Basilio Augustín

Basilio Augustín y Dávila[1] (February 12, 1840 – August 7, 1910) was briefly a Spanish Governor-General of the Philippines, from April 11 to July 24, 1898.

The Most Excellent Basilio Augustín
113th Governor-General of the Philippines
In office April 11 – July 24, 1898
Preceded by	Fernando Primo de Rivera
Succeeded by	Fermín Jáudenes
Personal details
Born	(1840-02-12)February 12, 1840 Cádiz, Spain
Died	August 7, 1910(1910-08-07) (aged 70) Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, Spain

During his tenure, the Spanish–American War began, which he assured the Spanish would be "short" and "decisive".[2] Spanish forces were decisively defeated by the American Navy in the Battle of Manila Bay. This defeat led to the return of revolutionary leader Emilio Aguinaldo from exile and the beginning of the second phase of the Philippine Revolution, during which, on June 12, 1898, Aguinaldo issued the Philippine Declaration of Independence.

Augustín attempted to create a consultative assembly of Filipino Ilustrados loyal to Spain and a militia of Filipinos, as a way to support autonomy in the Philippines. He offered one million pesos to Aguinaldo but the latter refused. However, it did gain following from reputable figures from the revolutionaries such as Artemio Ricarte and Emiliano Riego de Dios due to the efforts of Pedro Paterno.

Augustín's plans for reform ended in failure as most of the Spanish-trained Filipino militia deserted to the revolutionary ranks, and his consultative assembly finally dissolved with most of its members became signers of the Malolos Constitution and members of the Malolos Congress in 1899. In August 1898, the United States Army occupied Manila and in December 1898 Spain signed the Treaty of Paris transferring recognised claim over the Philippines to the United States. In 1899, the Philippine–American War began between American and Philippine revolutionary forces.