The Leveling of Hierarchies: The Spanish Prisoners of War in the Hand of the Filipino Revolutionists

Abstract

In the hands of the Filipino revolutionaries, the Spanish prisoners of war were pawns in an intricate political plot involving the Americans, the Filipinos, and the Spanish. A large number of these prisoners were peninsular troops who were not too fortunate to be repatriated. A smaller percentage comprised of religious or friars who remained in the count either because of their religious vows or attachment to their holdings. These prisoners were caught at a fateful moment when strong conflicting interests interplayed among the three "actors": the Spanish, the Americans, and the Filipinos. These prisoners were treated well not only by the native population but also by the Aguinaldo government which was concerned with presenting to the world a newly-born nation with civilized manners, as well as with using the prisoners as a convenient leverage for bargaining to achieve its desire for independence. Although, the Spanish showed their tendency to bungle negotiations and ignore the desires of the colony they were just about to give up, they were tenacious in their efforts to release their compatriots. This paper examines another dimension of the Philippine-Spanish revolution.