“Deodato Arellano (brother in-law of Marcelo), Andrés Bonifacio, Ladislao Dina and Teodoro Plata where those commissioned to carry into practice the project of Pilar ([72]); they discussed the regulations and added to them making them still more terrifying, agreeing that they should all immediately proceed with the preparatory works, and they were not interrupted till the conspiracy was discovered on the 19th of August of this year (1896). Both the said organizers and the others who composed the first Supreme Council, belonged to the «Liga filipina».
“The organization given to the society was analogous to that enjoyed by the «Liga» ([73]) but amplified to the extent of anarchism, swearing hatred and destruction to everything of a character or nature Spanish ([74]), and sowing the seed of a race-hatred which has developed to a great extent ([75]). The Supreme, the Provincial and the popular Councils, the sections and the delegations ruled this horrible association. The first governed the whole Tagalog Katipunan ([76]); the second, that corresponding to a pueblo and the sections were sub-divisions or fractions into which the popular councils were divided. Those commissioned to form sections were called delegations, and whilst they remained unconstituted, they depended directly upon the Supreme Council. Every associate paid an entrance fee of a medio peso, and a monthly subscription of a real. The collections were made by the respective treasurers and passed into the central treasury of the Supreme Council. The funds so gathered were utilized for the succor of the brethren in their afflictions and sicknesses, for the covering the expenses of the works of propaganda, and for the secret acquisition of fire and other arms ([77]).
«As in freemasonry, the initiations ([78]) were performed with a wealth of the ridiculous, and with unending extravagances; but of such a nature, that the ignorant indian was fascinated and became converted into a slave of his oath.
«The initiated were masked ([79]) as also was the person to be initiated; before a table was placed a skull and crossbones, a triangle and two candles; the person about to be initiated was told that the object of the Katipunan[2] was the liberating of the Tagalog people, and the expulsion of the Spaniards from the archipelago, or their destruction ([80]); following this, came a series of questions and replies in the which the martyrdom of Gomez, Burgos and Zamora ([81]), native priests judged and condemned for their part in the rebellion of Cavite in 1872 was exalted, and they passed on to the proofs ([82]) which consisted in imitating an assassination, a suicide, etc. This was followed by the taking of an oath of striving to effect the liberation of the people till death, an oath which demanded a blind obedience to the commands of the superior and the preservation of the secrets of the association under the pain of death ([83]). Finally, to terminate the ceremony, they made with a dagger especially adapted to that use, an incision in the arm of the person initiated and with the blood which flowed from the wound thus made, the new katipunero signed his compromise (see note [50].)
«The initiated were called brethren and had their «sacred words» and their special signs of recognition. They were ruled by a code which established punishments ranging from whipping till death ([84]) and received no orders from anyone, or had no intercourse with anyone, except with their immediate superiors. The details which might be made mention of are infinite and curious, but it would make this short memorial unending to speak of them all.
“All the matters of importance and organization were dealt with in assemblies ([85]) constituted by the Supreme Councils and all the presidents of the provincial and popular councils. The accords were taken and discussions decided by a nominal votation and at least by a majority of votes.
“Both the Supreme, the provincial and the popular Councils and the sections held their periodical sessions in the which were discussed a thousand different affairs, and the decisions of the Councils had to be submitted to the approval of the immediate superior. The gatherings were always held in different houses and localities, no day being set aside as fixed, but the days of festivities or those upon which was observed some ecclesiastical feast were chosen for that purpose ([86]), under the pretext of banquets or dances in which the authorities had no suspicion, and because on the said days these semi-public rejoicings were permitted without the necessity of seeking the license of the governing authorities.
«Both the provincial and the popular councils and the sections were known by special names; the initiated were “baptized” with symbolic appellations; and the documents were drawn up in the Tagalog dialect, the most important being in secret code.
“The first Supreme Council was constituted on the 15th of July 1892, and was as follows:
| President | Deodato Arellano. | |
| Secretary | Andrés Bonifacio. | |
| Treasurer | Valentin Diaz. | |
| Councillors |  | Ladislao Dina. |
| Bricio Pantas. | ||
| Teodoro Plata. |