Evils of spanish rules in the philippines

* . EVILS OF SPANISH RULES IN THE PHILIPPINES 1. Instability of Colonial Administration — King Ferdinand VIII (1808 — 1833) Frequent shift of policies owing to struggle between Liberalism and Despotism; From 1835-1897 there were 50 Governors General. 2. Corrupt Colonial Officials a. Gen. Rafael de Isquierdo (1875-1883) incompetent and cruel, boastful, ruthless, executed GOMBURZA in 1872. b. Gen. Primo de Rivera — accepted bribes from gambling casino which he permitted to operate. * 7. c. Gen. ValerianoWeyler (1888-1891) — cruel and corrupt received huge bribes, gifts and diamonds from wealthy Chinese who evaded anti-Chinese law; persecuted Calamba tenants particularly the family of Dr. Jose Rizal . 3. Philippine Representation in Spanish Cortes – 1st Philippine Delegates Ventura de los Reyes – Constitution 1812 – Abused Galleon trade – Propaganda Movement was not heard – Representation of Spanish colonies (including the Philippines) was abolished in 1837 * 8. 4. HUMAN RIGHTS denied to Filipinos – No freedom of expression 5. NO EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW Filipinos were abused, brutalized, persecuted and slanderedSpanish missionaries thought that ALL MEN irrespective of color and race are children of God and as such they are brothers, equal before God and not before the law… not in practice. Leyes de Indias (Laws of the Indies) rarely enforced – Spanish Civil Code imposed light penalties on Spaniards but heavier penalties to Indios. * 9. 6. MAL ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICECourts were notoriously corrupt, Judges, fiscals and court officials — inept, venal and oftentimes ignorant at the law. Justice — costly, partial and slow. Poor Filipinos has no access to the courts. Dona Teodora Rizal was jailed on flimsy ground in 1871; Dr. J. Rizal was deported in July 1892 without trial; Paciano and several brothers-in-law were exiled without due processGOMBURZA and RIZAL were executed * 10. 7. RACIAL DESCRIMINATION Spain introduced Christianity’s egalitarian concept of the BROTHERHOOD OF ALL MEN under GOD THE FATHER, but Filipinos were regarded as inferior beings undeserving of rights enjoyed by the Spaniards. Filipinos were called brown-skinned and flat nosed IndiosLack opportunities for educated young Filipinos to rise in the service of God and Country * 11. 8. FRAILOCRACY – a government by FriarsUnion of Church and stateFriars (Augustinians, Dominicans and Franciscans) — controlled the religious and educational life of the Philippines and later in the 19th century they came to acquire tremendous political power, influence and riches. Friars controlled government from governor general down to alcaldesmayores; Friars exercise priestly duties, supervise elections, inspector of books and taxes, arbiter of morals, censor of books and comedias, superintendent of public works and guardian of peace and order. Rizal, del Pilar, Jaena and other Filipino reformists blamed frailocracy/friars for obscurantism, fanaticism, and oppression in the country. Rizal’s Padre Damaso and Jaena’s fray Botod * 12. 9. FORCE LABOR (Polo y servicio) compulsory labor imposed by the Spanish colonial authorities on adult Filipino males in the construction of churches, schools, hospitals, buildings, roads and bridges, ships etc. Wealthy ones were able to evade forced labor by paying falla, a sum of money. Spaniards were not drafted to forced labor, contrary to law, while the Filipino polistas received only a part of two pesetas (50 centavos) or worse nothing at all. Disturbed the Indios’ work in the farm and shops and separate them from their families. * 13. 10. HACIENDA OWNED BY FRIARSFriars owned the best haciendas and the folks filling these land even before the coming of the Spaniards became tenants — resulted in bloody agrarian upheaval in 1745-1746. Rizal tried to initiate agrarian reform in 1887 but in vain, ignited the wrath of the Dominican Friars who retaliated by raising land rentals. Rizal in his “ Indolence of the Filipinos” in substance opined that Friars ownership of best agricultural tract of land contribute to the stagnation of economy. * 14. 11. GUARDIA CIVIL — created by Royal Decree of February 12, 1852; Maltreatment, abuse, robbers, rapists. Ill trained and undisciplined. Rizal’s Noli exposed the guardia civil through Elias as bunch of ruthless ruffians, good only for disturbing the peace and persecuting honest men.