Casamasama sa Paquiquihamoc”, 12 Apr. 1901, P1R/39/SD692.7; Ueto, Reynaldo C., Pasyon and Revolution: Popular Movements in the Philippines, 1840-1910 (Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 1979), pp. 200 203. I have based my translation on lleto'sGoogle Scholar.

48 D/Jose Villanueva, 12 Feb. 1902, RG395/2380. On the date of Chaffee's trip to Batangas, see Wade to CO., Lipa, 7 July 1901, RG395/4138.

49 Ileto, Pasyon, pp. 93-96, 148-49, 205-206; Ricarte, Artemio, Memoirs of General Artemio Ricarte (Manila: National Heroes Commission, 1963), pp. 82–84; S.R. Gleaves to CO., San Pablo, 2 Nov. 1901, RG395/5101; J. Kline to A.G., 3d Separate Brigade, 20 Dec. 1901, RG395/4134Google Scholar.

50 F. West to Assistant Adjutant General, 3rd Separate Brigade, 17 Nov. 1901, RG395/2354; J.F. Bell to All Station Commanders, Batangas, 19 Dec. 1901, RG395/4138; Ileto, Pasyon, p. 206.

51 D/Horencio Caedo, 14 Feb. 1902, RG395/4229. “Report of Prisoners, San Pablo, 31 Mar. 1902, RG395/2394; Roger Fitch to Adjutant General, 3rd Separate Brigade, 2 Apr. 1902, RG395/2354.

53 , Ileto, Pasyon, pp. 229–44; May, “Filipino Resistance”, pp. 551-53Google Scholar.

54 U.S. Senate, Committee on the Philippines, Hearings: Affairs in the Philippine Islands, S. Doc. 331, 57th Cong, 1st sess., 1902, 3: 2589-2668.

55 McCoy, Alfred W. and Ed. type="editors">Jesus, C. de, eds., Philippine Social History: Global Trade and Local Transformations (Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 1982), pp. 11–12Google Scholar.