| Filipino Brotherhood of Assassins | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Organizational information | |
| Founder |
Andres Bonifacio (Founder of Katipunan) |
| Leader's title |
Supremo (Mentor) |
| Headquarters |
Manila, Pangasinan, Bulacan, Ilocos Sur, Cavite, Bicol Region, Cebu, Davao City, Quezon Province, Batangas, BARMM |
| Historical information | |
| Date formed |
July 7, 1892 (As Katipunan Brotherhood of Assassins) |
| Date collapsed |
March 22, 1897 |
| Date reorganized |
Around 1902 (as Tagalog Brotherhood of Assassin) |
| Additional information | |
| Notable members |
Andres Bonifacio, Jose Rizal, Deodato Arellano, Emilio Jacinto, Pio Valenzuela, Emilio Aguinaldo, Gregorio del Pilar, Macario Sakay, Paciano Rizal, Apolinario Mabini, Jericho Janea, Chandra Andal. Andrew Janea |
Visayan Brotherhood during the Spanish invasion in year 1521 (from left to right: Maliksi Pangil, Dayang Kalasag, Agila Matapang, Amihan Liyab)
The Filipino Brotherhood of Assassins (formerly Katipunan Brotherhood of Assassins in 1892 and Tagalog Brotherhood of Assassins in 1902) is a brotherhood of assassins operating in the Philippines Archipelago.
Preceding Brotherhood[]
Luzon Brotherhood of Assassins (900-1589)[]
Assassin Insignia of Luzon Brotherhood
The Luzon Brotherhood of Assassins is an Assassin Guild formed in the Kingdom of Tondo in 900 AD and one of the longest brotherhood in the Northern Philippine Archipelago, which lasted until 1589.
During 900 AD, the first leader of the Kingdom of Tondo and Chief Commander Jayadewa declared an association after the trial of Namwaran, the Chief of Dewata, for the security of all towns in secret. They decided to formed one nation to secure the operation of the trading industry.
In 1258, Rajah Lontok, a Prince from the Bruneian Empire, and other assassins conquered the Kingdom of Tondo. Their territory expanded to become a dominant empire in the region called the Kingdom of Maynila. The empire lasted for hundreds of years until the war between the native Filipinos led by Rajah Sulayman, a vassal to the Sultan of Brunei, and the Spaniards led by Martin de Goiti, Maestro de Campo on May 24, 1570. The forces under Goiti were victorious, and as a result, Manila became the capital of the Spanish East Indies.
In 1588, the last paramount ruler of the Kingdom of Tondo/Maynila Agustin de Legazpi, with his cousin Martin Pangan planned a revolt against the Spanish Templars to claim their absolute independence.
Legazpi sought help from a Japanese sea captain named Juan Gayo and asked for weapons and warriors to fight alongside them in exchange for one-half of the Philippines' tributes. They also requested help from other Assassin Guilds such as Borneo, Laguna, and Batangas to assault the city of Manila and assassinate the Spaniards. However, their plan was discovered by the Spaniards when Magat Salamat revealed their plan to fellow Assassin turned Templar Antonio Surabao. He turned out to be a traitor when he reported the conspiracy to the Spaniards. Consequently, the rebels associated with the collaboration were punished, with some being put to death and others being exiled. The plot against the Spaniards died alongside them. The brotherhood is finally dissolved in 1589 when the Spaniards execute all the assassins.
Subgroups[]
- Ilocano Brotherhood
- Kapampangan Brotherhood
- Tagalog Brotherhood (Prime Group)
- Bicolano Brotherhood
- Mangyan Brotherhood (Haninu'o and Buhid)
- Tagbanwa Brotherhood
Visayan Brotherhood of Assassins (1400-1565)[]
Assassin Insignia of Visayan Brotherhood
The Visayan Brotherhood of Assassins is a branch of the Assassin Guild located in Visayas, Philippines.
In the 1400s, together with the emergence of the Rajahnate in Sugbu (Cebu), a secret association of Assassins was also led by the founder of Sugbu Rajah Sri Lumay of the Chola Dynasty, a significant dynasty in southern India. Their mission is to join the forces of the military group of Sugbu in times of need, and they also have a mission to end the lives of their enemy leaders in secret.
In 1517, Habagat became an official member of the group after defeating Bagyo in a battle they called free-style fighting.
In 1521, at the Battle of Mactan, Lapu-Lapu, a valiant Datu of Mactan Island and leader of the Assassins, together with other Assassins, defeated the Spanish Templar army and successfully killed the Portuguese-Templar explorer Ferdinand Magellan.
In 1542, the Datu Lapu-Lapu's life came to an end when he was condemned to death by the decision of Rajah Humabon using ambush by his comrade. The organization was dissolved, but it did not last long and was also led by Datu Mangubat, but he suddenly died during the conflict between the Sugbu and Opong forces when they decided to end the rivalry in 1545. The successor Datu Habagat and the people of Opong launched a permanent settlement in Pakihan at Camotes Island to prevent conflict from Sugbu Forces.
In 1550, the newly-appointed Rajah Tupas, the cousin of Rajah Humabon, agreed with Datu Habagat to ally to become one province, and the said leaders merged the two military forces to increase their strength in a possible conflict.
In 1565, the Spanish Templars again arrived in the country with the great General Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, and the Spanish Templars had a war with the Sugbu forces. Because of their great advantage in battle, the Spaniards defeated the military forces of Sugbu and the Assassins. The last Datu of Opong Habagat was killed by the Spanish Templars when he was shot in the back as he saved his family. The brotherhood was finally dissolved.
Mindanaoan Brotherhood of Assassins (1405-1915, & 1962-1986)[]
Assassin Insignia of Sulu Brotherhood
The Mindanaoan Brotherhood of Assassins (formerly known as Sulu Brotherhood of Assassins) is an Assassins Guild operating in Mindanao Island located in Southern Philippines. It is considered the longest and most stable Assassin Guild in the country for more than 500 years.
The emergence of the Assassin Guild and the Sultanate of Sulu in 1405 was founded by Sharif ul-Hashim, a Muslim Assassin from Johor, Malaysia. He established the permanent Islamic religion in the country, and here many worshipers of the said religion along with the indigenous people around them.
In 1987, they decided to merge with the Filipino Brotherhood as part of the sovereign state due to its dissolution. However, they struggle in terms of belief and ideology with other Assassins. So they decided to separate parts from others with autonomous authority.
Subgroups[]
- Tausug Brotherhood
- Maguindanaon Brotherhood
Before the brotherhood reorganized[]
After the fall of the previous Assassin Guilds, there were several revolts against the Spanish Templars (1596-1872) by indigenous Moro, Lumad, Indians, Chinese (Sangleys), and Insulares (Filipinos of Full or near entire Spanish descent), often with the goal of re-establishing the rights and powers that had traditionally belonged to Lumad Timueys, Maginoo Rajah and Moro Datus. Some revolts stemmed from the land problem, and this was primarily the cause of the insurrections that transpired in the agricultural provinces of Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna. Natives also rebelled over unjust taxation and forced labor.
Most of these revolts failed because most of the local population sided up with the well-armed colonial government and fought with the Spanish as foot soldiers to put down the rebellions.
In Mindanao and Sulu, a continuous fight for sovereignty was sustained by the Moro people and their allies for the whole duration of Spanish conquest and rule.
Reorganization[]
Assassin insignia of Katipunan.
On July 3, 1892, the La Liga Filipina was formed by Dr. Jose Rizal, a nationalist and polymath. The purpose is to build a new group that sought to involve the people directly in the reform movement. However, the organization didn't last when Rizal was arrested and exiled in Dapitan on July 6, 1892, which immediately dissolved. Andres Bonifacio and Apolinario Mabini were decided to form their successors such as Katipunan and Cuerpo de Compromisarios.
Katipunan[]
The Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan ("Supreme and Venerable Association of the Children of the Nation", Spanish: Suprema y Venerable Asociación de los Hijos del Pueblo), also known as Katipunan or KKK, a revolutionary organization founded by Andres Bonifacio to free the Philippines from being slavery by the Spaniards and achieve the desired freedom. It was based on July 7, 1892, a day after La Liga Filipina's dissolution due to the arrest of their organization president Dr. Jose Rizal on July 6, 1892.
The Katipunan had four aims, namely:
- to develop a strong alliance with each Katipunero/Assassins;
- to unite Filipinos into one stable nation;
- to win Philippine independence using an armed conflict (or revolution);
- to establish a rightful government after independence.
Cuerpo de Compromisarios[]
The Cuerpo de Compromisarios, similar to Katipunan, an organization that also seeks to free the Philippines from the Spaniards using non-violent methods of the newspapers and letters in secret, would awaken every Filipino and fight against the foreigners.
Modern times[]
Jericho Janea, the Grandmaster of Filipino Assassins, a former engineer in the Philippine Army from 1985 until he died in 2010. Also, a spy to track the leader of the Templars hiding in the cloak of the high-ranking government officials. Before his death, he and Chandra Andal, the future grandmaster, investigated the military camp in Subic, Olongapo, to seek and retrieve the sword of Eden called Gintong Kampilan. However, they encountered the Templars when their group was ambushed due to the revelation of one of their comrades about their plan to seize the said weapon. Their mission was not successful when Jericho died in the battle to save Chandra from danger.
In 2020, the newly kidnapped Andrew Janea by the Abstergo Manila had successfully traced his ancestor named Habagat, who lived in the pre-colonial Spanish period and a famous warrior in Opong.