Benjamin, Vianni Ross L.

BS STATISTICS 1-1

Macario Sakay Death Sentence

Summary
Life of Macario Sakay
Macario Sakay was born on Taboro St. in Tondo, Manila. He uses the surname of his mother
because he hardly knows who his father is. he early known adolescent years of Sakay were
spent working as a barber, a tailor, and a stage actor for Komedya and Moro-Moro plays. He
joined the Katipunan on 1894 alongside Emilio Jacinto and help spread the Katipunan
movement and revolutionary paraphernalia by the help of his acting skills. Through his hardwork
and dedication Sakay became the leader of Tondo’s “Dapitan Council” of the Katipunan.
Revolutionary Period
At the start of the revolutionary against spain his movements were hard to track but it is
documented that he helped and fought alongside Bonifacio in battles at Montalban, Marikina,
and San Mateo. After the execution of Bonifacio, he became less active along with his
companions on tondo.
On August 21, 1901 the Partido Nationalista was established at Calle Gunao in Quiapo Manila
(not to be mistaken for the 1907 founded Partido Nationalista). This was to be a legal running
political party whose primary goal and aim being Kalayaan[independence]. General Santiago
‘Apoy’ Alvarez and Pascual Poblete were the listed Presidents, and Andres Villanueva as Vice
President; all 3 were members of the Magdiwang faction who were heavy supporters of
Bonifacio. Sakay himself held the next highest position as Secretary General.
The sedition law was passed prohibiting this type of organization and Sakay was apphrehended
and sent to prison in January 1902.
After the surrender of General Miguel Malvar on Paril April 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt
officially declared the end of Philippines – American war on 1902 and grant amnesty to all
Filipino who surrendered, captured and imprisoned who didn’t commit heinous crimes.
The Roosevelt Amnesty was granted to those Filipino patriots who also surrendered after July
1902 but only for a short time period. Within 4 months from the end of the war, on Nov. 12, 1902
the Philippine Commission passed the “Bandolerism Act” into law, ending all eligibility to the
Roosevelt amnesty and officially making anyone who had not surrendered a branded ‘outlaw’ of
the Philippine civil government. The left-over U.S. forces stationed in the Philippines were also
no longer directly responsible for cleaning up the last of the resistance fighters, they were
however reassigned and directed their operations towards pacifying the Visayas regions and the
Moros of Mindanao.
The Establishment of the Republika ng Katagalugan Government
On May 6, 1903 Macario Sakay issues out his first manifesto establishing the Republika ng
Katagalugan Government on Mount San Cristobal in Laguna province. The manifesto Sakay
under signs, “Ang Presidente Supremo”. The codes of the new government would follow closely
the laws and regulations set forth by Bonifacio and Jacinto’s ‘Kartilya ng Katipunan’. Before the
death of Bonifacio his official seal read “Kataastaasang Kapulungan ng Haring-Bayang
Katagalugan”, leading several scholars to believe Bonifacio had already established his own
official revolutionary government prior to the 1897 Tejeros Convention. Sakay’s government had
its own flag similar to that of Bonifacio; a red field, multi-rayed sun, and the Babaybayin ‘Ka’ in
the middle of the sun. Almost certainly, Sakay establishing Republika ng Katagalugan was in
order to revive the old Katipunan and continue Bonifacio’s legacy.
Guerilla Warfare
Rather than fighting head on Sakays men uses guerilla warfare that Aguinaldo already used and
was less fortunate, unlike Sakay’s soldier provided to be much better fighters.
Raids and stealing significant amounts of arms and uniforms became the norm when garrisons
and outposts were left undermanned. Sakay’s men gained a reputation for dressing up and
disguising themselves in Constabulary and Scout uniforms to fool public officials and other
officers. Near the end of 1903 the Republika ng Katagalugan was a complete fully operational
government with soldiers estimated in the thousands. Sakay’s men opted to ambushing small
patrols and undermanned outposts and garrisons.
By 1904 the Republika ng Katagalugan government was organized as followed: Sakay acting as
President. General Francisco Carreon as Vice-President. General Julian Montalan overall
command of generals and over the Cavite and Batangas regions. General Lucio de Vega
controlled South Cavite. Colonel Julian Ramos controlled Maragondon, Magallanes, and
Nasugbu. General Cornelio Felizardo controlled North Cavite. Colonel Cosme Caro in Das
Marinas Cavite. Major Giron in Silang Cavite. Colonel Masigla over Indang Cavite. General
Benito Natividad controlled Santo Tomas and Tanauan Batangas. General Leon Villafuerte over
Bulacan region. General Aniceto Oruga command of entire Batangas region. Colonel Andres
Villanueva in Bauan Batangas. Colonel Pructuoso over Taal Batangas. And Major Emeterio
Flores in San Pablo Laguna.

The Republika ng Katagalugan War

A full-scale offense was now directed and aimed at dismantling Sakay and the Republika ng
Katagalugan government. In April 1905 General Aniceto Oruga, a former Colonel of Gen.
Malvars now fighting for Sakay, and several of his officers were captured on Mt. Makiling in
Batangas. In July Colonel Kmeterio Flores, Major Marcos Angeles, Captain Javier, Captain
Luciano; whom made up of much of Sakay’s staff were all captured. Colonel Cosme Caro and
Colonel Ciriaco Masigla were killed while out in the field. And in March 1906 one of Sakay’s
most infamous commanding generals, Cornelio Felizardo, was killed by undercover native
Scouts that claimed to have defected. Most of Sakay’s generals later reported as having only a
handful of fighters left. Even with what was deemed as successful campaigns at capturing and
killing many of Sakay’s officers, Sakay’s headquarter in the mountains of Rizal could not be
breached. Sakay himself never budged and still showed no plans or efforts on surrendering.

Deceived in to Surrender and Arrest

Macario Sacay was deceived by his friend and fellow inmate back when he got prisoned, Dr.
Gomez, saying that the government will give him amnesty because he was in the way of the
assembly of the “Philippine Congress made up of native”. Sacay believed in Dr. Gomez and
went down the mountain along with his generals on June 14, 1906 and surrendered. American
papers reported on Sakay as a murderer of U.S. law officers and military troops with no criminal
trial for his actions, all the while being allowed to be paraded around town as a hero with
weapons made a mockery of the U.S. authority and the Philippine Commission. 
In July 1906, Acting Governor of Cavite, Louis J. Van Schaick, invited Sakay and his men to a
banquet. Sakay accepted and at midnight some men entered the banquet. Dr. Gomez told
Sakay to calm down and gave him legal documents to sign on the spot. Dr. Gomez read the
document to them and again assured they were nothing more than papers needed in
accordance to help establish the national assembly and could not be used against them in a
court of law. Gen. Montalan was illiterate himself so they signed, and the document was
contrary to what Dr. Gomez said so Sakay and his men were taken in to custody and arrested
for ‘brigandage’ under the 1902 Bandolerismo Act.

G.R. No. 3621 July 26, 1907 - UNITED STATES v. MACARIO SAKAY, ET AL.
On July 26,1907 Macario Sakay,  revolutionary leader and among the last of the Filipino
resistance fighters to surrender to the Americans, along with Francisco Carreon as vice-
president, Julian Montalban and Leon Villafuerte as generals, Lucio de Vega as colonel, Benito
Natividad, Justiniano Ramos, and Vicente Giron as majors were charged in the Court of First
Instance of the Province of Cavite with having committed the crime of bandolerismo. Their
bands were accused of stealing carabaos, cattle, horses, rice, and other kind of personal
property through force and violence. These aforementioned acts were organized on the
Province of Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, and Bulacan; They detained, tortured and
mutilated some of the inhabitants in the province.
Macario Sakay and his colleagues all plead “not guilty” on 17th day of September 1906.
Their attorney petitioned to change their plea which is “not guilty”. They plead “guilty” and
Macario Sakay, Julian Montalan, Leon Villafuerte, and Lucio de Vega were sentenced the death
sentence while Benito Natividad will be imprisoned for 20 years, each of them will also pay a
proportional amount to the cost of the trial.

The lower court, after hearing the evidence, made the following findings of fact in its decision:

"(a) That the said accused since the year 1902 until their surrender in May and June, 1906,
organizes several bands of more than three persons supplied with firearms Sakay, was known
as president, Julian Montalan and Leon Villafuerte as generals, Lucio de Vega as colonel,
Benito Natividad as major, and the said Filomeno Peroy, Isabelo Despida, Felix Estacio, and
Gregorio Porto as member or privates; and,

"(b) That the member of the bands under the command of the said chiefs, armed with deadly
weapons, roamed over the country and through the towns of the provinces of Cavite, Laguna,
Batangas, Rizal, and Bulacan, committing robberies, assaulting the pueblos in order to attack
and capture the arms of the Constabulary and municipal police, sacking municipal treasuries,
detaining persons, and mutilating their lips and cutting the tendons of the feet, and murdering
municipal government officials."
2 letters were used as evidence on the trial both signed by Sakay namely exhibits “J”
and “N”.
Exhibit J:
"Mr. PIO DEL PILAR, Major-General:jgc:chanrobles.com.ph

"Upon receipt of this order, please comply with the same and direct the troops to enter the town
of Teresa and carry out the following
"(1) Seize all foods, such as palay, which you can carry, also take the money in order to defray
the expenses of our soldiers and the war.

"(2) Arrest the concejal Memimiano Grebillos, and all persons concerned with him in detaining
our commissioners and as soon as arrested you will punish them as provided in Order No. 9, of
April 10, 1904, prescribing that the tendon achilles shall be cut and the fingers of both hands
crushed.

"(3) Should the town people offer resistance to the troops, burn all the houses, without showing
mercy to the inhabitants.

"All the provisions of this letter have been passed on by the supreme junta, on account of the
treacherous conduct of the inhabitants of Teresa toward our commissioners.

(Signed) "MACARIO SAKAY.

"P.S. — In this connection I would warn you that before entering the town of Teresa a plan must
be devised so as not to expose our soldiers."
Exhibit N:
"MAJOR RAMOS

"Your letter reporting the result of your expedition received in this office.

"Upon receipt of this letter, direct Captain Franca to take away Francisco Rosalia and Faustino
Custodio and cut the tendons of their feet and crush the fingers of their hands. Do not fail to
obey this order, otherwise you will be held responsible for noncompliance therewith, because
they are traitors to our government. Sultan is major but he is a secret service agent and so is
Faustino.

"This Punishment shall be carried out in the presence of those married persons who are to be
released and enroll and administer the oath of fidelity to such as are not enlisted. Also
administer the oath to those that are ordered released and cause a list of their names to be
captured by the enemy, so that it may be known that they are members of the army.
"God be with you.”

"November 14, 1905.

(Signed) "MACARIO SAKAY.

The record fully discloses that each of the defendants was a chief and organizer of bands of
bandits and that, therefore, the punishment imposed by the lower court was entirely justified by
law. (U. S. v. Oruga, 1 5 Off. Gaz., 161.)

On the morning of Friday the 13th of Sept 1907 Macario Sakay and Lucio de Vega ascended
the scaffold at Bilibid Prison. As the nooses was placed around their necks, Sakay resounded
his last parting words:” Death comes to all of us sooner or later, so I will face the Lord Almighty
calmly. But I want to tell you that we were not bandits and robbers, as the Americans have
accused us, but members of the revolutionary force that defended our mother country, Filipinas!
Farewell! Long live the republic and may our independence be born in the future! Farewell! Long
live Filipinas!” With the execution of Macario Sakay on September 13, in 1907, his death closed
the book on the Republika ng Katagalugan Government and marked the end to the Katipunan
armed struggle for Kalayaan; but on the other hand, it gained way and allowed for the Philippine
Congress to be born.
Analysis
Ang pagpatay kay Sakay ay isa sa malaking dahilan ng pagkatalo ng ating bansa laban sa
Amerikano. Imbis na maging apoy ang kamatayan ni Sakay upang mapukaw ang makabansang
damdamin ng mga Pilipino binasura ng Amerikano ang kanyang imahe sa pamamagitan ng
pagrerepresenta sa kanya na mukha ng mga bandido, tulisan at magnanakaw. Ginawang
Kalaban ng bansa si Sakay na dapat ay isang Bayani na lumalaban para sa ating inang bayan.
Kabaliktaran ng paniniwala hindi barbaro katulad ng pag iisip kay Bonifacio na laban lang ng
laban datapwat mas hinigitan niya pa si Aguinaldo sa husay nila sa pandidigmang gerilya.
Naging isang matayog na kuta ang bundok ng Tanay para kila Sakay na kinatakutan ng mga
Amerikano.

References:
“G.R. No. 3621 July 26, 1907 - UNITED STATES v. MACARIO SAKAY, ET AL.” G.R. No. 3621 July 26, 1907 -
UNITED STATES v. MACARIO SAKAY, ET AL. ChanRobles™ Virtual Law Library™. Accessed October 13,
2019. http://www.chanrobles.com/cralaw/1907julydecisions.php?id=212.

Perez, Kevin. “Macario Sakay.” Macario Sakay - Bayani Art. Bayani Art. Accessed October 13, 2019.
https://www.bayaniart.com/articles/macario-sakay-biography/#.