Chapter 24: Change in Foreign Policy
Due to the president's stubbornness, a group of congressmen decided to launch an investigation on many of the country's politicians, including the president, on their connection with British government.
The continued participation of the administration in the war led many to speculate that their colleagues have been taking bribes at the expense of the people.
The deteriorating situation in the country had the unfortunate consequence of cutting off supplies to the troops deployed overseas, especially the ones in Africa who had to be supplied entirely by the British. This had a huge effect on their morale as it seemed that their government isn't supporting them anymore.
Eventually, Captain Lacson had to order her troops back to Mombasa and hope that their ships are still there. If not, they will have to find other ways to go back home.
Fortunately, the navy had ordered the Filipinas to set sail towards Africa with the intention of convincing the troops there to go back home. This allegedly had the backing of the Defense Department, who has the support of more than half of the armed forces including the entire navy.
They had threatened the remaining pro-war army generals to resign or face the prospect of a being tried in a military tribunal once the government is brought down in a coup.
Meanwhile, the Department of Finance, the head of the pro-war faction, is being pressured by the possibility of the economy shutting down due to calls of nationwide strikes. The Departments of the Interior and Public Works pretty much planned to sabotage the nation's infrastructure by blocking major roads and highways.
The president on the other hand could do nothing as half of his cabinet members mutinied, and openly issued orders that could have them tried as traitors.
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After weeks of protests and rumors of a possible coup and a civil war, the administration along with the more than half of Congress are forced to resign.
With the government ceasing to function, the military took over the reigns and declared Martial Law. This is to prevent anyone, especially the officials from going anywhere inside and out of the country without prior approval.
Military officials sent official word to all sides in the conflict that The Philippines will make peace with the Central powers and bow out of the war.
All pro-war officials were then arrested, their connections investigated, including many prominent businessmen.
The investigations brought out revelations, both expected and unexpected, that will shape how the country deals with western nations going forward.
Not only connections with the British, but the scandals brought forward witnesses and evidences of possible collusion between some Filipinos and the Americans just a little over a decade ago.
Many previously unknown acts of treachery had been unearth from the the revolutionaries' losses in Pineda(Pasay), and Pandacan to Bulacan.
A number of prominent clans are implicated in this scandal including the famous Antonio y Soledad clan of the Compañía de armas de La Union.
Their former patriarch is being accused of giving out the defense plans to the Americans which led to the death of General Luna while their current one is implicated by one of the guilty senators of giving promises to the British in exchange for influencing Congress. .
Many other Manila based clans are implicated in the trial with most also being accused of being bribed by the British. The implicated clans vehemently denied these accusations and asked the military government to provide proof.
After many weeks and months of trials, those who are found to have worked with the British were made to pay exorbitant fines that resulted bankruptcy. Those who worked with the Americans however were let off as almost all the evidence were circumstantial at best.
The bankrupted companies that are deemed military in nature are then expropriated by the military government, including the Compañía de armas de La Union whose name is changed to Compañía de armas de Las Islas Filipinas.
Many other expropriated arms manufacturing companies were resold to other military-oriented businesses owned by Japanese, Chinese, or Filipinos
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The trials for the politicians went very differently. As they are now responsible for the deaths of Filipino soldiers in Africa, mere evidence of agreement with members of the Entente would have them be sentenced to death via hanging.
A number of government officials had been executed including a third of the former Congress, and the former President and his ministers. As further punishment, their bodies were thrown at sea outside of Philippine territory as they are deemed unworthy of even being buried on their motherland.
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After the numerous trials and executions, the military government announced that a peace treaty between the Philippines and the Central Powers is ongoing brokered by the United States.
The remaining soldiers deployed in Africa had returned home safe and are scheduled to receive their awards.
They have also announced that they will begin snap elections as soon as the peace treaty with the Central Powers is signed. they wanted to make sure that Palau is officially handed over so the people of the island could properly elect their representatives in the Philippine government.
The military government had wanted to revise the constitution to prevent future governments from taking sides in any future war, but this is prevented by the former revolutionary leaders who reasoned that this should be the responsibility of a civilian government elected by the people.
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After several months of negotiations, Germany agreed to handover Palau to the Philippines without conditions. Although they wanted some conditions, they can't really enforce anything as they are at a stalemate with the Entente in France while the British is blocking their access to the Atlantic.
The Philippines is officially at peace with the Central Powers and has adopted a neutral policy.
Palau has been incorporated as a semi-autonomous territory, temporarily being managed from Iloilo. Although they have their own representative, the State of Visayas has been given the responsibility of helping Palau catch-up with the rest of the nation.
Elections were held with an isolationist party garnering the most votes who advocated neutrality and closer economic ties with fellow Asians. They also advocated heavier scrutiny of deals with the West in order to prevent them from influencing government policies in the future. The British are also put at an arms length with any businesses from that country viewed with suspicion.
Another part of their plans is adopting the changes with regards to the military. An army that focuses on the defense of the islands, they assured the people that this will not limit the capability of the armed forces as they will put forth a plan that will essentially make the islands and its surrounding waters a death trap for any invaders.
They also advocated heavier punishments for corruption as the normal way of punishing such acts is incarceration. They adopted the way the military punished the treacherous politicians.
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As all these are happening in The Philippines, the Great War has just entered its third year.
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