The Evening Tribune Vol. VII no. 124 issue of 26 April 1899 Available at the NHCP National Memory Project
Date Published: January 2, 2025
The Evening Tribune Vol. VII no. 124 issue of 26 April 1899 Available at the NHCP National Memory Project
By Diana A. Galang
The NHCP received a copy of the Evening Tribune Vol. VII no. 124 issue of 26 April 1899 from Mr. Abraham Ambrocio Catiis through Mr. Jose Ruel Paguiligan, curator of the NHCP Museo ng Republika in Malolos, Bulacan. Mr. Catiis handed the donation on 30 September 2024. The newspaper was published by the Tribune Company in San Diego, California.
What is interesting to this particular issue was its news item, “Rebel’s Last Stand, Aguinaldo Meets United States Troops at Calumpit,” on 25 April 1899. It is also known in history as the Battle of Bagbag or Battle of Pampanga River. The Tribune gave details about how General Loyd Wheaton’s brigade and the Montana regiment breached the Filipino defense lines in Calumpit and advance further to northern Luzon in pursuit of General Emilio Aguinaldo.
The newspaper called the defenders of Calumpit “Rebels” but in the eyes of the Filipinos, they were not. General Aguinaldo’s army was only defending its legit government, which it earned after declaring independence from the Spain on 12 June 1898. The American forces, however, came into the picture claiming ownership of the Philippines as a result of the United States of America’s Treaty with Spain on 10 December 1898 that concluded the Spanish-American War, a totally different war that reached the Philippines, being a colony of Spain. And the rest is history, it opened the door for American incursion and the Philippine-American War and eventual death of the newly born Philippine Republic after General Aguinaldo was captured in Palanan, Isabela in March 1901.
