Biac-Na-Bató It was a pact signed by the Spanish authorities and the Filipino rebels on December 14, 1897, after five months of negotiations.
Pedro Alejandro Paterno was appointed , Filipino statesman, as mediator between Fernando Primo de Rivera , Captain General of the Philippines, and Emilio Aguinaldo y Fany (leader of the rebels).
The pact forced the Spanish authorities to pay an amount of money to the insurgents and to undertake certain reforms. For their part, the rebels promised to end the armed struggle and go into exile in Hong Kong. It was agreed to pay compensation of $800,000 to be made in three installments:
- 400,000 dollars when Emilio Aguinaldo and 25 other insurgents left the country for Hong Kong (until this part was paid, the rebels kept two Spanish officers hostage)
- $200,000 when the number of weapons delivered reaches 800.
- The last payment would be made when the arms surrendered reached 1,000 and a general amnesty was declared.
This agreement benefited both parties, the Spanish could focus on Cuba and the Filipinos took a break (internal disputes were undermining their "revolution"). The last payment was never made and the general amnesty was never declared (the small skirmishes never ceased).
Miguel Primo de Rivera, Fernando's nephew and personal secretary, sent a letter to Emilio Aguinaldo forbidding him to return to Manila. The unfulfilled agreements and the letter provoked the anger of the exiles. The compensation money was used to buy weapons and revolt against the Spanish.
