HOSTILITIES WITH AMERICA, AGUI'S FLIGHT TO ISABELA

Meanwhile the American fleet was ready to deliver its final blow to the remaining Spanish armada at Manila bay on August 1898. Considering that it is more honorable to yield to the Americans than their former Filipino subjects; Royal Spain decided to conclude its colonial era by engaging a mocked battle against the Americans in Manila bay in less than two hours then surrendered.
Spain relinquished (stately term for “sold”) the Philippine islands together with Guam and Puerto Rico for $20 million under the treaty of Paris in December 10, 1898.
The historical event did not only ended the Spanish-American war but moreover- the Spanish colonial era in the Philippines. It however ushered the Filipino-American war and eventually, the US occupation the following year.

THE FILIPINO-AMERICAN HOSTILITIES

The Philippines was in total disarray in 1898 having three regimes existing in the archipelago- the Aguinaldo dictatorship in Malolos, the government of the United States in Intramuros and the deposed Spanish rule in Iloilo.
Without Filipino participation, the United States inked the treaty of Paris with the Spain on December 1898 leaving the Malolos Republic a de facto government in the eyes of the International Community.

Filipinos refused to accept President Mckinley's offer of “Benevolent Assimilation” as both American and Filipino troops traded accusation of hostilities. On January 4, 1899; General Ellwell Otis proclaimed himself Governor-General and induced the Filipino-American war.
On February 4, American sentry Pvt. William Grayson shot a Filipino Soldier in San Juan and had two of his fellow US soldiers kill two more Filipinos. As Filipino and American soldiers vow to fight it of to the end, Aguinaldo retreated to northern Luzon and shifted to guerrilla tactics.
While holding his base camp in the remote and isolated coastal town of Palanan, Isabela; Aguinaldo stayed in contact with guerrilla leaders.
The Americans were uncomfortable with the presence of threat from Filipino fighters unless Aguinaldo is either captured or killed; first, they have to pinpoint his hideout.
On December 11, 1899 General Daniel Tirona surrendered to Capt. Bowman McCalla of US Navy cruiser Newark in Aparri, Cagayan. Tirona gained notoriety in humiliating Bonifacio in the infamous Tejeros convention and subsquently appointed Military Governor to Cagayan Valley (Cagayan, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya) by Aguinaldo.
Tirona's surrender was done with military honors. Captain McCalla reviewed Filipino troops while Tirona reviewed the Americans but with furious shouting from Cagayano spectators branding him a coward, thief, shameless, a man with no honor and “maitim ang balahibo.”

On Dec. 21, 1899, Maj. Gen. Ellwell Otis directed the 16th US Infantry Regiment under Col. Charles C. Hood to proceed to Aparri. On the same day, Colonel Hood was appointed military governor of the Cagayan Valley.
A company of troops was garrisoned in each of the following towns: Cagayan Province- Aparri, Lallo, Tuguegarao; Isabela Province- Cabangan Nuevo, Cordon, Echague, Ilagan; Nueva Vizcaya Province- Solano