Pedro Paterno - Proponent of the Pact of Biak-na-Bato

PEDRO A. PATERNO
(1858-1911)
Proponent of the Pact of Biak-na-Bato

Pedro Alejandro Paterno was born in Santa Cruz, Manila on February 27, 1858 to the affluent couple, Maximo Molo Paterno and Carmen de Vera Ignacio. His father, a rich Filipino with Chinese ancestry, was exiled to Guam for complicity in the Cavite Mutiny of 1872. In 1871, Paterno graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila. He pursued further studies in Spain at the Seminario Conciliar de Salamanca for his philosophy and theology courses and his doctorate in civil and canon law at the Universidad Central de Madrid, which he finished in 1880. While in Spain, he mingled with the Filipino propagandists and the Spanish political and social elite. In Europe, Paterno opened his home to meetings with the famous propagandists who came later to Spain. It was during one of these meetings that Rizal had the idea to write a book on the miserable plight of the Filipinos. Joining the fray for reforms, Paterno wrote for La Solidaridad. In October 1890, he married Luisa Piñeyro y Merino, a Spanish. A writer in his own rights, he wrote and published the following: Sampaguitas y Poesias Varias (1880) a collection of poems; a novel, Ninay (1885). His novel was followed by a long list of dissertations on the Filipino culture: La Antigua Civilizacion Tagalog (1887), Los Itas (1890), El Cristianismo en la Antigua Civilizacion Tagalog (1892), El Barangay (1892); La Familia Tagalog en la Historia Universal (1892); El Individuo Tagalo y su Arte en la Exposicion Historico-Americana (1893); and Los Tagalos (1894). He also wrote political reviews: El Regimen Municipal de las Islas Filipinas (1893); El Problema Politico de Filipinas
(1900); and Gobierno Civil de las Islas Filipinas (1910). Between 1910 and 1911, he produced several novelettes: Aurora Social; El Alma Filipina; La Braveza de Bayani; La Felicidad; and Los
Heraldos de la Raza.

Upon his return to the Philippines in 1893, he was appointed Director of the Museum and Library. Paterno did not join the revolution in 1896. After a year, he took upon himself to bring the warring parties into peace agreement. His opportunity came when the Spanish Governor-General, Primo de Rivera, gave his blessings. Thus, he kept shuttling between Manila and Biyak-na-Bato, a rocky barrio of San Miguel, Bulacan where the revolutionist established as headquarter, for four months, talking to the revolutionists and conveying every development to the Spanish governor general. In the process, he experienced the austere life in the rebels’ camp and felt the deep grievances of the Filipino soldiers. His perseverance paid off on December 15, 1897, when the Pact was finally signed and sent the revolutionary leaders into exile in Hong Kong and brought the Spanish government to pay indemnity fees to the Filipinos and implement reforms. Since the pact failed after a few months of peace, the fighting renewed with the
Americans appearing to be on the Filipino side. Paterno was among the Filipino meztizos who remained loyal to Spain. They campaigned for autonomy. In the bid to restore sovereignty over the Philippines, the Spanish government once again used Paterno by appointing him member of the consultative assembly on May 28, 1898. The assembly was designed to win the Filipinos, which Paterno faithfully served by calling on the revolutionists “to obtain from Spain all the good the American stranger can offer” to no avail. President Aguinaldo had declared the Philippine independence. Paterno joined the new Filipino government. He was among the elites who did not fight in the revolution but took center stage in the Malolos Congress. On September 15, 1898, he was elected president of the inaugural session of the Malolos Congress in Barasoain Church. By May 1899, about two months after the Filipino-American War broke out, the American authorities offered autonomy to the Filipinos, which Apolinario Mabini, being the cabinet president of President Aguinaldo refused by insisting for “independence under Protection of the United States” which Pedro Paterno and Felipe Buencamino, the stronger voice in Aguinaldo’s government, greatly opposed and wanted the offered autonomy. This created pressure and resulted to the remaking of the cabinet with Pedro Paterno as new president. Paterno tried to rally the revolutionists to make peace agreement with America but failed. Because of this, he stood by the wish of the revolutionists to continue fight for independence.

Being identified with the revolutionary government, Paterno was among those pursued by the American military. He was captured in April 1900 in Benguet but was freed by the amnesty proclamation of General MacArthur on June 21, 1900. After his release, he organized a two-day celebration of the amnesty. This drew him closer to the Americans. In 1907, he was elected representative of the first district of Laguna to the Philippine Assembly. He died in Manila on March 11, 1911.

References:
Agoncillo, Teodoro A. History of the Filipino People. 8th ed. Quezon City: Garotech, 1990.
Eminent Filipinos. Manila: National Historical Commission, 1970.
Quirino, Carlos. Who’s who in Philippine History. Manila : Tahanan Books, 1995.
Zaide, Gregorio F. Great Filipinos in History. Manila: Verde Bookstore, 1970.

References: Agoncillo, Teodoro A. History of the Filipino People. 8th ed. Quezon City: Garotech, 1990. Eminent Filipinos. Manila: National Historical Commission, 1970. Quirino, Carlos. Who’s who in Philippine History. Manila : Tahanan Books, 1995. Zaide, Gregorio F. Great Filipinos in History. Manila: Verde Bookstore, 1970.