By Arturo E. Valenzuela, Jr.
The latter part of 1895 was filled with uncertainty for the Katipunan. The Supremo of its Supreme Council, Andres Bonifacio, doubted his own leadership because since it was founded on July 7, 1892, their membership did not go far beyond 300. Alarmed of the situation, on December 31, 1895, he called for a re-organization meeting to elect a new set of officers at his house in Zurbaran Street in Sta. Cruz, Manila.
About 200 of its members attended. Bonifacio believed Dr. Pio Valenzuela should be the new President because he was the most educated among its members. Valenzuela could have won the presidency, but he refused Bonifacio’s offer to campaign for him, because he believed that it was better for the organization if the latter continued his leadership.
During the first hour of New Year’s Day of 1896, the “Kataas-taasang Tatlo,” popularly known as the Triumvirate were inducted; with Valenzuela as the new Fiscal General, Emilio Jacinto as the new Secretary General and Bonifacio as the President. They were the members of the “Camara Negra” (Black Chamber), the organization’s counter-intelligence arm, a secret chamber within the Katipunan which passed judgment over members who violated the secrets of the society. They were the executive, legislative and judicial authority of the Supreme Council and were the primary contributors to the society's organ “Ang Kalayaan.”
Valenzuela was credited for the growth of Katipunan membership. Immediately upon taking over his new post, Bonifacio requested him to stay in Manila. Valenzuela agreed on the condition that the printing press of the Katipunan be transferred and put under his management from Bonifacio’s house to his rented place at 35 Lavezares Street, San Nicolas, Binondo, a convenient place for him to edit the official organ of the Katipunan.
The printing press was donated by two Visayan Katipuneros Francisco Del Castillo and Candido Iban when they learned that the Katipunan needed one using the money they earned as sea-divers in Australia. After two weeks in his hometown Polo, Bulacan, Valenzuela returned to Lavezares and brought along his townmates, Faustino Duque and Ulfiano Fernandez to oversee the publication.
Valenzuela suggested Ang Kalayaan to be the name of the propaganda organ and the name of Marcelo H. del Pilar to be printed as editor, with Yokohama, Japan as the place of publication to mislead the Spanish authorities. Its maiden issue had eight pages and was the size of Liwayway Magazine. 2,000 copies were printed for distribution. It featured an editorial by Marcelo H. del Pilar which originally appeared on La Solidaridad, a review published in Spain, and was translated from Spanish into Tagalog by Jacinto, greeting the Filipino people from Yokohama, Japan, cordially wishing them solidarity and independence, and offering his life and all he had for their good.
There also appeared a news item entitled Catwiran by Dr. Valenzuela, describing the cruelty perpetrated by the priest of San Francisco del Monte and the Civil Guards against a poor barrio lieutenant. There were also articles by Jacinto, entitled Pahayag, urging the Filipino people to revolt as the only recourse to secure liberty and an article taken from the book entitled Las Ruinas del Palmira. Other articles were: Ang Dapat Mabatid ng mga Tagalog by Bonifacio, Sa mga Kababayan co-authored by Bonifacio and Dr. Valenzuela, and a poem by Bonifacio entitled Ang Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa, depicting the suffering of the Filipino people under the yoke of the Spanish authorities. Valenzuela used the nom-de-plume Madlang Away, Jacinto, Dimasalang and Pingkian, while Bonifacio signed his contributions with Aga-pito and May Pag-asa.
Ang Kalayaantriggered the spread of revolutionary consciousness of the people. Words of insurrection spread out that soon, many, even skeptics from outlying provinces, were convinced that they were ready to join the quest for freedom. After the circulation of the initial issue, membership of the secret society jumped tremendously from a few hundreds to 30,000 in a period of five months from the middle of March to August 1896.
On August 19, 1896, the existence of the Katipunan was discovered by the Spanish authorities. Many suspected members and sympathizers of the Katipunan were arrested outright, but the main nucleus of the Katipunan were able to escape and assembled in various areas of Balintawak – like sistios Kangkong, Pugad Lawin and Pasong Tamo.
The uprising began on August 23, 1896 in Pugad Lawin where the Katipuneros led by Bonifacio tore their cedulas (resident certificates) and shouted “Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! Mabuhay ang Katipunan!” The uprising of the Katipunan later on flourished to a full-scale revolution against Spain.
The heroic deeds of Dr. Pio Valenzuela were recognized by the Philippine Historical Committee in 1941. A marker was placed at the former house of Dr. Valenzuela in Lavezares Street which reads:
WHERE “ANG KALAYAAN” WAS PRINTED – “This house was occupied by Dr. Pio Valenzuela, together with Ulfiano Fernandez and Faustino Duque, Filipino printers who turned out for Dr. Valenzuela and Emilio Jacinto 2, 000 copies of the newspaper entitled “Ang Kalayaan,” giving Yokohama as the place of publication to avoid suspicion. The first issue was dated January 18, 1896 but was not circulated until the middle of March. The second issue which was in preparation was seized by the Spanish authorities when the revolution broke out that year.”
AEV, Jr.
City of Valenzuela, October 2009
Based on the excerpts from “Memoirs of Dr. Pio Valenzuela”, from the book “Minutes of the Katipunan,” published by the National Heroes Commission in 1964 and was featured by Sunday Times Magazine entitled “Ang Kalayaan” on June 8, 1969.
The author is a grandson of Dr. Pio Valenzuela. He has written a book entitled Dr. Pio Valenzuela and the Katipunan, published by the National Historical Institute in 1992 and revised in 1996. He is a Fellow and Emeritus of the United Architects of the Philippines and a former Member of the Board of Architecture, Professional Regulation Commission.
