History books dealing with the Philippine Revolution as well as textbooks used in the public and private schools put the founding day of the 'Katipunan' as July 7, 1892.They based their date on Prof. Teodoro A. Agoncillo 's 1956 winning 'opus' "The Revolt of the Masses":" A wave of surprise and shock ran through the people as the news of Jose Rizal's possible fate spread. The Governor General Eulogio Despujol, under the date of July 7,1892,had decreed Rizal's deportation 'to one of the islands in the south"... That night of the seventh ,a handful of men met at No.72 Azcarraga Street,then occupied by Deodato Arellano , brother-in-law of Marcelo H. del Pilar.The secret conclave was attended by Andres Bonifacio, Deodato Arellano, Valentin Diaz, Teodoro Plata, Ladislao Diwa , Jose Dizon and a few others... A program was approved...firstly,the establishment of a secret society to be known as 'kataastaasan Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (Highest and Most Respectable Society of the Sons of the People)... "(Agoncillo 1956 : 45-46 ).From then on July 7 ,1892 was adopted as the official history books.
Enter the gadfly historian Glenn May
In the midst of the celebration of the centennial of the Philippine Revolution, American historian Glenn May published a scathing critique ( May, 1997 ) on Filipino historians ( like Agoncillo ).he claimed that their works were based on possibly dubious ,doctored documents and unreliable personal testimony .
Pre-Agoncillo Historians on the Foundation Day of the Katipunan
Wencelao E.Retana (1907: 253-256) the Spanish biographer of Rizal ,reprinted the Spanish text of Despujol's decree published in the newspaper 'Gaceta de Manila' on July 7,1892 . Agoncillo echoed Retana's opinion: " Las cosas no pondian quedar como Despujol queria.su decreto clamaba al cielo.Con la ida de Rizal, la ' Liga' quedaba virtualmente deshecha; pero en cambio comenzaba a funcionar el Katipunan; el Katipunan, fundado el siete de Julio a mil ocho cientos noventa y dos , a las pochas horas de haber salido a luz en la Gaceta de Manila el decreto ,tristemente famoso ,condenando el proceder de RIZAL y desponiendo su deportacion. Aquella tarde, la del 7 de Julio , en una posesion de la Calle de Ilaya, reunieronse :Andres Bonifacio , Deodato Arellano ,Valentin Diaz ,Teodoro Plata , Ladislao Diua (sic-Diwa) y Jose Dizon , y fundaron en el acto el 'Kataas-taasan Kagalang- galang Katipunan nang mga Anak Bayan... la "Soberenia y Venerable Asociacion de los Hijos del Pueblo",..." (Retana 1907 :266 ).Agoncillo differed with Retana regarding the place of foundation ,he mentained that it was founded in Azcarraga (now C.M.Recto Avenue) not Ilaya Street.
Efifanio de los Santos ( 1917 /1918 )
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