ESTADO FEDERAL DE BISAYAS MEETING, KABATUAN, MARCH 15 1899

Exhibit 1236.

[ Extract from original in Spanish D . S . P. I. R ., Books C . 6 . ]

KABATUAN [PANAY], March 15th, 1899.

MINUTES.

Meeting held in the town of Kabatuan on the 15th day of March, 1899. Present upon due citation, the Councilors and ex officio members appearing on the margin. Sr Jovito Yusay, temporarily acting as President, opened the meeting; whereupon the minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved in their entirety.

Some of the Councilors presented various measures to the meeting for consideration, and the following resolutions were passed: * * *

5. For the official information of nations which hereafter may wish to place the responsibility for the damage done both to natives and foreigners by fire in the 11th of February, it was resolved that a written protest should be made to the various Consuls stating that, concerning the bombardment on the 11th of February, the Americans failed to observe the time fixed by General Miller in his ultimatum to the National Visayan Forces, said ultimatum stating that they had until sunset, whereas the bombardment began early in the morning. And said protest shall further set forth that the burning of the town of Iloilo was a sudden and sublime display of the abnegation of its inhabitants who, not being able to prevent the landing of the enemy who from their powerful ships deluged them with their destructive projectiles, putting them in imminent danger of a miserable death should they persist in remaining, had to abandon the city, but in doing so they left it a field of flames, preferring to see it a mass of ruins and debris to beholding it in the hands of the proud enemy.

There being no further business before the meeting, the session was closed and these minutes were drawn up and signed by all present. To all of which I, the Secretary, certify.

(Signed) JOVITO YUSAY,
President.

(Signed) RAMON AVANCENA.

(And five other signatures.)