Tejeros Convention

The Tejeros Convention (alternate names include Tejeros Assembly and Tejeros Congress) was the meeting held between the Magdiwang and Magdalo factions of the Katipunan at San Francisco de Malabon, Cavite on March 22, 1897. These are the first presidential and vice presidential elections in Philippine history, although only the Katipuneros (members of the Katipunan) were able to take part, and not the general populace.

Purpose and results

The convention was called to discuss the defense of Cavite against the Spaniards during the Philippine Revolution. The contemporary Governor general, Camilo de Polavieja, had regained much of Cavite itself. Instead, the convention became an election to decide the leaders of the revolutionary movement, bypassing the Supreme Council.

Andrés Bonifacio, the contemporary Supremo (supreme leader) of the Katipunan presided over the election. He secured the unanimous approval that the decision would not be questioned.

The results of the election:

Aguinaldo, who was busy at a military front in Imus, won the election. Bonifacio's position fell to Director of the Interior.

Bonifacio, who was not formally educated, accepted the decision but not before insisting a recount on the votes. Supporters such as Severino de las Alas made abortive efforts to help make Bonifacio vice president. However, Daniel Tirona, a Caviteño (a native of Cavite), objected that the post should not be occupied by a person without a lawyer's diploma. He suggested a Caviteño lawyer, Jose del Rosario, for the position. Bonifacio, clearly insulted, demanded that Tirona retract the remark. When Tirona made to leave instead, Bonifacio drew a pistol and was about to fire at Tirona, but stopped when Ricarte grabbed his arm. Bonifacio then voided the convention as Supremo of the Katipunan.^[1]

Allegations of Fraud

In addition to Bonifacio's statement voiding the outcome the probity of the election held has been questioned, with allegations that many ballots distributed were already filled out and that the voters had not done this themselves. One more thing is that most of the voters were from Aguinaldo's powerhouse, Batangas and Cavite.^[2]

References

• The Tejeros Assembly of 1897 MSC Computer Training Center
• Katipunan and the Acto de Tejeros, March 23, 1897, Documents of the Katipunan, Katipunan : Documents and studies

1. ^ Agoncillo, Teodoro C. (1990) [1960]. History of the Filipino People (8th ed.). Quezon City: Garotech Publishing. p. 178. ISBN 971-8711-06-6. 
2. ^ Ambeth Ocampo, Election fraud at the Tejeros Convention (November 5, 2007), Philippine Daily Inquirer.