1899: Betrayal of Trust: The San Juan Del Monte Bridge Incident
1899: Betrayal of Trust: The San Juan Del Monte Bridge Incident
First Shot of the War, Feb. 4, 1899
San Juan Bridge: Contrary to popular belief that prevailed for over a century, the first shot of the Philippine-American War was not fired on this bridge but on Sociego Street in Santa Mesa district, Manila. The Philippines’ National Historical Institute (NHI) recognized this fact through Board Resolution 7 Series of 2003. On Feb. 4, 2004 the marker on the bridge was removed and transferred to a site at the corner of Sociego and Silencio streets. (Source: www. filipinoamericanwar.com)
This Day in History: February 4, 1899
By Quennie Ann J. Palafox
Without any single doubt, the Filipino-American War is one of the most unforgettable events in our history because in just one day, the fate of the nation was changed and its impacts are still felt to date and will persist down to the future generation.
The following events that happened preceding to the San Juan accident led to the worsening of Filipino-American relations: the American order of the retreat by the Aguinaldo’s army of the strategic points along the Manila Bay area; the Filipino soldiers were prevented to enter the city after its capitulation and the areas to be occupied by the Filipino troops were limited; and, the controversy behind the signing of the infamous Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898 without the consent of the Filipinos.
When Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo declared the much-awaited independence of the country on June 12, 1898 in Kawit, Cavite the Filipinos thought that they are completely free at last and they have found new ally in the Americans. However, they never imagined that the alliance will be cut-short as the real intentions of the Americans were unveiled after the American expeditionary contingent under Maj. Gen. Arthur MacArthur arrived in July, completing the estimate of 15, 000, military troops by Gen. Nelson Miles, the overall ranking officer in the US Army. The frank and straightforward warning from the American command to fire on any Filipino revolutionary who would cross the American areas manifested a deception.
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