Simone Lawson
Apolinario Mabini, one of Emilio Aguinaldo's main advisors, objected to the framing of the Malolos Constitution, which was the first Philippine Constitution. Mabini believed that the proposed system of government would not function well during wartime. He feared that the usual protections from tyranny and executive overreach would hamper the successful conduct of the war of liberation. Mabini's opinion carried weight, and Aguinaldo eventually sent a letter to Congress requesting changes to the draft, which gave him temporary powers to issue decrees while the nation fought for independence.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for objection | Mabini believed that the proposed system of government would not function well during wartime |
| Role | Mabini was Aguinaldo's principal adviser |
| Timing | Mabini opposed the drafting of a constitution at that time |
| Alternative | Mabini had his own constitutional program |
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What You'll Learn
- Mabini believed the proposed system of government would not function well during wartime
- He thought the usual protections from tyranny and executive overreach would hamper the war of liberation
- Mabini disagreed with the framing of the constitution at that time
- He believed that the exigencies of war necessitated quick and decisive action
- Mabini had his own constitutional program
Mabini believed the proposed system of government would not function well during wartime
Apolinario Mabini, one of Emilio Aguinaldo’s main advisors, believed that the proposed system of government would not function well during wartime. Mabini opposed the drafting of the Malolos Constitution, the first Philippine Constitution, at a time when the government was still focused on liberating the country from colonial rule. He thought that the usual protections from tyranny and executive overreach would hamper the successful conduct of the war of liberation. Mabini's opinion carried weight, and so Aguinaldo sent a letter to Congress asking for certain changes to be made to the draft. These changes added provisions that gave Aguinaldo temporary powers to issue decrees while the nation was still fighting for independence.
Mabini's concerns were understandable, given the context of the ongoing struggle for independence from colonial powers. The Philippines had a long history of colonisation, first by the Spanish and later by the Americans. During the later part of more than 300 years of Spanish rule, nationalist sentiment grew, fuelled by the writings of Jose Rizal and other Filipino intellectuals. This eventually led to the Philippine Revolution in 1896 and the declaration of independence in 1898.
The Malolos Congress was convened on September 15, 1898, and the Malolos Constitution was approved on January 20, 1899, marking the beginning of the First Philippine Republic. The constitution was drafted by a committee of wealthy and well-educated individuals and consisted of 101 articles grouped into fourteen separate titles, with additional transitory provisions. Despite Mabini's objections, the constitution was ultimately approved, and the republic was inaugurated on January 23, 1899, with much celebration in the streets of Malolos.
Mabini's fears about the functionality of the proposed system of government during wartime were not unfounded. The republic did indeed face significant challenges soon after its inauguration. Within less than a year, Congress was dispersed, and Aguinaldo was forced to move north, indicating that the young republic was facing existential threats. While it is unclear whether Mabini's proposed alternative system of government could have averted these challenges, his objections highlight the complexities and difficulties of nation-building during wartime.
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He thought the usual protections from tyranny and executive overreach would hamper the war of liberation
Apolinario Mabini, one of Emilio Aguinaldo's main advisors, objected to the framing of the Malolos Constitution, the first Philippine Constitution, which was approved on January 20, 1899. Mabini believed that the proposed system of government would not function well during wartime. He thought that the usual protections from tyranny and executive overreach would impede the war of liberation. He believed that quick and decisive action was necessary to ensure the proper conduct of the war. Mabini's opinion carried weight due to his role in Aguinaldo's leadership.
Mabini's concerns were rooted in the context of the Philippine Revolution, which began in 1896 when the Katipunan, a secret society dedicated to achieving Philippine independence from Spain, was discovered by Spanish authorities. This led to a series of battles between the Spanish and the Philippine Revolutionary Army, resulting in a truce called the Pact of Biak-na-Bato in 1897. Emilio Aguinaldo, who had replaced Andres Bonifacio as the leader of the revolutionary forces, accepted a payment from Spain and went into exile in Hong Kong.
However, Aguinaldo soon returned from exile and set about organizing the revolutionary movements into a cohesive and united government. On June 18, 1898, he issued a decree proclaiming a Dictatorial Government, with himself as the dictator. This decree established the procedure for creating local assemblies and electing representatives to a "Revolutionary Congress." The Malolos Congress was convened on September 15, 1898, with the task of drafting a constitution for the republic.
Despite Mabini's objections, the Malolos Constitution was approved on January 20, 1899, marking the inauguration of the First Philippine Republic. However, Mabini's influence can be seen in the fact that Aguinaldo requested certain changes to the draft constitution, granting him temporary powers to issue decrees during the nation's fight for independence.
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Mabini disagreed with the framing of the constitution at that time
Apolinario Mabini, one of Emilio Aguinaldo’s main advisors, disagreed with the framing of the Malolos Constitution, the first Philippine Constitution, at that time. Mabini believed that the proposed system of government would not function well during wartime. He thought that the usual protections from tyranny and executive overreach would hamper the successful conduct of the war of liberation. Mabini's opinion carried weight due to his role in Aguinaldo's leadership.
Aguinaldo had returned from exile and set about the task of organizing the disparate provincial and regional revolutionary movements into a cohesive and united government. He issued a decree proclaiming the establishment of a Dictatorial Government, with himself as the Dictator, and began to flesh out the structure for bureaucracy and political divisions. Mabini advised him on this process.
The Malolos Congress was convened on September 15, 1898, and a committee was selected to draft a constitution for the republic. The committee was composed of wealthy and well-educated individuals. The Political Constitution of 1899 was originally written in Spanish, which was the official language of the Philippines at the time. It consisted of 101 articles, which were grouped into fourteen separate titles, and included eight transitory provisions addressing temporary situations.
The Congress spent over a month discussing and debating each part of the draft constitution created by Felipe Calderón. By the end of this period, Congress had mostly come to an agreement on the draft, except for one main issue: religion. On November 28, an amendment was approved by just one vote, adding a section guaranteeing religious freedom. Mabini disagreed with the final draft, reiterating that during emergencies, quick and decisive action was necessary to ensure the proper conduct of the war. He had a constitutional program of his own.
Aguinaldo eventually accepted the draft for approval, and on January 21, he sent a letter to Congress asking for certain changes to be made. These changes added provisions that gave him temporary powers to issue decrees while the nation was still fighting for independence. The Malolos Constitution was approved on January 20, 1899, ushering in what is called the First Philippine Republic.
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He believed that the exigencies of war necessitated quick and decisive action
Apolinario Mabini, one of Emilio Aguinaldo's main advisors, objected to the framing of the Malolos Constitution, the first Philippine Constitution, which was approved on January 20, 1899. Mabini believed that the proposed system of government would not function well during wartime. He argued that the exigencies of war necessitated quick and decisive action, and that the usual protections from tyranny and executive overreach would hamper the successful conduct of the war of liberation.
Mabini's opinion carried weight due to his role in Aguinaldo's leadership. He had previously advised Aguinaldo on the structure for bureaucracy and political divisions, and the creation of local assemblies and the election of representatives to a "Revolutionary Congress". Mabini's constitutional program was at odds with the proposals and drafts prepared by notable representatives Felipe Buencamino, Felipe Calderon, and the newly elected President of Congress Pedro Paterno, who stressed the need for a constitution.
Mabini's concerns about the framing of the constitution were not without merit. The Philippines was in the midst of a revolution against Spain, and nationalist sentiment was growing among groups of Indios (Filipinos). The country was also facing the challenge of organising disparate provincial and regional revolutionary movements into a cohesive and united government. Mabini believed that during emergencies such as the War for Independence, the need for quick and decisive action was necessary to ensure the proper conduct of war.
Aguinaldo eventually accepted the draft for approval, but only for the duration of the war. He requested that certain changes be made to the draft, including provisions that gave him temporary powers to issue decrees while the nation was still fighting for independence. This compromise allowed for the constitution to be approved and promulgated, but also addressed Mabini's concerns about the need for quick and decisive action during wartime.
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Mabini had his own constitutional program
Apolinario Mabini, one of Emilio Aguinaldo's main advisors, objected to the framing of the Malolos Constitution, which was the first Philippine Constitution. Mabini believed that the proposed system of government would not function well during wartime. He also opposed the drafting of a constitution at that time, as the government was still focused on liberating the country from colonial rule. Mabini's opinion carried significant weight due to his role in Aguinaldo's leadership.
Mabini's program aimed to provide the necessary flexibility and efficiency during the War for Independence. He recognised that certain liberties might need to be temporarily restricted to ensure the successful prosecution of the war. Mabini's ideas carried significant influence, and Aguinaldo eventually accepted the need for such measures "for the duration of the war". This acceptance led to Aguinaldo requesting changes to the draft constitution, granting him temporary powers to issue decrees during the ongoing struggle for independence.
Mabini's constitutional program reflected his practical and strategic approach to governance during wartime. By prioritising quick decision-making and centralised authority, he sought to enhance the Philippines' ability to effectively wage their war of liberation against colonial powers. While Mabini's ideas may have conflicted with the immediate constitution-building process, they demonstrate his recognition of the unique challenges and requirements of governing a nation amidst a struggle for independence.
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Frequently asked questions
Mabini objected to the framing of the constitution because he believed that the proposed system of government would not function well during wartime.
The proposed system of government was a republic with a constitution.
Mabini was Aguinaldo’s principal adviser.
Yes, Mabini had a constitutional program of his own, which he believed was more suitable for the exigencies of war.
Yes, Mabini's objections caused an extended delay in the drafting process, as he reiterated that during emergencies, quick and decisive action is necessary to ensure the proper conduct of war.
