The First All-Filipino elections- A Haunted Past. The Tejeros Convention in Cavite ,the countrys first election though not national that included the populace but limited only to the members of the Katipunan considered by scholars as a government body where many provinces are represented like a parliament. This election was marred with chaos and irregularities that almost ended up in killings that haunted our country for every election since then. In fact there written documents of election irregularities even during the Spanish period among gobernadorcillos in the local level mixed by friar participation. Andres Bonifacio presided over the meeting and sought the unanimous decision of those present to respect whoever got nominated and elected. Emilio Aguinaldo was not in the Convention but was nominated together with Andres Bonifacio and surprisingly Manuel Trias. Many members thought that it will only be between Bonifacio and Aguinaldo but somebody nominated Trials so it became a 3 way race. Mariano Trias was obviously nominated to cut the votes of Bonifacio because Trias was also a Magdiwang member though he only got 30 votes while Bonifacio got 80 and Aguinaldo 146. Aguinaldo - 146 votes Bonifacio - 80 Trias - 30 But many swing or undecided voters who were supposedly for Bonifacio supported Aguinaldo when Trias entered the scene. The worst ballots that were distributed were already filled out with Aguinaldo name on it. When Bonifacio was nominated for Interior Secretary,nobody contested because the nomination rule was that if you got nominated, thats the time you will be given the floor to question the nominees but nobody questioned it. The moment you get elected then everybody should respect it. Now here comes Daniel Tirona who never complained when Bonifacio was nominated but suddenly protested when Bonifacio was elected and the worst he voted to agreed that all elected should be respected during the opening of the Convention. He said that a lawyer should be elected and not Bonifacio because of his lack of background in being a lawyer. It was a good suggestion but it was not part of the Convention agreement ,rules and protocol and clearly the purpose was to malign Bonifacio. Tirona wanted to have a Caviteno lawyer Jose Del Rosario like him and Aguinaldo and even Trias elected as VP. In other words everybody wanted it an all Caviteno thing. Bonifacio drew his pistol but Ricarte prevented him while Tirona hid and escaped from the Convention. Bonifacio walked out and nullified the Convention when he noticed the Cavitenos were ganging up and controlling the scene. Aguinaldo who was absent but got elected sought to legalize the results and ordered the arrest of Bonifacio for he was brainwashed by people around him. Aguinaldo himself didnt finish schooling. Bonifacio was a victim of what they call Cavitism. So here is the story of the first all-Filipino elections that continue to haunt us until today!!!!
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 09:03:14 +0000
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