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.)
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