031. US v. Bautista

US vs. BAUTISTA  United States vs. Francisco Bautista et al November 3, 1906 Carson, J. Short version: version: Bautista, de u!man and "u!on #ere convicted o$ cons%irac& to overt'ro# t'e US (ovt in )anila. *'e&  #ere in $act $ound to to 'ave been involved in in several meetin(s #'ere t'e t'e cons%irac& to overt'ro# overt'ro# t'e (overnment #as made. "u!on, in %articular, #as $ound to 'ave b een a%%ointed as a bri(adier+(eneral o$ t'e revolution arm&.  o#ever, "u!on asserted t'at 'e onl& acce%ted t'e %osition -1 #it'out t'e intention o$ ta/in( $urt'er action and - in order not to  ve 'is $riend #'o o$$ered t'e t'e %osition. "u!on2s counsel contended contended t'at t'e constitutional constitutional %rovision reuirin( reuirin( t'e testimon& o$ at least t#o #itnesses to t'e same overt act, or con$ession in o%en court, to su%%ort a conviction $or t'e crime o$ treason s'ould be a%%lied. Court denied a%%eal. *'e crime o$ cons%irin( to commit treason is a se%arate and distinct o$$ense $rom t'e crime o$ treason. 4n 'oldin( t'at "u!on #as a cons%irator, t'e Court considered t'at a (enuine cons%irac& #as s'o#n to 'ave eisted in t'is case, and it #as %roven t'at t'e accused voluntaril& acce%ted an a%%ointment as an o$$icer in t'at cons%irac&. FACTS Francisco Bautista, 5niceto de u!man and *omas "u!on #ere convicted in CF4 )anila o$ t'e crime o$ cons%irac& to overt'ro#, %ut do#n and destro& b& $orce t'e overnment o$ t'e United States in t'e "'ili%%ine 4slands, as de$ined and %enali!ed in Section  o$ 5ct No. 9 o$ t'e "'ili%%ine Commission. 7urin( t'e latter %art o$ 1903, a 8unta #as or(ani!ed and a cons%irac& entered into b& a number o$ Fili%ino residents in on(/on( $or t'e %ur%ose o$ overt'ro#in( t'e US (ov2t in t'e "'ili%%ines b& $orce o$ arms and establis'in( in its stead a (overnment to be /no#n as t'e e%ublica Universal 7emocratica Fili%ina. "rim ui! #as reco(ni!ed as t'e titular 'ead o$ t'is cons%irac& and 5rtemio icarte as t'e c'ie$ o$ t'e militar& $orces to be or(ani!ed. n 7ecember 1903, icarte secretl& came to )anila $rom on(/on(. 5$ter 'is arrival, 'e 'eld a number o$ meetin(s in )anila and t'e ad8oinin( %rovinces #'ereat #as %er$ected t'e cons%irac& 'atc'ed in on(/on(. 5t t'ese meetin(s, ne# members #ere ta/en into t'e cons%irac& and %lans # ere made $or t'e enlistment o$ an arm& and t'e raisin( o$ mone& b& national and %rivate loans. *o t'is end, bonds #ere issued and commissions as o$$icers in t'e revolutionar& arm& #ere (ranted to a number o$ cons%irators. *'e cons%irators did in $act ta/e t'e $ield and o$$ered armed resistance to t'e constituted aut'orities aut'orities in t'e "'ili%%ines, onl& $ailin( in t'eir desi(n o$ overt'ro#in( t'e (overnment because o$ t'eir $ailure to combat success$ull& #it' t'e o$$icers o$ t'e la# #'o #ere sent a(ainst t'em and o$ t'e $ailure o$ t'e %eo%le to rise en masse in res%onse to t'eir %ro%a(anda. *omas "u!on; teac'er o$ %rimar& and secondar& sc'ools: United #it' t'e cons%irators t'ru Jose )uno!, a %rime leader o$ t'e movement "u!on 'eld several con$erences #it' )uno! #'ereat %lans #ere made $or t'e comin( insurrection 4n one con$erence, )uno! o$$ered "u!on a commission as bri(adier+(eneral o$ t'e si(nal con$erence. "u!on assured )uno! t'at 'e 'ad t'in(s in readiness, meanin( t'ereb& t'at 'e 'ad dul& or(ani!ed in accordance #it' t'e terms o$ 'is commission. • • •

"u!on a%%ealed 'is conviction, sa&in( t'at: : 'e 'ad never united 'imsel$ #it' t'e cons%irators e 'ad acce%ted t'e a%%ointment as bri(adier+(eneral #it' no intention o$ ever ta/in( an& $urt'er action in t'e matter and merel& because 'e did not #is' to ve 'is $riend )uno! b& re$usin( to do so.