ESTADO FEDERAL DE BISAYAS MEETING, DECEMBER 12, 1898
FIRST OF TWO MEETINGS FOR THE DAY
Exhibit 1199.
[Original in Spanish .. D.S. P.I.R., Books C.6.]
JARO [PANAY], December 12th, 1898.
MINUTES.
In the Government House of this town of Jaro, on the 12th day of
December, 1898, after due citation, appeared, in extraordinary session,
the members of the Revolutionary Regional Government.
The meeting
was called to order at 8 o'clock a. m. sharp by order of the President.
The minutes of the previous meeting held on the 10th instant were read
and approved.
Immedately discussion was had concerning the conference
of the night before with Sr. Francisco Villanueva, commissioned by the
then Revolutionary Regional Committee of the Visayan Islands to secure
arms at Manila and to treat of other matters of interest to the revolution.
The Government unanimously decided that before reorganizing said Visayan
Committee into the Council of State of the Visayan Islands, as suggested
by Sr. Villanueva in accordance with verbal instructions which, he
says, he received directly from our Honorable President, Sr. Emilio Aguinaldo,
they should await written orders which had already been requested
from the Central Government of Luzon in a communication which, on the
4th last, they had the high honor to send to the Honorable President for
the purpose of learning definitely our attitude towards the Americans and
the nature of our definite political organization.
As this session was held at the request of Sr. Villanueva, he was respectfully
informed that the Government was disposed to hear what he might
have to say concerning his mission.
Sr. Villanueva took the floor and said that he and Srs. Pablo Araneta
and Monico Puentevella had been commissioned by the Revolutionary Regional
Committee, of which they were members, to go to Manila for the
purpose of requesting a military expedition to commence the revolution
in this region which was well prepared for it due to the efforts of the
Committee; that he and Srs. Araneta and Puentevella through efforts that
can well be imagined in view of their known and ardent patriotism, secured
as the first fruits of their labors the expedition under the command of
Sr. Diocno, and which later was commanded by himself and Sr. Araneta
upon its arrival a few days ago; and he went on to state that he had worked
to bring about the Federal form of the Philippine Republic, which
was the special ambition of this Region, and that he had been triumphant
in his efforts as is proven by the instructions he brings from the Central
Government of Luzon for the inauguration of the Council of State of the
Visayan Islands, and that this Region was to be considered as one of the
States into which the Archipelago is divided, which are represented by the
three stars on our tri-colored banner.
Sr. Lopez, President of the Revolutionary Regional Government of
the Visayan Islands, formerly the Revolutionary Regional Committee,
thanked Srs. Araneta, Villanueva and Puentevella most gratefully in the
name of the country for the brilliant result of their efforts and stated
that he and the entire Government warmly applauded them; and that
while they were now received with joy and fraternal love into the bosom
of the Government, they had also been anxiously and longingly looked
for during our past critical situation.
Sr. Avanceņa, an ardent upholder of the Federal form of the Philippine
Republic, proposed nevertheless that a few days be allowed to
pass, until the town of Iloilo be taken, before changing the present Revolutionary
Regional Government of the Visayan Islands into the Council
of State, since this was not the opportune time for political reaction of
such a nature; military operations were being carried on at Molo, and
hence it was not advisable to distract the attention of the Chiefs and
Officials there engaged by making such a change, especially in view of
the fact that the present form of government was established by the suffrage
of both the army and the people.
The other Councillors of the Government, including the President,
unanimously supported the motion of Sr. Avanceņa.
Sr. Villanueva insisted on the reorganization proposed so that the
other Provinces of this Region be represented on the Council of State
which he wished to organize, and stated that the present form of Government
was not recognized by him or by the expeditionary forces of Srs.
Diocno and Fullon, but that on the contrary they were subject to the orders
of Sr. Araneta.
President Lopez requested Sr. Villanueva to present the instructions
from the Central Government of Luzon.
Sr. Villanueva answered that he had received only verbal instructions
from Sr. Aguinaldo referring to the organization of the Council of State
of the Visayan Islands, but that he had sealed papers concerning other
matters, which, however, he could not present to the present Government
as he didn't recognize it.
Sr. Salas requested Sr. Villanueva to state why he refused to recognise
the present form of Government.
Sr. Villanueva answered that he did not recognise it as it was not now
the Revolutionary Regional Committee to which his instructions were directed,
nor was it the Council of State which it was intended to organize.
The Government as a whole then insisted that this was not an opportune
time for political reorganization.
In view of this Sr. Villanueva then requested that he be allowed to
operate with his expeditionary forces independently for the capture of
Iloilo, being interferred with by neither the present Government nor the
Regional Army.
The Government as a whole rejected this proposition.
Sr. Villanueva then proposed that the Government and its Regional
Army operate without the assistance of his expeditionary forces.
This proposition was unanimously rejected by the Government as a
whole.
Sr. Villanueva then insisted on this proposition.
The Government deliberated a few minutes concerning these matters,
and then decided to submit the question of reorganization in the form of a
Council of State at the present time to the opinion of the Army and the
people by whom the present form of government was established.
A resolution was passed calling for a meeting of the Army and the
people at 4 o'clock p.m.
It being noon time, the session was suspended, in faith whereof the
President and the Councilors making up the Government, and Sr. Villanueva,
sign; to which I, the General Secretary, certify.
(Signed) R. LOPEZ,
President.
(Signed) VICENTE FRANCO,
Councilor of Govt.
(And six others.)
