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Enlightened by the ''[[Dr. José Rizal#Legacy|Propaganda Movement]]'' to the injustices of the Spanish colonial government and the frailocracy, they originally clamored for adequate representation to the [[Spanish Cortes]] and later for independence. [[José Rizal]], the most celebrated intellectual, was executed in [[1896]] for [[treason]] as Rizal was implicated in the outbreak of the Revolution. The [[Katipunan]] was founded by [[Andrés Bonifacio]] as its Supremo or leader. It was a secret society for the sole purpose of overthrowing Spanish rule in the Philippines. However, the society was discovered by Fr. Mariano Gil who broke his vow of confession and reported to the Spanish authorities the confession of a parishioner who was a sister of a Katipunero. The [[Philippine Revolution]] broke out. The Katipunan being divided into two groups, Magdiwang led by [[Andrés Bonifacio]], and Magdalo led by [[Emilio Aguinaldo]]. The revolution ended in a truce with the Pact of Biak na Bato, where the revolutionaries capitulated and agreed to exile themselves in Hong-Kong.
The [[United States]] and Spain became involved in the [[Spanish-American war]] in 1898. [[Emilio Aguinaldo]] was then lured back to the Philippines with a supposed promise of independence similar to Cuba, which was fighting a war of independence. Thus, on [[June 12]], [[1898]], with victory seemingly attainable, [[Emilio Aguinaldo]], leader of the revolutionaries, declared the independence of the Philippines in Kawit, [[Cavite]]. However, the Battle for Manila between Spain and the United States turned out to be a farce, which sought to exclude the Filipinos from the eventual occupation of Manila. Spain and the United States ignored the Filipino representative, Felipe Agoncillo, during their negotiations in the [[Treaty of Paris (1898)|Treaty of Paris]]. Spain was forced by Paris officials to hand over Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico to the United States in exchange for US$20,000,000.00, which the United States later claim to be a gift. The first Philippine Republic rebelled against the US occupation and this resulted in the [[Philippine-American War]] ([[1899]]-[[1913]]). It came under U.S. control and in [[1935]], its status was upgraded to that of a U.S. [[Commonwealth]]. Independence for the Philippines was finally granted on [[July 4]], [[1946]], after the [[Japan|Japanese invasion]] and occupation of the islands during [[World War II]].
The Philippines has faced some degree of economic and political instability after 1946. The restive Hukbalahaps, guerillas who fought against the Japanese during World War II, threatened the countryside, and consequently the capital, Quezon City, and Manila in the '50's after their representative was cheated in the elections and ousted from Congress. The Huk threat was eventually solved with the surrender of Luis Taruc, the Huk Supremo, to [[Benigno Aquino Jr.]] (later elected as Senator), and Secretary of Defense [[Ramón Magsaysay]], who would eventually become president. The late '60's and early '70's saw the rise of student activism, and anti-American demonstrations. Furthermore, a Constitutional Convention composed of elected delegates drafted a new constitution to replace the 1935 Constitution in a referendum. This period was marred by civil unrest and exposés on corruption until the declaration of martial law on September 21, 1972. The new constitution was subsequently enforced through somewhat questionable means, as challenges were made in the Supreme Court on the propriety of its ratification. This eventually caused the resignation of Chief Justice Roberto Concepción. The situation appeared to calm down until the later years when the authoritarian regime of President [[Ferdinand E. Marcos]] was marred with corruption, and despotism.
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