Emilio Aguinaldo is not a Hero, but a Traitor As every Filipino citizen already knows, Emilio Aguinaldo is one of the most prominent figures in Philippine history and is viewed differently by different people. Some consider him a hero for his role in the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colonial rule and his leadership in the Philippine-American War. Others view him as a traitor for his decision to collaborate with the American forces and for his role in the execution of revolutionary leader Andres Bonifacio. In this post, I’m gonna list down all his committed acts of treason. Prior to the Tejeros Convention, suspicions of treason were already cast upon Aguinaldo by Andres Bonifacio and his trusted advisors. Intel received by Bonifacio indicated that Aguinaldo had engaged in secret negotiations with Catholic friars and Spanish officials in which there is money involved, acting independently and without the consent of the Katipunan leader. However, Bonifacio didn’t have sufficient and concrete evidence against the general of the revolution. During the Tejeros Convention, Andres Bonifacio declared the elections to be null and void, and the following day, he released the Acta de Tejeros, officially confirming this invalidation and documenting the reasons behind it, along with airing other grievances against the Magdalo faction. This document was endorsed by 45 high and middle-ranking officers of the Magdiwang branch of the Katipunan. Despite this clear directive from the highest leadership of the Katipunan, Aguinaldo proceeded to take his oath of office in the presence of a Catholic priest. The first act, which defied the authority of the Katipunan leader, can be considered an act of treason. The second act, taking an oath before a Catholic priest, contradicted Katipunan principles and practices and could be viewed as a betrayal. Thus, it can be argued that Aguinaldo's actions were seen as betrayals and acts of treason by some members of the Katipunan, particularly by Andres Bonifacio and his supporters. In the context of the Philippine-American War and Aguinaldo's role as the leader and President of the revolutionary Philippine government, it is true that Aguinaldo was captured by the Americans in 1901. Unlike other revolutionaries, such as Mabini, Aguinaldo chose to take an oath of allegiance to the United States with a promise to support the Americans on anything they’re about to do in our motherland. Consequently, he was allowed to remain in the Philippines and lead a comfortable life as a politician, while Mabini and others endured exile in Guam for refusing to take the oath. From this perspective, it can be argued that Aguinaldo's decision to take the oath of allegiance to the United States could be seen as a betrayal of his government, his colleagues, the revolutionary principles he once stood for, and his country. In addition to that, Aguinaldo did not take punitive action against Filipino soldiers who engaged in acts of rape on Filipino women and looting of barrios, nor did he discipline officers who used their positions to confiscate land and valuable possessions from private individuals in the areas they occupied. These actions can be seen as a betrayal of the oath to serve the people, as they demonstrate a failure to uphold the principles of justice, protection, and respect