By 1906, Brigadier-General Harry H. Bandholtz became the Chief and Acting Director of the Philippine Constabulary. He personally took over command and operations against Sakay. Gen. Bandholtz later stated, in order to catch Sakay and his men, it took "playing on the emotional and sentimental part of the Filipino character". This became a interesting well thought out operation against Sakay with several major factors taken in to account. With 1902 marking the end to the Philippine American War, it also saw the creation of the "Philippine Organic Act"(also known as the Cooper Act). This law stated a national assembly or "Philippine Congress made up of natives" would be established on two major conditions; first a Census must be conducted of the entire Philippine islands, and second 'law and order' must be restored throughout the islands. In 1905 the first condition of a census of the Philippines had been completed; this was important as it figured on how many representatives would represent each province by population. But with Sakay and his army still out in the field waging war and several provinces of south Luzon under duress in early 1906, the second condition of restored law and order had not been completed, which meant the creation of a Philippine Congress composed of natives was now placed in major jeopardy and blocked due to Sakay. Gen. Bandholtz knowing the magnitude of this dilemma for the Filipino people devised a scheme to capitalize on the situation with Sakay. Bandholtz would employ a highly controverial figure as mediator with Sakay, one Dr. Dominador Gomez. Dr. Gomez was a physician turned politician as well as being a renowned leader who helped organize the first labor union. It is also believed Dr. Gomez was a friend of Sakay from his early association with the 1901 Partido Nationalista Party, and had also been jailed on several occasions for agitating and rousing assemblies against the U.S. colonial government. Dr. Gomez at the time was also awaiting pending trials for crimes committed. But it has also been determined that Dr. Gomez was biding and looking to secure his own seat in the new Philippine congress elections. To help persuade Sakay in to surrendering, Dr. Gomez would be given a letter from Governor-General Henry Clay-Ide that granted Sakay and his men complete amnesty if they disbanded and stopped their fight against American rule. Within a week and after several correspondence with Dr. Gomez, Sakay understood the grounds that a national assembly, which also would be fighting for autonomy through legal means, was being held off on his account and the assembly was now viewed by the majority of Filipinos as the new 'gate to Kalayaan'. After conferring with his officers, Sakay finally agreed to end hostilities and surrender on his own conditions.
On June 14, 1906 Sakay and his generals came down from the mountains of Rizal and officially surrendered in Manila. Surprisingly after Sakay surrendered he was free to go unmolested and still armed. And interestingly enough, for the next few weeks Sakay and his men would be 'honored guests' at several venues around Manila; bands followed and crowds gathered and hailed them as "true patriots". However these affairs would not go unnoticed. U.S. media covered the entire ordeal and began an outcry of the injustice being served. American papers reported on Sakay as a murderer of U.S. law officers and military troops with no criminal trial for his actions, all the while being allowed to be paraded around town as a hero with weapons made a mockery of the U.S. authority and the Philippine Commission. The U.S. colonial government looked foolish and were criticized on how they handled the Sakay situation. Many U.S. soldiers and politicians agreed, this was not the message they wanted to send out to others still holding out or other deemed 'outlaws' fighting against U.S. authority such as the case with the on going battles with the Pulajanes and Moros. In July 1906, Acting Governor of Cavite, Louis J. Van Schaick, invited Sakay and his men to a banquet. Sakay accepted, and on July 17 Sakay and his men entered Cavite and were greeted by music bands playing and a festival made in their honor. Surprisingly, both Filipina and American women as well as diplomats were present and festivities went on as usual. Gen. Leon Villafuerte himself later stated he also had the opertunity to dance with Gov. Van Schaick's daughter. But the atmosphere changed just prior to mid-night when several heavily armed units of Philippine Constabulary officers arrived and began to surround the building. Sensing danger Sakay's men drew their pistols, but Dr. Gomez intervened and convinced them to lay down their arms. Afterwards Sakay and his men were handed legal documents to sign on the spot. Dr. Gomez read the document to them and again assured they were nothing more than papers needed in accordance to help establish the national assembly and could not be used against them in a court of law. Gen. Julian Montalan himself was illiterate and could not understand the document. Placed in this predicament Sakay and his men eventually signed the papers. But the papers were just the opposite of what Dr. Gomez stated, as it made an agreement for Sakay and his men to surrender ‘unconditionally’ and face trial for their actions. At that point, Sakay and his men were taken in to custody and arrested for 'brigandage' under the 1902 Bandolerismo Act. The leaders of the Republika ng Katagalugan government would only enjoy a little over a month of freedom. As Gen. Bandholtz mentioned, he played well on Sakay's Filipino character by making him feel accountable for he was in the way of the creation of the Philippine Congress that would legally fight for self-government.
Trial and Execution
The Trial of Sakay, Julian Montalan, Lucio de Vega, and Leon Villafuerte took place within days of their arrest in Cavite at the Court of 1st Instance of the 6th District with Judge Ignacio Villamor presiding. The lawyers representing Sakay and his men were Felipe Buencamino, Julian Gerona(ex-Guam exile), and a young fresh out of law school lawyer on his first case, one Ramon Diokno. Ramon Diokno being the son of General Ananias Diokno who fought in the Phil-Am War under Aguinaldo, and who would later be the father of famed Jose 'Pepe' Diokno. Throughout the trial Sakay's patriotism went unchallenged. While it was no question Sakay's ideals and actions were patriotic and his fighting for independence were acknowledged by everyone, his men were still viewed as committing atrocities and heinous crimes, not only towards U.S. authority, but against the civilian population. They were still defined as criminals and fell under the 1902 Bandolerismo Act. Organized criminal groups and true outlaws who were living on the outskirts and preying on society were also grouped under and associated to the Republika ng Katagalugan. One provincial judge reported to the Philippine Commission, within one year’s time he had personally sentenced an estimated 300 men stating to have belonged to Sakay and his government. Sakay being the president and heading the Republika ng Katagalugan was held responsible for all their actions. The most damaging to Sakay's defense came when the letter by Governor-General Clay-Ide granting Sakay and his men amnesty mysteriously vanished. Dr. Gomez also was nowhere to be found and gave no supporting testimony. Since the U.S. annexation of the Philippines, the Sakay court case turned out to be the trial of the decade. A strange turn of events occurred during the middle of the trial when Macario Sakay and company decided to change their 'Not-Guilty' plea to 'Guilty'; explaining that they took responsibility for the charges brought against them, but their acts were done from a patriotic motive and in defense of the rights of the people of their country. There after all four were handed the death sentence by Judge Villamor, but Sakay would appeal the verdict to the Supreme Court of the Philippines. Nearly a year later, on July 26, 1907, the Supreme Court confirms with the lower courts judgment of the death sentence of Sakay, Julian Montalan, Lucio de Vega, and Leon Villafuerte. The execution scheduled on September 13, 1907.
Interestingly enough, on the day prior to the scheduled execution with mere hours to go, only luck would have it for Julian Montalan and Leon Villafuerte; both were saved by Governor-General James Smith who changed their sentencing to life imprisonment. Gov-Gen. Smith pointed out Leon Villafuerte was spared because of his intellect and being a promising young youth who he believed got mixed up and misled by a bad crowd, and Julian Montalan spared for showing compassion and coming to the aid of Mrs. Trias and her children during their kidnapping.
On the morning of Friday the 13th of Sept 1907 Macario Sakay and Lucio de Vega ascended the scaffold at Bilibid Prison. As the nooses was placed around their necks, Sakay resounded his last parting words: "Death comes to all of us sooner or later, so I will face the Lord Almighty calmly. But I want to tell you that we were not bandits and robbers, as the Americans have accused us, but members of the revolutionary force that defended our mother country, Filipinas! Farewell! Long live the republic and may our independence be born in the future! Farewell! Long live Filipinas!"
The fall of Sakay's Republika ng Katagalugan Government was regarded by the United States to be the absolute last of the great resistance fighting for a independent Philippines. Peace and tranquility was considered fully restored; completeing the second condition of the 1902 Cooper Act. The Philippine Commission and U.S. Government now approved the establishment of a national government assembly made up of Filipinos. 1907 should be best remembered for those two great events in Philippine history. While the Supreme Court confirmed the death sentence of Sakay on July 26, four days later, the first election of the Philippine Congress took place in Manila on July 30th. With the execution of Macario Sakay on September 13, in 1907, his death closed the book on the Republika ng Katagalugan Government and marked the end to the Katipunan armed struggle for Kalayaan; but on the other hand, it gained way and allowed for the Philippine Congress to be born.
Source: Bayani Art article by Kevin Perez http://www.bayaniart.com/sakay/?___store=default
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