LUIS FLORES PROTEST, FEBRUARY 22, 1899

Exhibit 1386.

[ Extract from translation made at headquarters District of Cebu P.I.R., 1218.10. From Spanish. D.S ]

FEBRUARY 22, 1899.

* * * They [The Spaniards] accomplished nothing, but, on the other hand, the arbitrary, rough and abusive measures with which they bore down on people for simple suspicions in the belief that by such means they might suffocate it, assisted in fomenting it and precipitated it before the selected time. So in fact, on the afternoon of the 2nd of April of that year, the conspirators met in the barrio of Labangon, in the before mentioned town of San Nicolas, and with the cry of Viva la Independencia de Filipinas, rushed into the field without other arms than machetes and sharpened poles and some five rifles and shot-guns. With wonderful rapidity the news spread to neighboring towns, being received with enthusiasm by those who to that time were ignorant of the plot, and joining the movement they presented themselves to be enrolled in the ranks of the revolution, whose forces organized under command of Leon Quilat moved to take the city on the morning of the following day (April 3rd). The Spanish troops advanced to meet them and the first encounter took place on the road which separates into those to Labangon and Guadalupe. The Spaniards were forced to retire to the bridge of "Fagina" which limits the towns of San Nicolas; at this place the combat was sustained for some minutes until, fearing that they would be overwhelmed by the continuous human waves that roared and rushed forward furiously, they began a rapid retreat, taking refuge in fort San Pedro with the entire garrison of the province, the authorities and other Spaniards. Victorious, the rebels took possession of the capital, but Junta and the center of its operations remained in the before mentioned town of San Nicolas. On the same night in the town of Talisay were captured the detachment of the "Guardia Civil" there stationed; and in the five following days the revolution took possession of the whole province because all the people spontaneously threw themselves in arms when they heard of the events, a number of the detachments of the Guardia Civil being captured with their arms. The situation of the refugees in Fort San Pedro was very critical, being in fact closely besieged until the arrival of strong reinforcements of Spanish troops under General Tejeiro, who saved them, whipping the rebels and driving them from the capital and adjacent towns, forcing them to withdraw their remnant to the town of Carcar where they were dispersed on the death of the leader of the movement, Leon Quilat.

Apparently the revolution was suppressed with the death and imprisonment of a number of its most important leaders, and with the stationing in some of the towns of Spanish forces; but the seeming death was but a fainting and the momentary weakness, which the weak displays in struggling against the strong; and the life still throbbing in its body pursued its course, strengthening itself vigorously in the three following months that is by the beginning of June when it again demonstrated its existence in the Sudlon Mountains, having there its center of operations and seat of its government formed with Luis Flores as President. The failure on the one hand of the Spanish troops who, with disastrous results, went out to overcome the rebel positions and on the other the inhuman acts committed on suspects and prisoners, gave to the revolution greater strength and prestige, and to its government the control of the whole interior of the island, and a great majority of the towns whose people supported it and paid their taxes to it regularly, even in those occupied by Spanish detachments. Since then the Spanish sovereignty over this island has been but in name, since they only exercised authority over the ground occupied by the feet of their detachments with the exception of the capital, but on the 24th of December of the same year this was extinguished absolutely and definitely when General Montero abandoned this province, evacuating with all the troops that garrisoned it, delivering the government of Seņor Pablo Mejia who in turn gave possession of it to the established government of the Revolution who received it and established itself with all solemnity in the capital, raising the Filipino flag over Fort San Pedro.

From all set forth it is seen unquestionably.

First. That the revolution pursued a political ideal, which is the independence of the Patria Filipina, and that to obtain it they worked by the impulses of their free will.

Second. That the Cebuans had conceived the meaning of this ideal before the present events, and only awaited means and opportunity to show it; and,

Third. That Spain, on abandoning this island and the others of the Visayan group, abandoned likewise the sovereignty that she might have claimed therein, restoring it with the possession transmitted to the revolutionary government which in that moment recovered fully its independence and reconstituted its Filipino nationality.

Consequently from the 25th of Deccmber, 1898, was established in this island the Filipino government exercising openly acts of sovereignty, as the representatives of the Central Government of the Filipino Republic and administering the government with great discretion and prudence so that in all towns there appeared order and tranquility and the municipal governments operated quite smoothly in spite of the rapid transition from one system to another and of the very radical change of regulations.

Agriculture, commerce and manufacture started with energy its paralyzed tasks to recuperate from the set.back and losses caused by the revolution, and peace appeared to protect herself for an enduring period.

The Filipino flag continued gaily flying on its high staff over the port and city of Cebn and in concert with the foreign flags waving over the consulates, agencies and ships appearing in the port representing their respective nations.

But the peace, order and tranquillity only lasted until the N. American gunboat Petrel appeared on the fated and memorable day of February 21, 1899, casting her anchors in the port of this city. As soon as her nationality was recognized on her entrance in search of an anchorage, the people hastened to defend their territory, placing themselves in readiness awaiting the decisions of their leaders. On the same day the city was abandoned by all who were unable to bear arms, but on the other hand from the other towns there came a multitude of combatants disposed to sacrifice themselves under the shadow of their flag without considering the inadequacy of their warlike resources, since they only obeyed their patriotic impulses. Of these events we reproduce the accurate report of the newspaper "La Justicia": "On the 21st of February of last year, at 8 :00 o'clock A.M., anchored in our port the United States gunboat Petrel under the command of Commander Cornwell, coming from Iloilo. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon the English and American Vice-Consul, Mr. Sidebottom, informed our government that the commander of the gunboat desired to confer with the representatives of the Filipino Government of Cebu aboard his ship. Immediately there was selected a diplomatic committee to confer with the commander composed of Messrs. Julio Lorente, Pablo Mejia, Juan Climaco, Segundo Singson and the priests Pablo Singson and Juan Gorordo, to learn the object which had brought them to our port and why they were called. When they arrived aboard ship they were informed that she came in the name of her government and nation to take possession of and occupy the fort and city of Cebu, according to the stipulations of the treaty of peace agreed on in Paris and signed on the 10th of December, passed between Spain and the United States; in demonstration of which he gave them a copy of the manifesto of President McKinley of the 28th of December of the same year, and the order to concede them fourteen hours to raise the American flag over Cebu. Our committee understanding the claim of the commander, returned ashore to report on their mission to the general meeting which was immediately assembled. They discussed fully what it was advisable to do in reply to the intimation and considered all the opinions pro and con, and unanimously agreed, seeing the absolute impossibility of defending the place, to surrender it with the following protest signed by the Provincial President Seņor Flores which is as follows:


PROTEST.

In view of the verbal indication to this government given by the Commander of the gunboat Petrel of the Squadron of the U. S. of America, requiring the surrender of the fort and city of Cebu, in manifestation of which the flag of his nation is to be raised over the Fort within fourteen hours, the general meeting called together, composed of representatives of all the bona fide citizens of the country, agrees unanimously to cede to the requirement in view of the superiority of the American arms, but without failing to make it clear that neither the government nor all its inhabitants united has power to execute acts strictly prohibited by the Honorable President of the Filipino Republic, Seņor Emilio Aguinaldo, our legitimate chief of state, whom we acknowledge in view of his unquestionable ability to justly govern, and his general worth.

Sad and painful is the position of this undefended city which is forced to act contrary to its convictions, on which account it declares in the face of the entire world that this occupation is based on no law of the many forming the code of all civilized countries, who did not expect such a scene at the close of the century called the enlightened. One talks of conquests, of protectorates, of cession by the Spaniards, as if the Archipelago and especially our souls were merchandise to be bartered, when a single one of them, is wor,th more than a thousand worlds though they were made of that metal called vile, perhaps because it fascinates like the eyes on a serpent.

But be this as it may, the person with whom the claimant must treat is the before mentioned Seņor Aguinaldo, without whose acquiescence cannot be legally valid, the act required of this government, being of extreme importance.

Cebu, February 22, 1899.

(Signed) LUIS FLORES.


Between eight and nine o'clock of the morning of this day, the President of the diplomatic commission, Sr. Mejia, went aboard the gunboat and delivered to Commander Cornwell the above protest, which indeed produced bad effect, and in spite of it, in a few moments proceeded ashore an armed detachment and advanced to the fort, where, to the sound of a trumpet and a salute of 21 guns fired from the gunboat, ascended the American flag on the staff from which the day before floated the Filipino flag.

This act terminated, which indicated as a fact the occupation of Cebu, the detachment withdrew aboard ship.

As if all this were insufficient, on the following day, the twenty-third, the Commander, accompanied by Messrs. Sidebottom, Laing, Cogan and officers of the English gunboat, anchored in our port, hoisted likewise the American flag on the staff of the Government house, thus effectively occupying the Fort and City of Cebu.

"EI Consejo Provincial" (the provincial council) which had at the initiation of these events resigned their authority to the superior military commander of this Island, did not again resume this authority when at request of the Commander of the Petrel reorganized that body with the exclusive object of maintaining order, since their mission was reduced to that. And, furthermore, the great majority of the towns considered themselves placed outside of its jurisdiction from the moment in which it was exercised within territory occupied by and under the protection of a flag of a foreign country, and recognized only as the single authority, as a representative of the Filipino government, the Superior Military Commander, who on the occupation of the capital proceeded with all his forces to the neighboring town of El Pardo.

In the belief that the North American occupation would limit itself to the bounds of the city as they had promised, the minds were becoming tranquil and the people demonstrated in their bearing great restraint and prudence, with the object of tempering the severity of a situation which might give excuse to the Americans to extend their occupation to other towns; but they were soon undeceived, for in n few days on the arrival of more invading troops, they occupied in succession the towns of San Nicolas, El Pardo, Talisay, Minglanilla, San Fernando and Carcar, in spite of their energetic protest, avoiding nevertheless any violent opposition, to avoid the opening of hostilities, since hope was not lost that, in spite of the war going on in Luzon, the American people once that they knew and were impressed by the true conditions and the legitimate aspirations of the Filipinos, would act with the nobility and justice which characterizes it, recognizing the rights claimed, because otherwise it would be false to its traditions, and would stamp with the soles of the feet of imperialism, its constitution and its most valued document containing the declaration of independence.

The Superior Military Staff, with the object * * *