The Pact of Biak-na-Bato

In October 1897, Spanish Governor-General Fernando Primo de Polavieja reported 8,000 casualties since the previous May, and told Madrid that the Revolution could no longer be suppressed because Spain, he said, was not fighting an army, but a united people. With its military resources strained by a similar revolution in Cuba, the Spanish central government instructed Polavieja to enter a truce with Gen. Aguinaldo. On Dec 14, 1897 the Pact of Biak-na-bato Agreement was reached in the negotiations between Aguinaldo's Revolutionary Government and Spain. Three documents were signed on these dates: a program, an act of agreement, and financial stipulation. The terms of the Pact of Biak-na-bato were as follows: payment of P800,000 to Aguinaldo and other revolutionary leaders in exchange for voluntary exile to Hong Kong payment of P900,000 by Spain for civil damages done during the hostilities laying down and surrender of arms by the rebels general amnesty for all a verbal promise to institute reforms. The pact of Biak-na-Bato Spanish generals Celestino Tejero and Ricardo Monet were turned over to the Filipino leaders as hostages. On Dec 27, 1897 Aguinaldo and 25 other leaders of the Revolution left the Philippines for voluntary exile in Hong Kong. On Dec 29, 1897 Aguinaldo and his party reached Hong Kong. Spain deposited the first check of P400,000 into the Bank of Hong Kong. Aguinaldo and his cadre lived off of the interest. Aguinaldo refused to divide up the lump-sum payment among his followers and himself, noting that it might be needed to buy arms and munitions should Spain fail to keep its end of the Pact of Biak-na-bato. On Dec 31, 1897 the surrender of arms by Filipinos began and continued until February 1898. Peace between the Spanish and the Filipinos took hold for the first two months after the Pact of Biak-na-bato. Aguinaldo and his men established the Junta Patriotica, a political body that closely watched developments affecting the Philippines.

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