From Four Nodes of History: The Human Rights Challenge in the Philippine Security Sector 1. What is the coverage of the Katipunan legacy? Why is it important in the traditions of the Philippine military? decisive factor in the victory of the revolution in 1898 against the Spanish Colonial power. This, however, was short-lived, with the destruction of the First Philippine Republic during the Philippine-American War. The Katipunan legacy pertains to the events, traditions and lessons that emanate from the struggles of the Filipino people to attain national consciousness, nationhood and independence. It was a conscious struggle for inalienable rights based on the particularity of Philippine conditions. 2. It is directly linked to the development of Libertarian ideas (Liberalism), and the world revolution for inalienable rights which engulfed Europe and the Americas in the 19th century, the basis on which the concept and common standards of human rights developed. The events that occurred during this period of history in the Philippines cannot be comprehensively understood without looking at the bigger picture of humankind’s struggle for inalienable rights. The Philippine military redeemed itself during the 1896 Revolution. After 350 years of violating human rights, it became the protector of the people when it crossed over to the side of the Philippine Revolution, fought for its ideals and became a 24 The ideology of the Philippine Revolution of 1896 a) What were the crimes against humanity that led people of goodwill to challenge the system and develop Liberalism as an ideology? Between the 15th and 20th century, Christian European kingdoms, in collusion with the papacies, promoted endless wars and conquests, genocide, slavery, feudalism and religious tyranny. The concept of inalienable rights of individuals emerged as a reaction to the worldwide monumental crimes against humanity that monarchism and religious tyranny perpetrated. It became a material force that challenged the Spanish and other European empires during the 18th and 19th centuries. The army, the armed apparatus of the state, was used as the main instrument in these monumental violations of human rights in the name of God and the king.