Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo 2014

The film opens with a stark reminder of the execution of the GOMBURZA in the wake of the 1872 Cavite Mutiny, a brutal event that stirs a quiet resistance across the islands. On July 3, 1892, Dr. Jose Rizal, Jericho Rosales, launches La Liga Filipina, a peaceful reform movement aimed at uniting all Filipinos under a single, hopeful voice. Among its members is Andres Bonifacio, Robin Padilla, who is then shouldering the burden of his siblings after their parents succumb to illness, a detail that colors his sense of duty and sacrifice.

With the help of his friend Teodoro Plata, Bonifacio encounters Gregoria de Jesús, Vina Morales, known to her circle as Bantug and Oriang. Bonifacio visits the church and runs into Bantug again, only to hear her skepticism about his affiliations—she suspects he has joined a secret group of Masons and is not as devout as he appears. He denies these claims, insisting they are inventions spread by the friars. Later, a harsh street encounter unfolds: Oriang’s friend pleads with a friar to pay a salary owed to a poor man, but the friar refuses and spits venom, only to have the man fall victim to a Spaniard’s gunfire. The scene leaves a family in mourning and a community on edge.

The bond between Bonifacio and Oriang deepens, and their relationship culminates in marriage after Bantug’s parents give their blessing. As Bonifacio continues recruiting Katipuneros, he discovers Teodoro Plata and his sister Nonay share a secret romance, underscoring the complex personal loyalties braided into the struggle. The following day, Emilio Aguinaldo—the gobernadorcillo—joins the Katipunan, signaling the movement’s widening reach.

The Katipunan begins to publish Ang Kalayaan through the presses of Diario de Manila, spreading their message far and wide. They distribute the papers to awaken fellow countrymen to the cause, but the Spaniards soon catch wind of subversive activities. A raid on the Binondo press uncovers Ang Kalayaan, and the organization grows wary as fear and suspicion creep in.

One of the paper’s publishers is tortured, and the brutal sight of the dead man galvanizes Bonifacio to rally the Katipuneros to Tandang Sora’s home. There, Tandang Sora lends Bonifacio a sword and lends weight to his resolve. The revolution is publicly proclaimed on August 29, 1896, and a chorus of voices erupts: Mabuhay ang Katipunan! Mabuhay ang rebolusyon! Mabuhay ang Supremo!

On the day of the uprising, the rebels move with stealth: they cross a river, pull a Spaniard’s leg, and a companion is shot. Inside a gatehouse, a torch is hurled from a trolley loaded with canisters as Bonifacio and his men press forward, and a fierce battle erupts between the Katipuneros and the Spanish garrison. By nightfall, the Spanish flag has been replaced with the Katipunan’s emblem, a powerful symbol of their growing courage and resolve.

Doubt and division threaten the unity of the revolutionary leadership. Aguinaldo’s inner circle worries that Bonifacio’s leadership could fracture the movement, prompting Aguinaldo to urge him to come to Cavite to heal the rifts between Magdiwang and Magdalo and to hold a decisive election. Aguinaldo is elected president, while Bonifacio assumes the role of interior minister. The vote is challenged when Daniel Tirona questions Bonifacio’s credentials, provoking a furious clash that leads Bonifacio to void the results and cast doubt over the new leadership.

Tensions flare into a violent crackdown: Bonifacio is pursued, his brother Ciriaco is shot dead, Procopio is beaten, and Oriang faces the possibility of rape at the hands of Col. Agapito Bonzón. Severely wounded and without proper care, Bonifacio clings to a dream of true independence and shares it with Oriang. The final chapters witness the tragic fall of Bonifacio and Procopio, both sentenced to death, marking a brutal turning point in the struggle.

The finale is both arcing and symbolic. Bonifacio lifts his personal flag high as he leads his troops in a last charge, the banner slowly morphing into the present Philippine flag, a cinematic echo of the nation’s enduring aspiration. In a post-credits moment, Antonio Luna makes a cameo appearance (a nod that foreshadows the film Heneral Luna).

Mabuhay ang Katipunan! Mabuhay ang rebolusyon! Mabuhay ang Supremo!