ARTEMIO RICARTE : HERO OR TRAITOR

College of Engineering, Architecture & Fine Arts

Batangas State University

Batangas City

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the

Readings in Philippine History

By:

Macaraig, Marc Nickos A.

Magbojos, Kirsten Carlie C.

Dr. JED C. TOLENTINO

I. Introduction

Artemio Ricarte y Garcia, born on October 20, 1866, in Batac, Ilocos Norte,
Philippines. Was a Filipino general who served throughout the Philippine Revolution and
the Philippine–American War. Though the modern Philippine army is a descendant of
the American-allied troops that defeated the Philippine revolutionary army led by
General Ricarte, he is considered as the father of the Philippine army and the first chief
of staff of the Philippine armed forces (March 22, 1897-January 22, 1899 ). Ricarte is
well-known for refusing to swear an oath of allegiance to the United States government,
which ruled the Philippines from 1898 to 1946.

Before joining the Katipunan He studied education at the University of Santo

Tomas. After finishing his schooling, he moved to Cavite to manage a primary school
there. He was recruited into the Katipunan in Cavite. He was a fierce fighter, earning the
nickname or nom de guerre "Vibora," which translates to "Viper." He was a well-
respected commander who rose to the position of "Captain General" of Aguinaldo's
revolutionary army. He is known as the "Father of the Philippine Army." Ricarte and his
katipunan revolutionaries overthrew the Spanish army base at San Francisco de
Malabon on August 31, 1896, marking the start of the Philippine War of Independence,
and Ricarte was chosen chief of staff of the Philippine Revolutionary Army on March 22,
1897.

II. Evidences

Hero

Ricarte was one of those recruited by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo to cooperate with
the Americans in destroying Spain's authority in the Philippines. He was in charge of the
Philippine soldiers in Santa Ana at the beginning of the Spanish-American War in 1898,
and he assisted in the capture of Manila. However, the United States, which had
assisted the Philippines in driving out the Spanish, refused to acknowledge Philippine
independence and instead chose to acquire the islands. Ricarte was in charge of
Philippine forces near Manila during the beginning of the Philippine-American War in
early 1899, In November or early December 1903, they founded a committee called the
Universal Republic of Philippine Democracy with the following as officers and members:
President, Rafael de Leon; Secretary, F. G. Rivera; and members: Primitive Artacho,
Roman Francisco, and Luis Santos. The main objective was to secure the independence
of the Philippines. Prior to the formation of this committee, however, Ricarte had been
issuing orders (dated September 1903) as director on behalf of a government which he
called Gobierno Triunvirato Dictatorial Filipino, the nature of which was purely military.
And later on, he was imprisoned by the US for six months after being arrested while
attempting to enter the American lines. He was deported to Guam for two years and was
barred from entering the Philippines in 1903 after refusing to swear an oath of loyalty to
the United States. Instead, he went to Hong Kong and, disguised as a sailor, entered the
Philippines, aiming to restart the revolution against the Americans. But he secretly
traveled back again to the Philippines, and he still had the chance to apply as a clerk in
Mariveles Bataan using the alias "JOSE GARCIA." However, he became unwell in early
1904, which hindered his activities. He was apprehended in May 1904 and spent the
following six years in Bilibid prison, which was passed by the brigandage act. where he
was visited by American Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks. He was freed on June
26, 1910, just 6 years into his 11-year sentence, but when he refused to pledge
allegiance to the United States again, he was deported to Hong Kong. Ricarte accepted
in exchange for Japan's recognition of Philippine independence, and Japan awarded the
Philippines independence as the second Philippine republic in 1943. He escaped from
the American and Filipino liberation troops after the war and died of dysentery in Kalinga
on July 31, 1945.

He was admired for refusing to swear the oath of loyalty to the US. He was
forced to live in exile in Hong Kong and Yokohama, Japan, where his family had a
restaurant and he owned property. He published novels, taught Spanish, and had a quiet
life, yet he yearned for the Philippines to be free of colonizers. When World War II broke
out, he returned to the Philippines and was active in the formation of the Makapili Bad
Decision, an anti-US, pro-Japan group.

Ricarte secretly joined the Katipunan, a pro-independence "blood fraternity."

Following that, he joined the anti-Spanish Philippine revolt of 1896–1897 as an officer.
Ricarte was one of those recruited by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo to assist the Americans in
undermining Spain's power in the Philippines when the Spanish-American war broke out.
Ricarte was promoted to general by the revolutionary government after commanding a
military sector in Luzon. Ricate thought that the Americans would willingly withdraw from
the islands as early as December 1898, and he proposed to Aguinaldo a plan for an
immediate insurrection against American forces in Manila.Despite the fact that this plot
was foiled, the fighting that emerged on February 4, 1899, resulting in the bloody
Philippine-American War, took place in an area adjacent to Ricarte's control, and some
observers believe Ricarte's belligerence contributed significantly to the nervousness of
the Filipino soldiers.

He turned down an offer to end his exile in 1903 when he refused to swear
allegiance to the United States. As a result, he was deported to Hong Kong. He secretly
returned to Manila the same year but was apprehended again in 1904, charged with
conspiracy and subversion, and imprisoned for six years.

He was released in 1910, but again, he refused to take an oath of allegiance to

the US and was deported back to Hong Kong. He lived in Hong Kong for five years and
thereafter transferred to Japan.

In 1944, during the Japanese occupation, Ricarte, together with fellow veteran
revolutionist generals Leon Villafuerte, and Andres Villanueva, Benigno Ramos of the
Ganap Party (formerly the Sakdal Party), Pio Duran, and others, established the
Makapili (Makabayang Katipunan ng mga Pilipino-"patriotic league of Filipinos"), an
armed pro-Japanese militia to fight the American forces.

Due to the hardship and difficulties from evading American and Filipino attacks,
Ricarte became ill and suffered from debilitating dysentery.

During World War II, he was flown back to this country and used for the
"pacification" campaign. He was asked to evacuate to Japan near the end of the war, as
the Japanese administration was collapsing, but he declined. During WWII, he was flown
back to this country and used for the "pacification" campaign. General Ricarte, who for
decades was forced to live in ex-ile because he wanted genuine freedom for his people,
finally got his wish. He succumbed to dysentery in 1945 and is buried in the bosom of his
motherland. The Shrine of General Artemio Ricarte
 He was part of the Magdiwang Council (pro-Bonifacio) but at the time of
Bonifacio's death, he never stopped fighting for the republic. Ricarte is an example of a
true patriot fighting for a principle and not for one man.

It must be known that Vibora lived and died poor. His actions were never out of
greed but out of patriotism in his way. As a collaborator of the Japanese, he may have
been a traitor in WWII, but it must be remembered that he never swore allegiance to any
other country, especially the United States and Japan. The Vibora is an example of a
new patriotism said by Sionil Jose in his book "VIBORA '' by collaborating with a stronger
force.

Ricarte's ability to get affirmation and maintain his position is one of his
distinguishing talents. Ricarte and his wife Agueda Esteban chose to seek refuge in
Japan, which was one of Asia's rising countries at the time. When he first arrived in
Japan, one of his occupations was in a ceramic factory. He also had the opportunity to
teach Spanish before launching the restaurant "Karihan Luvimin." The eatery has
become notable since they raise the Philippine flag there daily.

Traitor

Ricarte‘s peaceful life was again scattered. It is because of the rise of World War
II when Japan thought to use him in their propaganda. And after 30 years, El Vibora
agreed to come back to the Philippines. He was sent around to speak for Japan‘s
propaganda. However, their expectations of Ricarte were not met because Ricarte's
name was not well known or influential at the time. Also, Ricarte‘s image of the Filipinos
became negative because of his fellowship with the new subjugator. Ricarte was ignored
because he had no use for Japan. And in 1945, the Japanese army under Artemio
Ricarte, who was 78 years old at the time, hiked to the mountains of the Cordillera.
Ricarte failed to take revenge on America and became a traitor in the eyes of the
Filipinos.

Ricarte obtained weaponry from both America and Japan. That seems to be
because he worked with the Japanese, who were the enemies at the time.
 He was accused of being unconcerned with his countrymen's sufferings under
Japanese rule during his exile in Japan. More specifically, the torture and killing of
Filipinos.

He was mainly known as one of Andres Bonifacio‘s generals and the co-founder
of the pro-Japanese group MAKAPILI. The Revolutionary general established a group
aiding the Japanese who were oppressing the Filipinos. This was the reason why some
Filipinos see Artemio Ricarte as a traitor who had abandoned his fellow countrymen.

Out of all the groups that collaborated with Japan during World War II, MAKAPILI
became the most infamous and hated.

The MAKAPILI was established after the Japanese began conscripting Filipinos
to strengthen their armed forces. Former Revolutionary General Artemio Ricarte, Pio
Duran, and former Sakdalista Movement founder Benigno Ramos led it. Its members, on
the other hand, became feared not for their battle prowess, but for their deception, which
included spying on and selling out their people.

When a village or town was suspected of guerrilla involvement, the Japanese

would collect up the locals and then let MAKAPILI members—who covered their faces
with bamboo baskets except for their eyes—point out the suspected insurgents or
supporters. As a result, the Japanese dragged numerous Filipinos, including the
innocent, away to be tortured and killed.

III. Comparison and Contradiction of the arguments

Some accounts said that towards the end of World War II, Ricarte was asked by
a Japanese military officer to evacuate the Philippines but Ricarte declined, stating:

"I can not take refuge in Japan at this critical moment when my people are in distress. I
will stay in my motherland until the end.”

However, he ended up finding asylum in Japan, which enraged many Filipinos,

claiming to be working with the Japanese and calling him a traitor.
 Artemio Ricarte was a hero when he joined Katipunan and participated in the
revolution. However, when the Filipinos saw him alongside the Japanese forces, they
deemed him a traitor. According to reports, Ricarte was a member of the MAKAPILI
group, which was accused of selling their countrymen to the Japanese army, which
tormented Filipino guerillas and even innocent residents. This evidences Artemio
Ricarte's identity; whether he should be regarded as a hero who saved the country from
colonization or a traitor who betrayed his fellow Filipinos to the Japanese troops.

His dreams and feelings for the Philippines remained unaffected by his self-exile
in Japan for about thirty years. His restaurant became a destination for Filipinos living
overseas. Many of his compatriots, particularly members of the Philippine Independent
Missions, came to his restaurant to hear his thoughts on Philippine independence. The
Hare Hawes-Cutting Bill was one of the topics concerning Philippine independence that
piqued his interest. For him, the law was a sweet-coated poison in that, while on the
surface, it promised to offer freedom, it would ultimately strangle the Filipinos' yearning
for true economic and political independence.

Neither did Ricarte change his attitude towards the Americans. In an interview
with Verzosa, he said that he will go home to the Philippines only if she is no longer tied
to the chains of the United States. Even at the age of 73 he still refused to come back
despite the invitation given to him by the philippine national assembly through a
resolution wherein they offered to give him a pension of ₱100 a month. President
Manuel Luis Quezon even personally asked him to return to the Philippines. But to all
these persuasions Ricarte had only one answer; that is, he is anxious to go back but
there is a great obstacle that stands in the way and that is the necessity of swearing
allegiance to the American flag.

During the Second World War, however, Ricarte became a "misunderstood

patriot" and this was due to his collaboration activities with the Japanese. He fought with
the Japanese because he sincerely believed that the Philippines would secure its
independence with the help of the Japanese.

But whatever Ricarte did during the Japanese occupation history will vindicate
him as a man who stood by his principles-a patriot who preferred the difficult life of an
exile in Japan to surrender to the Americans whom he sincerely believed, merely
supplanted Spanish tyranny and deprived the Filipinos of their bitterly fought for
freedom.

IV. Conclusion

Artemio Ricarte is a hero in my opinion. After reviewing his achievements, I am

amazed by what he has done for our nation. He snuck back in to start a revolution for
the second time after refusing to swear an oath of loyalty to America and Japan and
even being exiled from our nation. He was labeled a traitor just because he was exiled in
Japan, but even then, he opened his Filipino restaurant to promote our nation and raise
our flag. It demonstrates that he genuinely cares about his nation, and as a result, he
deserves to be recognized as a hero.

As a student, I see Artemio Ricarte as a hero. Upon studying his life and what he
did for our country, I saw his passion and will to make the Philippines free from being
colonized. He remained faithful to the Philippines despite that being offered to him. He
refused to take an oath of allegiance to the American flag even though he knows that it
is a way for him to live easier. He chose to be imprisoned rather than turning away from
his duties. And besides, he was known as ―El Vibora‖ because of his greatness as a
leader.

Some people believe Ricarte was underappreciated regardless of what he had

done. He is a rare type of role model who deserves to be fully appreciated. Ricarte's life
might have been made much easier if he had taken the pledge of allegiance to America,
but he chose the other path, proving that he is a true hero who deserves to be better
appreciated.

V. Relevance and Importance

History is the study of how things change over time, and it includes every facet of
human civilization. Political, social, technological, economic, scientific, cultural,
intellectual, medical, religious, and military developments are all part of history. Knowing
history is necessary as it is the events in which it identifies the origin of culture, tradition
and holds the identity of a certain place or thing. And it is important for a person to
clearly understand the history which made changes to the society and the way people
live.

Artemio Ricarte‘s life and his story were a part of our identity as Filipino. This
serves as proof that the Philippines was once colonized by other countries and that there
were people who served as our heroes whom they sacrificed their lives for the
independence of our country. Artemio Ricarte, also known as "El Vibora" and considered
as the "Father of the Philippine Army", participated in helping the Philippines attain
independence. His response of refusing America‘s offer to take the oath of allegiance
sets an example of a person who perseveres and stands for his/her country and identity.
He was a nationalistic and patriotic role model for Filipinos to look up to and be inspired
by. He is one of the reasons why we Filipinos have the freedom from being colonized by
other countries.

VI. Implication to the Philippine History

He attended the Tejeros conference in Cavite as one of the original members of

the KKK. A convention to resolve the conflict between the two councils and to decide
what sort of government should be established. The revolutionary leaders held the
conference at Tejeros in a friar's estate mansion, presumably to discuss Cavite's
defense against the Spaniards during the Philippine Revolution. Artemio Ricarte of
Magdiwang was then chosen Captain-General, defeating Santiago Alvarez (son of
Mariano) of Magdiwang.

He represents patriotism, which is uncommon in instances where someone offers

something that may make his/her condition easier. During Spanish and American
colonialism, Artemio "Vibora" Ricarte took part and led the revolution. He was a teacher
who rose to become a renowned captain in the Philippine Army, winning several battles
under his command. He was recruited by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo to cooperate with the
Americans in destroying Spain‘s authority in the Philippines. Then he was recognized to
be a great leader and was known to be the father of the Philippine army. After destroying
Spain‘s authority, Gen. Ricarte doubted that America would willingly withdraw from the
islands. He submitted a plan to Aguinaldo regarding an immediate uprising against
American troops. Artemio Ricarte‘s belligerence and decisions significantly became an
advantage for the Filipino soldiers.

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