Cavite Day Tour Part 2: Bonifacio Trial House

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This is the second installment of the one day tour made by our travel group, FUNtastic Philippines that started from Balite Falls in Amadeo, to Maragondon, Ternate, Kawit, and Noveleta.

Maragondon Church was featured in Part 1.

Maragondon: BONIFACIO TRIAL HOUSE

Cavite FUNmeet 251 (960x640)

Cavite FUNmeet 250 (960x640)

As lifted (100%) from the pages of the National Historical Commission website:

When the Revolution broke out on August 23,1896, the Katipunan ceased to be a secret society. Later in the year, it was proposed that a new government be established to unite the Katipuneros under a single leadership. The Magdalo faction nominated Emilio Aguinaldo, a young Katipunan leader from Kawit. The Magdiwang faction maintained that Bonifacio, the Katipunan’s Supremo, should settle the leadership issue. Bonifacio was invited to an assembly in Tejeros, Cavite, on March 22, 1897.

The Trial of the Father of the Revolution

At the Tejeros Convention, a Revolutionary Government was established with Aguinaldo as president and Bonifacio as minister of the interior While Bonifacio was being proclaimed, Daniel Tirona, a Magdalo, stood up and questioned his qualifications. A lawyer, he said, should fill that position. Gravely insulted, Bonifacio, invoking his authority as presiding officer, declared the proceedings null and void and went on to establish his own government in Naic, Cavite.

On Aguinaldo’s orders Bonifacio was arrested in Barrio Limbon in Indang, Cavite, for refusing to recognize the revolutionary government. Also arrested were his wife Gregoria and brother Procopio. In the brief but intense struggle, Bonifacio was stabbed in the throat and grazed by a bullet on the shoulder. His brother Ciriaco was killed. The wounded Bonifacio was placed in a hammock and brought back to Naic, along with Gregoria and Procopio, for a pre-trial hearing.

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Based on sufficient cause, a military court was quickly convened in Maragondon, Cavite, on May 4. The following day, the court charged the Bonifacio brothers with treason and sedition. On May 6, they were sentenced to death.

On the morning of May 10,1897 the Bonifacio brothers were taken by Major Lazaro Makapagal to Mount Tala. When they reached Hulog, a barrio in the vicinity of Mount Nagpatong, Makapagal, upon Bonifacio’s insistence, opened his sealed orders. The order was for the execution of the two brothers, with a warning of severe punishment should he fail to execute the order. To this day, the death of the Father of the Revolution remains a controversial issue in the nation’s history.

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The house in Maragondon, Cavite, where a military court tried Katipunan founder Andres Bonifacio and his brother Procopio, has been turned into a museum commemorating a significant, if dark, episode in our history. Its centerpiece is a life-size diorama recreating the trial scene.

The Bonifacio Trial House is located in Maragondon, a town of Cavite. The house is open from Tuesday to Saturday at 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m

(Here is the link where I copied all of the above information : http://www.nhcp.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44 )

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The Historic Town of General Trias, Cavite

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It was Las Estancias during the Spanish time. In 1914, the town adopted the name of its patron saint, Francis of Assissi, and became known as San Francisco de Malabon. In 1920, the town was named to honor its most famous son, General Mariano Trias.

General Mariano Trias was the de facto first Vice President of the Philippines when, in the Tejeros Convention presided by Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Aguinaldo was elected President. A marker is found in  the house where Andres Bonifacio stayed in General Trias. This same house has hosted Emilio Aguinaldo, Manuel L Quezon, Sergio Osmena, Manuel Roxas, and Elpidio Quirino.

house where Andres Bonifacio stayed while in town

The Tejeros Convention is also said to be where  the Armed Forces of the Philippines was founded. Several signages around town proclaim that, although there are no indications of such at the Tejeros Convention hall itself. I can only conclude that indeed it was, because the Tejeros Convention was a meeting of the generals.

site of the Tejeros Convention, rebuilt from the ashes of the revolution

remains of the old hall

tunnel connects to the river

Another famous son of this town is Diego Mojica who, together with Mariano Trias and Nocolas Portilla, led the “First Cry of Cavite”.

The town hall is huge and impressive. It was built only recently, with the old town hall building now the headquarters of the Police Department.

The St Francis of Assissi church sits next to the beautiful town hall, sharing the well maintained plaza. It was at this church where the Philippine National Anthem was ever played by a marching band, played by the Banda Malabon, now known as the Banda Matanda.

Another famous church is Our Lady of Guadalupe, patterned after the Basilica de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe on the hills of Tepeyac in Mexico City, the most famous pilgrimage site in the western hemisphere

Indeed, history is written all over this town. The sight of charming old homes makes one re-live those old glorious days.

Today the town is a first class municipality, the third largest town in the province of Cavite. It is host to a modern Lyceum of the Philippines campus, and to several industrial estates :  Gateway Business Park in Javalera, the New Cavite Industrial Estate in Manggahan, and the Cavite Export Zone which is so huge that the whole complex extends all the way to the next town of Rosario. Manufacturing facilities of big brands have also set up, even outside of these zones. Purefoods Hormel. Magnolia. Royal Tern Ceramics Philippines.

the Lyceum of the Philippines with its sleek, ultra modern 21st century design

Gateway Business Park : Intel (was) inside !

All the symbols of modern life can be seen as well. McDonald’s, Jollibee, KFC, Mercury Drug, HBC, plus a host of local restaurants. The Manggahan end of General Trias has developed so much one would think it is the center of town. As a testament to this development, the muncipal government built a Town Hall Annex in the area.

so does the mayor also hold office here every so often?

Hotels and resorts have also set up. La Traviesa in Barangay Buenavista is a Balinese-themed resort hotel with a function room that accommodates as much as 300 guests. Microtel Inn & Suites along Javalera is at the gates of a golf course, Eagle Ridge.

LA TRAVIESA

the function room of La Traviesa sits 300 guests

the spa, with a sauna in the premises

La Traviesa is at No. 73, Buenavista II, General trias. Room rates start at p2,200 for 2 persons. The attic can accommodate 10 persons for P10,000.00. Rates inclusive of breakfast and use of pool. The resort also allows visitors to use the pool with charges. Contact La Traviesa at (046) 4893450 or mobile 09228649512, 09993667404. Email latraviesaresort@yahoo.com.

MICROTEL INN

the lobby

The Suite

Double

Eagle Ridge Golf Club

Microtel Inn is at the Eagle Ridge Golf & Residential Estate, Amadeo Road, General Trias, Cavite. Room rates start at P2,600++ for single occupancy, and P3,200++ for double. A suite is at p4,000++. Contact Microtel Inn at (046) 5093333 or book thru their Manila office at 6717171, or mobile 09178881800

HOW TO GO TO GENERAL TRIAS

Remember that some people still call it Malabon, in case you have to ask. But its most popular name now is simply GenTri.

One can go to GenTri via the towns of  Bacoor, Kawit, Noveleta, and Rosario (known to others as Salinas). GenTri is right after Rosario. On public transportation, jeepneys and mini buses can be hailed in Baclaran to go to Rosario, usually with the EPZA sign.If no Rosario-bound transportation is within sight, transportation to Cavite City will do, getting off at Noveleta. Tricycles can be arranged to take passengers to Gentri poblacion passing thru Bacao Road.

GenTri can also be accessed from the Aguinaldo Hi-way from Dasmarinas, at the junction called Governor’s Drive. It is an easier drive from SLEX to Dasmarinas via Carmona, crossing Aguinaldo Hi-way until you reach Manggahan in GenTri. Public transportation is also available in the jeepney terminal across from Robinson’s in Dasmarinas.

TRIVIA: Jasmine Trias of the American idol fame is a descendant of General Mariano Trias.