Lagman moves to stop auction of Bonifacio’s personal flag

FOR SALE. This cotton flag in the catalog of Leon Gallery’s
“Magnificent September Auction” is titled “Exceedingly Rare and
Exceedingly Important Personal Flag of Andres Bonifacio.”

Albay 1st District Representative Edcel Lagman has called on concerned government agencies to halt the planned auction of revolutionary leader Andres Bonifacio’s personal flag.

“The private auction of Katipunan Supremo Andres Bonifacio’s personal flag and other heritage items must be stopped immediately,” Lagman said in a statement on Friday.

“Heritage memorabilia and other historical articles must be acquired by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) on behalf of the government for posterity rather than allowing them to be auctioned to private collectors, with the possibility that these historical articles will go to foreigners or foreign places beyond the access and appreciation of generations of Filipinos,” he added.

A previous report said that the flag, sewn by fellow revolutionary and Bonifacio’s wife Gregoria de Jesus herself, will be auctioned by Leon Gallery, who has possession of it, on September 8. Initial bidding starts at P1 million.

Made of cotton cloth with the signature blood red of the revolution, there are three capital “K” characters on the flag, horizontally, signifying the Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK) which Bonifacio co-founded and eventually lead as Supremo.

The numbers “1896,” noting the date of KKK’s founding year, is also inscribed vertically.

READ: Bonifacio’s personal flag sewn by his wife to be auctioned off

Lagman said aside from the flag, other artifacts such as the first version of the Kartilya ng Katipunan, said to be written by Bonifacio, and the only available picture of the Supremo during his wedding day will also be auctioned.

“Completing the list of items to be auctioned off are historic Katipunan membership documents, epaulets and other insignia, and the ceremonial medal of the Katipunan council of officers,” the lawmaker said.

“Under Section 7 of RA No. 10086 creating the NHCP, it is mandated, among others, to “acquire important historical documents, collections, memorabilia and other objects that have significant historical value,” he explained.

He also said that he will file a bill which will enhance the budget of NHCP, to help it to acquire important items.

“To help the NHCP fulfill its mandate, I will file a bill appropriating an initial amount of P1 billion in the budget of the NHCP so that it could acquire historical memorabilia that have great historical importance,” Lagman vowed.

“The NHCP must immediately endeavor to have the auction canceled either by negotiation with Leon Gallery or by securing a court injunction,” he noted.   /vvp