First Filipino Diplomat: Felipe Agoncillo (1859-1941) (In Terms of Mankind's Finest Qualities--Intelligence, Character, Patriotism, Capacity For Self-Sacrifice--He was a veritable Colussus)

FOREWARD by Sixto Y. Orosa, M.D. "Agoncillo was one of the most competent advisers of General Emilio Aguinaldo. His cousel stemmed from his sound judgment and his firm grasp of the law. Allow me to cite one example. After the American Admiral George Dewey had blasted the Spanish squadron, Consul E. Spencer Pratt and other leading American officials in the Far East struck a bargain with Aguinaldo, to wit: if the Filipinos would cooperate with the Americans in defeating the Spaniards, the Americans in turn would help the Filipinos in their fight for independence. Agoncillo advised Aguinaldo to put this arrangement in writing but Aguinaldo countered that it was not necessary because he had confidence in the Americans. Accordingly, the Filipinos cooperated unstintedly with the Americans in the Spanish-American War but ironically , in the end, the Philippine-American War broke out."