The 'Tejeros Convention' of the Past and the Present

The Tejeros Assembly of 1897
from traveltothephilippines.com

   What is behind the nationhood in the Philippines? The start of a  government in the country which gives out a relatable issue until now? In the past, Katipunan is an organization that has its structure and officers. Two associations of the Katipunan were seemingly indifferent towards each other. They honor two different supremos in Cavite, namely Andres Bonifacio and Baldomero Aguinaldo; however, Emilio Aguinaldo, being the leader, is more known to the public. Only after three months of the Imus assembly, Bonifacio presided on assessing the government structure of the Katipunan to achieve its goals, which weren't sufficed on the previous assemblage. There's no accomplished resolution in an attempt to identify what the government would be. On March 22, 1897, a convention was held in Tejeros to settle the dispute between two factions, and decide on what type of government should be installed. These two factions were the Magdiwang and Magdalo of the Katipunan movement. According to the two memoirists, Ricarte and Alvarez, the objectives of the convention were to discuss the defense against the Spanish in Cavite and the election in the revolutionary government. 

“I am taking the chair in this meeting to give you fullest opportunity to voice your views and then to vote what shall be done. But one restriction do I impose upon the freedom of your deliberations. It is that whatever the majority shall decide, that all present will loyally accept and steadfastly abide by.”
   -Andres Bonifacio
   Before the assembly, they argue about what Katipunan is, a revolutionary movement or a government.  To resolve the issue, Andres Bonifacio being a democratic man himself, agreed to create a new democratic government, and the assembly must respect whoever would be chosen. Whatever the background of the chosen would be, everyone must consider it. Daniel Tirona, the blatant foe of Andres, supervised in giving the ballots. According to Richardson, there's a substantial number of independent delegates, though affiliated with Magdiwang, they don't support Bonifacio. Bonifacio was elected to the position of president and vice president but lost to Emilio Aguinaldo and Mariano Trias, respectively. The data only showed those who won without the number of votes tallied:
The Election results
from malacanang.gov.ph
   He was again nominated as the Secretary of the Interior and won, but Tirona opposed his victor. Daniel Tirona argues that Bonifacio doesn't have enough credentials to claim his position, and a lawyer should have the right for the position. Bonifacio announced the meeting as illogical and marched out. Bonifacio and his loyalists meet at Tejeros and expressed their disappointment. They believe that there were anomalies occurred in the balloting. According to Mariano Alvarez, there's a fraudulence in the voting. He said:
[…] Before the election began, I discovered the underhand work of some of the Imus crowd who had quietly spread the statement that it was not advisable that they be governed by men from other pueblos, and that they should for this reason strive to elect Captain Emilio as President.
 - Mariano Alvarez's letter to his uncle in law
Bonifacio believed the anomalies happened in the convention. He went to Naic and wrote a document, Acta de Tejeros, proclaiming that the convention is invalid due to the lack of due process and underhand chicanery or deception.  Bonifacio decided to establish an independent government through another document called the Naik Military Government. Unbeknownst, the generals who were once with Bonifacio would be with Aguinaldo again. Those who signed the petition rejected the one instituted in Tejeros and showed their devotion to the Katipunan's ideals. The declaration and the plan of starting a new government would then let Boniacio cost his life. He was filed for treason in the Kangaroo court and sentenced to death in May 10, 1897.
Acta de Tejeros
from malacanang.gov.ph

In the present, many issues have similarities with the past. It is as if the history once again repeats itself. One of these could be the struggle of the government officials to work as one. The reason why the government in the country is disordered and stained with a bad reputation. It is also noticeable that some officials resort to supporting those who they think were beneficial to them. They were the ones who were bringing each other down to claim a position they wanted. Also, some people choose who to govern based on their status. They don't like people with capacity, they chose people with a higher background and wealth.
photo from sunstar.com

 Every electoral personality when lose, they go against saying their contenders cheated and protest to claim what they think were originally theirs because they can't accept their defeat. Moreover, it can be the possibility of manipulation of votes to illegally claim a position they don't deserve. For example, the Marcos-Robredo incidence in 2016. Marcos is forcing everyone to believe he is the real winner but the data says the other. The politics in the modern day is dirty.  Some political figure go on resort to vote buying to win and illegally do some underhand jobs to get the position they want. Some of their supporters were blinded by their loyalty and can't see as to why they support a certain political figure. These events were very rampant especially in election season. It is also noticeable that some votes a certain politician because of its popularity and effective commercials/ advertisements that can be seen in televisions, and others. The voting parameters must be transparent and with integrity to create an ordered and honest results, and for a good politician to claim what's rightfully theirs.




REFERENCES:
Andres Bonifacio and the Katipunan. (2012). Retrieved October 27, 2019, from http://nhcp.gov.ph/andres-bonifacio-and-the-katipunan/

 Tejeros Convention. (2019). Retrieved October 27, 2019, from http://malacanang.gov.ph/tejeros-convention/

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