BONIFACIO, ANDRES (1863-1897).  Founder of the Katipunan revolutionary society and known as the Great Plebeian.  He was born on November 30, 1863, to poor parents, and, by dint of hard work and self-education, rose from poverty to found the resistance movement known as Katipunan against the ruthless Spanish rule in the Philippines.  In collaboration with Emilio Jacinto, who became known as the brains of the revolution, he issued stirring literature to arouse the people to revolt against the Spanish.  On August 23, 1896, Bonifacio assembled his men at Balintawak and tore their cedulas (poll tax) to symbolize the start of the resistance.  Inspired by his action, the flame of resistance spread to other provinces.  Spanish garrisons ere stormed and seized by Katipuneros.  However, a conflict of leadership developed between Bonifacio and Emilio Aguinaldo, who was leading the struggle in his home province of Cavite.  In the subsequent power struggle, Bonifacio lost and was killed together with his brother on May 10, 1897.  But the revolution against the Spanish continued unabated under the leadership of Aguinaldo.

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Taken from Artemio R. Guillermo and May Kyi Win.  Historical Dictionary of the Philippines.  Asian / Oceanian Historical Dictionaries, No. 24.  (Lanham, Maryland and London: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.  1997), p. 43.