The First Republic

On May 19, Dewey facilitated Aguinaldo's return to the Philippines. Upon his arrival, Aguinaldo knowing that his Tejeros government was earlier defunct by the Pact of Biak-na-Bato and heeding the American advise; declared himself as Dictator in resuming the interrupted revolution. He retracted his pre-exile pronouncement of declaring as bandits those who did not join him in the cessation of hostilities.
Aguinaldo did not only hastily proclaimed Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898 but likewise proclaimed himself President.

Thus, conferring himself to assume the Presidency for the second time without the exercise of free elections. Seeing this error and upon the legal advice of Lawyer Apolinario Mabini, Aguinaldo reverted his Republic back to its revolutionary status then unilaterally “revoked” the terms expressed in the infamous pact of Biak-na-bato.
History repeated itself during the outset of the February 1986 EDSA revolution that catapulted into Presidency Corazon Aquino when she declared her government “Revolutionary” and rendered void whatever the outcome could have been of the previous “Snap” presidential elections contested with dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

The following month, July 14, Aguinaldo promulgated the Philippine Constitution and on September 15 held the inaugural session of the Philippine Congress in Malolos, Bulacan- the chosen seat of the Aguinaldo Government. From thereon the Aguinaldo regime hunted the erstwhile Spanish colonizers.

The Capture of Cagayan Valley

General Manuel Tinio occupied Ilocos sending former Spanish government officials, their families and friars fleeing towards east to Cagayan. They sought refuge in Aparri where they hoped to get salvation from an allied ship to take them either to Manila or Hong Kong. Prominent among the Spanish fugitives was Vigan Bishop Jose Hevia Campomanes who was soon captured by Tirona's men in Amulung.
Having known of the Spanish exodus, Aguinaldo dispatched Tirona as Military Governor for Isabela, Cagayan and Batanes.
Tirona with the expeditionary forces of 2,000 men sailed through Flagship Filipinas on August 12, 1898 and reached Aparri on August 25.
The Spaniards thought at first that Tirona's ship was their Saviour having raised the Spanish flag while approaching the coast. The Spaniards happily went out to meet the vessel but as soon as the flagship Filipinas approached the deck; the revolutionaries hoisted the Philippine flag. To their disappointment and to avoid bloodshed, the Spaniards raised their white flag and voluntarily surrendered.
Having occupied Cagayan; Col. Simeon Villa later in his personal diary entries on year 1900 wrote what he described as “shameless and despicable” activities of Tirona to include establishing monopolies in the province. Villa was Aguinaldo's aide during his capture in Palanan, Isabela in 1901.
On February 1900, Villa wrote about a burglary that transpired in the residence of a wealthy Cagayan scion of several jewelries. Two months later, the missing jewelries were seen worn by Tirona.
Being his vice commander, Tirona placed Colonel Villa in charge of seizing Isabela but the Spaniards however surrendered the province without resistance. Isabela military Governor Pedro Martinez escaped south and joined Governor Antonio Sastre of Nueva Vizcaya but were captured by the revolutionary forces led by Colonel Jose Leyba.
Villa established his base in Carig which is now Santiago City. He soon became Aguinaldo's aide and chronicler in his escape from American pursuit to northern Luzon and his eventual capture in Palanan, Isabela in 1901. Tirona on the other hand, discharged his function as Military Governor and immediately conducted elections in Isabela and Cagayan by viva voce in the same month the Malolos congress convened.

It was relatively peaceful during those days as the Aguinaldo government made use of the one peso cedula secured by residents 18 to 60 years of age to keep the Malolos Government moving.
On September 18, 1898 Tirona arrived on the island of Ivana on the first leg of his mission to Liberate the island-province of Batanes.
News of Tirona's landing in Ivana has reached the capital of Basco causing Spanish Governor Julian Fortea to panic.
Thinking he would be betrayed; Fortea executed his native servants; his bodyguard- Juan Baycan and his cook- Cecilio Estorel then locked himself and his wife inside the Casa Real (Governor's residence).
The townsfolk and the Guardia Civil were enraged of what Fortea did to his servants. The Spaniards wanted to appease the furious natives as the Spanish Education Supervisor of the province- Rafael Romero sneaked into Casa Real and killed Fortea and spared the latter's wife.
Upon Tirona's arrival in Basco on September 25; he was surprised to see that the Spaniards were already lined up to surrender. They were presented to Tirona by Spanish Commander Salvador Perea.
The Spanish captives to include Fortea's wife and children were ferried to the mainland and joined other Spaniards rounded in Aparri and were imprisoned in Tuguegarao for a year.
The plight of the Spanish captives in Tuguegarao was in contrast with the Spaniards held in Nueva Vizcaya who were treated well and fairly by their captor, Colonel Leyba.
Spanish prisoners of war in Nueva Vizcaya conduct their lives freely within the confines set by their captors. On weekends, their warden at its expense provide their prisoners entertainment of Juego de Toro.
Tirona and his men stayed for weeks in Batanes enjoying the good life of drinking and feasting at the expense of the residents. Tirona's men would confiscate whatever they fancied from the friars and natives to the extent of looting the church of its precious gold and silver ornaments.
Before leaving Batanes, Tirona installed Don Teofilo Castillejos as Governor.