National Socialist Party (Philippines)

Not to be confused with the National Socialist German Workers' Party.
National Socialist Party
Partido Pambansang Sosyalista
LeaderEmilio Aguinaldo
FounderJose Timog
Alfonso Mendoza
Pablo Manlapit
Pedro Abad Santos
Miguel Cornejo
FoundedJune 25, 1935
Dissolved1936
Merger ofSakdalistas
Radical Party
Laborista Party
Partido Komunista
Fascist Party
Civil Union
IdeologyFilipino nationalism
Populism
Anti-imperialism
Anti-Americanism
Agrarian socialism
Political positionLeft-wing to right-wing

The National Socialist Party was a political party in the Philippines. It served as the political vehicle of Emilio Aguinaldo, president of the First Philippine Republic in the 1935 Philippine presidential election.

The party was founded on June 25, 1935, by the Sakdalistas led by Jose Timog, the Radical Party of Alfonso Mendoza, Laborista Party of Pablo Manlapit, Pampanga communists by Pedro Abad Santos, Miguel Cornejo's Philippine fascists, and Vicente Sotto's Civil Union.[1] In Cebu, the branch of the party was founded on July 7, with the branch putting up four candidates in the seven congressional districts of Cebu.[2]

Aguinaldo announced his candidacy in Cavite. He picked former governor of Iloilo Raymundo Melliza as his running mate. In his speech, Aguinaldo claimed that he did not have "any political party behind [him]", and that his party was "composed of the humble sons of the people".[3]

In the ensuing campaign, the Nacionalista Party, then the largest party, ignored the National Socialists. It was not until when Aguinaldo organized a nationwide campaign network with the Veterans of the Philippine Revolution did the Nacionalistas take Aguinaldo seriously.[4] Manuel L. Quezon, then-Senate president, and frontrunner, brought up the unexplained deaths of Andres Bonifacio and Antonio Luna and blamed Aguinaldo for it. Quezon resoundingly defeated both Aguinaldo and Gregorio Aglipay of the Republican Party to become the first president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines.[3]

After the election, Aguinaldo protested his loss, accusing Governor-General Frank Murphy of partiality during the election. He later presented Murphy with a report of alleged electoral frauds. Murphy referred Aguinaldo's charges to the Philippine Legislature, and instructed Secretary of Justice Jose Yulo to investigate the matter.[5]

  1. ^ Quezon, Manuel L. III. "Jewish Refugees and the Philippines, a timeline: nationalism, propaganda, war". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 2021-02-05.
  2. ^ Oaminal, Clarence Paul. "National Socialist Party of Cebu". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2021-02-05.
  3. ^ a b Umali, Justin (2019-06-04). "A Look into the Most Consequential Election in our History: the 1935 Presidential Elections". Esquiremag.ph. Retrieved 2021-02-05.
  4. ^ Abinales, Patricio N. (March 2002). "American Rule and the Formation of Filipino "Colonial Nationalism"" (PDF). Southeast Asian Studies. 39 (4) – via Kyoto University.
  5. ^ "News Summary, Philippine Magazine: September 18 – October 17, 1935". 1935-11-01.