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His
studies was interrupted by the Revolution. He joined the Katipunan
in 1894, taking on the symbolic name of "Pingkian" (Inflammable).
His sad experiences with his Spanish classmates, his sensitivity to the
plight of his people and his readings about the Spanish injustices led
him to do so against the wishes of his mother and uncle. He was only
19 years old then, but he became one of the ablest leaders of the Katipunan.
Jacinto's enthusiasm, ideas and spirit soon guided the course of the society. He wrote Kartilla (Primer of the Katipunan), the oath of the pledges, which served as the guiding principle of the Katipuneros, and became the indispensable adviser of Bonifacio, who recognized his talents and patriotism. He served in various capacities in the Katipunan: as secretary, fiscal, editor and later general. He founded and edited the Katipunan newspaper "Kalayaan" (Liberty) which came out for the first time in January (1896) in two issues, Sa Mga Kababayan (To My Compatriots), and Pahayag (Manifesto). The second issue was not circulated because the Spanish authorities discovered the printing press. In May of 1896, he headed the delegation of katipuneros, composed of Andres Bonifacion, Cipriano Pacheco, Pio Valenzuela and several others, who offered their respects to the Japanese admiral and handed him a memorial for the Emperor of Japan, to the end that "the light that shone over Japan might also shed its rays over the Philippine Islands." The Katipunan, under the leadership of Andres Bonifacio, and of his intelligence director Jacinto, launched the first attack on a Spanish garrison at San Juan del Monte on August 30, 1896. Soon afterwards, Bonfacio assigned Jacinto to perform a dangerous mission - the rescue of Rizal, who was in Manila Bay confined aboard a Spanish warship waiting for the mail steamer to take him to Cuba via Europe. Jacinto disguised himself as a Chinese coolie and succeeded in boarding the vessel. Disguised as a Chinese caragador, he secretly introduced himself into Dr. Rizal's cabin in order to convince him that he ought to make a cause with the sons of the people. Rizal, however, refused to escape. After the cry of Pasong Tamo, and the fight of Balintawak, Jacinto was proclaimed Generalissimo of the North (Punong Hukbo sa Hilagaan) by Bonifacio, that is, commander of the zone comprising the provinces of Rizal, Laguna, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and including the Walled City. Nevertheless, he continued being the sole adviser of the President of the Supreme Council, until the latter was killed. Being the sole adviser to Bonifacio he constantly furnished him with cartridge shells, gunpowder, firearms, bows and arrows, money, printing materials, musical compositions of Nakpil and poems of his own. He also wrote a collection of political and social essays entitled "Liwanag at Dilim". His greatest poem was entitled A La Patria (To my Fatherland) which he composed under the coconut palms in Santa Cruz, Laguna on October 8, 1897. It was based on Rizal's Ultimo Adios and signed "Dimas-Ilaw", Jacinto's pen name. His moral and literary model was Rizal and his political idol was Marcelo H. Del Pilar. |
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