Daniel Tirona
Encyclopedia
Daniel Tria Tirona was a Filipino
revolutionary
leader. He participated in the Philippine Revolution
against Spanish
colonial rule and in the Philippine-American War
.
province. He had an elder brother, Candido Tria Tirona. He was married four times, widowed thrice and had three children. He worked as a schoolteacher. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts
degree from the Colegio de San Juan de Letran
and studied law in the University of Santo Tomas
.
He and his elder brother Candido were members of the Katipunan
, a secret society founded in 1892 by Andrés Bonifacio
and others. The Katipunan sought independence from Spain through armed revolt. The Tironas were leading members of the Magdalo
, one of two chapters of the Katipunan in Cavite, the other being the Magdiwang. They were close associates of Emilio Aguinaldo
, mayor of Cavite el Viejo and the most prominent Magdalo leader.
After the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution in the last days of August 1896, Tirona ceased his law studies. With several provinces in open revolt, the rebels of Cavite enjoyed the most success and they controlled virtually the entire province by September-October 1896.
As the revolution progressed, the Magdalo and Magdiwang clashed over authority and jurisdiction and did not help each other in the face of Spanish counterattacks. Bonifacio was called to Cavite as the Supremo (supreme leader) or Presidente Supremo (Supreme President) of the Katipunan to mediate between the factions and unify their efforts. Meanwhile, Tirona's brother Candido was killed in battle on November 10 and he succeeded him as Magdalo secretary of war four days later. When Bonifacio arrived in Cavite in late November, Tirona was part of the welcoming party.
Within Cavite, friction grew between Bonifacio and the Magdalo leaders. Earlier in October, Aguinaldo had issued a manifesto in the name of the Magdalo ruling council which proclaimed an insurgent government. This was done despite the existence of the Katipunan, which Bonifacio had already converted into an insurgent government with him as president just before the outbreak of hostilities. Once Bonifacio was in Cavite the Magdalo leaders made overtures about replacing the Katipunan with an insurgent government of their design. Bonifacio and the Magdiwang maintained they already had a government in the Katipunan.
After Bonifacio was acclaimed as the "ruler of the Philippines" by townsfolk, unflattering rumors about him began to spread. It was rumored that Bonifacio had stolen Katipunan funds, his sister was the mistress of a priest, and he was an agent provocateur
paid by Spanish friars to foment unrest. Also circulated were anonymous letters which told the people of Cavite not to idolize Bonifacio because he was (allegedly) a Freemason, a mere warehouseman
, an atheist, and uneducated. These letters also said Bonifacio did not deserve the title of Supremo since only God was supreme. Tirona was widely suspected to be responsible for the rumor-mongering. When confronted by Bonifacio, Tirona dismissed his accusations in such a manner that provoked him to anger. He drew a gun and would have shot Tirona if others had not intervened.
Tirona was present at the Tejeros Convention
on March 22, 1897, wherein Bonifacio and leaders of the Magdalo and Magdiwang met to settle the issue of leadership of the revolution. Bonifacio presided over the elections that followed, despite his misgivings over the lack of representation by other provinces. Tirona helped distribute the ballots. Emilio Aguinaldo was elected President in absentia while Bonifacio was elected Director of the Interior. Tirona loudly protested Bonifacio's election to Director of the Interior because he lacked a lawyer's diploma (the implicit message being that he lacked the education for the position). Tirona repeatedly suggested a prominent Cavite lawyer, José del Rosario, for the position. Since it had been agreed beforehand to respect the election results, Bonifacio demanded an apology. Instead, Tirona made to leave the assembly room. Angered, Bonifacio again drew his gun and was again restrained from shooting Tirona. Bonifacio invoked his position as chairman of the convention and leader of the Katipunan to declare the proceedings null and void. In the following days, Bonifacio refused to recognize Aguinaldo's government and alleged the elections were fraudulent. This allegation is supported by the revolutionaries Santiago Álvarez, Gregoria de Jesus
and Guillermo Masangkay. Bonifacio was eventually arrested, tried and executed for treason by Aguinaldo's government.
After the Spanish forces retook Imus, Cavite
on March 25, Governor-General Camilo de Polavieja
offered amnesty
to surrendering rebels. Tirona took advantage of the amnesty offer.
However, Tirona returned to Aguinaldo sometime later. Aguinaldo had been exiled to Hong Kong
in December 1897 in accordance with the Pact of Biak-na-Bato
which officially ended the revolution. In May 1898, the Philippines was embroiled in the Spanish-American War
. Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines and officially resumed the revolution as an unofficial ally to the United States
. Tirona was a witness and signatory of the Philippine Declaration of Independence
on June 12. Commissioned as a colonel
, Tirona headed a military expedition sent by Aguinaldo to Cagayan
in August. He was subsequently appointed military governor of Cagayan and Isabela
and held the rank of brigadier-general. Tirona represented the province of Batanes in the Malolos Congress
in 1898-1899.
The Philippine-American War
broke out in February 1899 and Tirona fought against the United States in Cagayan. He surrendered in January 1900. It was reported to Aguinaldo that Tirona became the general factotum of the American officer to whom he had surrendered for a time, cleaning his shoes and serving his meals.
Tirona supported the American colonial government after Aguinaldo's capture in March 1901. He was one of the representatives of Cavite el Viejo that met with the Taft Commission
during their visit to Cavite on June 6. In the same year he held the position of provincial secretary of Cavite. He afterward served as provincial assessor and treasurer of Tarlac
.
Tirona lived to see the establishment of the Commonwealth of the Philippines
in 1935. He died in 1939 just after the start of World War II
.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
revolutionary
Revolutionary
A revolutionary is a person who either actively participates in, or advocates revolution. Also, when used as an adjective, the term revolutionary refers to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor.-Definition:...
leader. He participated in the Philippine Revolution
Philippine Revolution
The Philippine Revolution , called the "Tagalog War" by the Spanish, was an armed military conflict between the people of the Philippines and the Spanish colonial authorities which resulted in the secession of the Philippine Islands from the Spanish Empire.The Philippine Revolution began in August...
against Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
colonial rule and in the Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
.
Biography
Tirona was born in the town of Cavite el Viejo (modern Kawit) in CaviteCavite
Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...
province. He had an elder brother, Candido Tria Tirona. He was married four times, widowed thrice and had three children. He worked as a schoolteacher. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from the Colegio de San Juan de Letran
Colegio de San Juan de Letran
The Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Letran College, or simply Letran is a private Roman Catholic institution of learning located in Intramuros, Manila, in the Philippines. The college was founded in 1620. Colegio de San Juan de Letran has the distinction of being the oldest college in the...
and studied law in the University of Santo Tomas
University of Santo Tomas
The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines , is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers in Manila. Founded on April 28, 1611 by archbishop of Manila Miguel de Benavides, it has the oldest extant university charter in the...
.
He and his elder brother Candido were members of the Katipunan
Katipunan
The Katipunan was a Philippine revolutionary society founded by anti-Spanish Filipinos in Manila in 1892, whose primary aim was to gain independence from Spain through revolution. The society was initiated by Filipino patriots Andrés Bonifacio, Teodoro Plata, Ladislao Diwa, and others on the night...
, a secret society founded in 1892 by Andrés Bonifacio
Andres Bonifacio
Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro was a Filipino nationalist and revolutionary. He was a founder and later Supremo of the Katipunan movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine Revolution...
and others. The Katipunan sought independence from Spain through armed revolt. The Tironas were leading members of the Magdalo
Magdalo (Katipunan faction)
The Magdalo faction of the Katipunan was a chapter in Cavite, mostly led by ilustrados of that province.It was named after Mary Magdalene...
, one of two chapters of the Katipunan in Cavite, the other being the Magdiwang. They were close associates of Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy was a Filipino general, politician, and independence leader. He played an instrumental role during the Philippines' revolution against Spain, and the subsequent Philippine-American War or War of Philippine Independence that resisted American occupation...
, mayor of Cavite el Viejo and the most prominent Magdalo leader.
After the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution in the last days of August 1896, Tirona ceased his law studies. With several provinces in open revolt, the rebels of Cavite enjoyed the most success and they controlled virtually the entire province by September-October 1896.
As the revolution progressed, the Magdalo and Magdiwang clashed over authority and jurisdiction and did not help each other in the face of Spanish counterattacks. Bonifacio was called to Cavite as the Supremo (supreme leader) or Presidente Supremo (Supreme President) of the Katipunan to mediate between the factions and unify their efforts. Meanwhile, Tirona's brother Candido was killed in battle on November 10 and he succeeded him as Magdalo secretary of war four days later. When Bonifacio arrived in Cavite in late November, Tirona was part of the welcoming party.
Within Cavite, friction grew between Bonifacio and the Magdalo leaders. Earlier in October, Aguinaldo had issued a manifesto in the name of the Magdalo ruling council which proclaimed an insurgent government. This was done despite the existence of the Katipunan, which Bonifacio had already converted into an insurgent government with him as president just before the outbreak of hostilities. Once Bonifacio was in Cavite the Magdalo leaders made overtures about replacing the Katipunan with an insurgent government of their design. Bonifacio and the Magdiwang maintained they already had a government in the Katipunan.
After Bonifacio was acclaimed as the "ruler of the Philippines" by townsfolk, unflattering rumors about him began to spread. It was rumored that Bonifacio had stolen Katipunan funds, his sister was the mistress of a priest, and he was an agent provocateur
Agent provocateur
Traditionally, an agent provocateur is a person employed by the police or other entity to act undercover to entice or provoke another person to commit an illegal act...
paid by Spanish friars to foment unrest. Also circulated were anonymous letters which told the people of Cavite not to idolize Bonifacio because he was (allegedly) a Freemason, a mere warehouseman
Warehouseman
A warehouseman can be someone who works in a warehouse, usually delivering goods for sale or storage, or, in older usage, someone who owns a warehouse and sells goods directly from it or from a shop fronting onto the warehouse .An Italian warehouseman was someone who stocked goods from Italy such...
, an atheist, and uneducated. These letters also said Bonifacio did not deserve the title of Supremo since only God was supreme. Tirona was widely suspected to be responsible for the rumor-mongering. When confronted by Bonifacio, Tirona dismissed his accusations in such a manner that provoked him to anger. He drew a gun and would have shot Tirona if others had not intervened.
Tirona was present at the Tejeros Convention
Tejeros Convention
The Tejeros Convention was the meeting held between the Magdiwang and Magdalo factions of the Katipunan at San Francisco de Malabon, Cavite on March 22, 1897...
on March 22, 1897, wherein Bonifacio and leaders of the Magdalo and Magdiwang met to settle the issue of leadership of the revolution. Bonifacio presided over the elections that followed, despite his misgivings over the lack of representation by other provinces. Tirona helped distribute the ballots. Emilio Aguinaldo was elected President in absentia while Bonifacio was elected Director of the Interior. Tirona loudly protested Bonifacio's election to Director of the Interior because he lacked a lawyer's diploma (the implicit message being that he lacked the education for the position). Tirona repeatedly suggested a prominent Cavite lawyer, José del Rosario, for the position. Since it had been agreed beforehand to respect the election results, Bonifacio demanded an apology. Instead, Tirona made to leave the assembly room. Angered, Bonifacio again drew his gun and was again restrained from shooting Tirona. Bonifacio invoked his position as chairman of the convention and leader of the Katipunan to declare the proceedings null and void. In the following days, Bonifacio refused to recognize Aguinaldo's government and alleged the elections were fraudulent. This allegation is supported by the revolutionaries Santiago Álvarez, Gregoria de Jesus
Gregoria de Jesus
Gregoria de Jesús , also known as Aling Oriang, was the founder and vice-president of the women's chapter of the Katipunan of the Philippines. She was also the custodian of the documents and seal of the Katipunan. She married Andrés Bonifacio, the supremo of the Katipunan, and played a major role...
and Guillermo Masangkay. Bonifacio was eventually arrested, tried and executed for treason by Aguinaldo's government.
After the Spanish forces retook Imus, Cavite
Imus, Cavite
The Municipality of Imus is a first-class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines, and it is the officially designated capital of Cavite...
on March 25, Governor-General Camilo de Polavieja
Camilo de Polavieja
Camilo Polavieja y del Castillo, Marques de Polavieja was a Spanish general born in Madrid on July 13, 1838, in a family of merchants...
offered amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
to surrendering rebels. Tirona took advantage of the amnesty offer.
However, Tirona returned to Aguinaldo sometime later. Aguinaldo had been exiled to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in December 1897 in accordance with the Pact of Biak-na-Bato
Pact of Biak-na-Bato
The Pact of Biak-na-Bato, signed on December 14, 1897, created a truce between Spanish Colonial Governor-General Fernando Primo de Rivera and Emilio Aguinaldo to end the Philippine Revolution...
which officially ended the revolution. In May 1898, the Philippines was embroiled in the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
. Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines and officially resumed the revolution as an unofficial ally to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Tirona was a witness and signatory of the Philippine Declaration of Independence
Philippine Declaration of Independence
The Philippine Declaration of Independence occurred on June 12, 1898 in Cavite II el Viejo , Cavite, Philippines. With the public reading of the Act of the Declaration of Independence, Filipino revolutionary forces under General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the sovereignty and independence of the...
on June 12. Commissioned as a colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
, Tirona headed a military expedition sent by Aguinaldo to Cagayan
Cagayan
Cagayan , the "Land of Smiling Beauty", is a province of the Philippines in the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon. Its capital is Tuguegarao City and is located at the northeastern corner of the island of Luzon. Cagayan also includes the Babuyan Islands to the north. The province borders Ilocos Norte...
in August. He was subsequently appointed military governor of Cagayan and Isabela
Isabela province
Isabela is the second largest province of the Philippines next to Palawan. It is located in the Cagayan Valley Region in Luzon. Its capital is Ilagan and borders, clockwise from the south, Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga, and Cagayan...
and held the rank of brigadier-general. Tirona represented the province of Batanes in the Malolos Congress
Malolos Congress
-Further reading:*Philippine House of Representatives Congressional Library...
in 1898-1899.
The Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
broke out in February 1899 and Tirona fought against the United States in Cagayan. He surrendered in January 1900. It was reported to Aguinaldo that Tirona became the general factotum of the American officer to whom he had surrendered for a time, cleaning his shoes and serving his meals.
Tirona supported the American colonial government after Aguinaldo's capture in March 1901. He was one of the representatives of Cavite el Viejo that met with the Taft Commission
Taft Commission
The Taft Commission, also known as Second Philippine Commission was established by United States President William McKinley on March 16, 1900. The Commission was the legislature of the Philippines, then known as the Philippine Islands under the sovereign control of the United States during the...
during their visit to Cavite on June 6. In the same year he held the position of provincial secretary of Cavite. He afterward served as provincial assessor and treasurer of Tarlac
Tarlac
Tarlac is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Luzon Island. Its capital is Tarlac City. Tarlac borders Pampanga to the south, Nueva Ecija to the east, Pangasinan to the north, and Zambales to the west...
.
Tirona lived to see the establishment of the Commonwealth of the Philippines
Commonwealth of the Philippines
The Commonwealth of the Philippines was a designation of the Philippines from 1935 to 1946 when the country was a commonwealth of the United States. The Commonwealth was created by the Tydings-McDuffie Act, which was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1934. When Manuel L...
in 1935. He died in 1939 just after the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.