The Acta de la Proclamación de Independencia del Pueblo Filipino. Handout/Leon GalleryMANILA –  A rare manuscript copy of the 1898 Declaration of Philippine Independence will be auctioned off by Leon Gallery on Saturday, Sept. 14. 

In a media release, Leon Gallery stressed that the original “Proclamation” document is safeguarded in the National Library of the Philippines. 

This handwritten copy was made by Lt. Col. Jose Bañuelo on the same day – June 12, 1898, University of Santo Tomas professor Jorge Mojarro said on the auction catalog, as announced by Leon Gallery. 

“What was not known until now is that at least one of the military men around Aguinaldo rushed to make a handwritten copy,” the Gallery said, quoting Mojarro. 

“Lt. Col. Jose Bañuelo may have been acutely aware of the historical importance of that founding event, or may have simply wanted a copy for safekeeping in case the original was lost, or perhaps to certify his own participation in this lofty enterprise as a way of obtaining future political favors,” the Spanish academic added. 

Mojarro described Lt. Col. Bañuelo as one of former President Emilio Aguinaldo’s confidantes and his loyal members “until at least 1899.” 

“What we also do know is the copy is a single handwritten document, written on the same date as the original Act of Independence and copied directly from the original document,” according to Mojarro. 

“The author of the copy, whose signature appears at the end, is a lieutenant colonel of the revolutionary government, José Bañuelo, although the rest of the document’s handwriting appears to belong to a Tagalog-speaking amanuensis or scribe to whom it was dictated,” he said. 

The 12-page manuscript copy has “slight tropical stain, water stain at the bottom, but still fine,” according to Leon Gallery. 

Leon Gallery said “Acta de la Proclamación de Independencia del Pueblo Filipino” also explained the red, white, and blue colors in the Philippine flag. 

The auction will happen on Sept. 14, 2024 at 2 p.m. at the Eurovilla 1, Rufino corner Legaspi Streets, Legazpi Village, Makati City. 

The preview week for the “Magnificent September Auction” will be from Sept. 7 to Sept. 13 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.