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<img src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-27/severino-de-las-alas-2.webp" alt="A vintage portrait of Severino de las Alas, a key figure in the Philippine Revolution and the first Secretary of Justice." loading="lazy" />
<figcaption>
Severino de las Alas (1851–1918), also known as "Di Kilala", was a prominent lawyer and the first Secretary of Justice in Philippine history.
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<h2>
Ancestry and the Intellectual Environment of Indang
</h2>
<p>
The mid-19th century in the Philippines was a period of emerging nationalism, fueled by the opening of Manila to world trade and the rise of the ilustrado class. Severino de las Alas was born into this social stratum in Indang, Cavite, a town located in the highland region of a province that would eventually be known as the <b class="lt-bold">"heartland of the revolution"</b>. His parents, Eugenio de las Alas and Evarista Mojica, were members of the local elite, often described as illustrious for their social standing and community influence. The family environment was one that prioritized education and social responsibility, values that would define Severino's professional and political life.   
</p>
<p>
Indang itself served as a unique backdrop for his early years. Unlike the coastal towns of Cavite that were heavily influenced by the presence of the Spanish naval shipyards and administrative hubs in Cavite Puerto, Indang was an agricultural center. This highland culture fostered a sense of independence and resilience that de las Alas carried with him to Manila for his higher studies. The socio-economic stability of his family allowed him to pursue a trajectory that was accessible only to the few - a path leading from local parochial schools to the most prestigious institutions of learning in the archipelago.   
</p>

<div class="div-table">
<table>
  <caption>Biographical Information of Severino de las Alas</caption>
  <tr>
    <th>Family and Birth Details</th>
    <th>Information</th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Date of Birth</td>
    <td>January 8, 1851</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Place of Birth</td>
    <td>Indang, Cavite</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Father</td>
    <td>Don Eugenio de las Alas</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Mother</td>
    <td>Doña Evarista Mojica</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Spoused</td>
    <td>Agripina Jeciel</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Children</td>
    <td>Teofilo, Guadalupe, Alexandro, Ma. Guadalupe</td>
  </tr>
</table>	
</div>

<h2>
Academic Preparation and Legal Practice
</h2>
<p>
The educational journey of Severino de las Alas reflects the typical ilustrado curriculum of the era, designed to produce a class of professionals who could navigate the Spanish colonial bureaucracy. He completed his early education in Indang before moving to Manila to attend the <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/2884/the-history-of-colegio-de-san-juan-de-letran" class="news_link">Colegio de San Juan de Letran</a>. At Letran, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree, a foundational milestone that exposed him to classical philosophy, Latin, and the emerging liberal ideas of the time.   
</p>
<p>
Following his stint at Letran, he enrolled at the <a href="https://kahimyang.com/articles/3223/a-historical-account-of-the-university-of-santo-tomas-a-chronicle-of-resilience-scholarship-and-national-identity" class="news_link">University of Santo Tomas</a> (UST), the oldest university in Asia, to study law. Historical accounts regarding his time at UST suggest a man deeply committed to the principles of justice, though his heart was also drawn toward pedagogy. Some sources indicate that while he finished the law course and established a lucrative practice in Manila and Cavite, he also harbored a desire to be a teacher, leading him to establish a branch of Letran in his hometown of Indang. This dual identity as a lawyer and an educator made him a rare asset for the revolution; he possessed the technical skills to draft laws and the pedagogical skills to organize people.   
</p>


<p>
By the time the Philippine Revolution broke out in 1896, de las Alas was 45 years old. Unlike many of the younger revolutionaries who were in their twenties or early thirties, de las Alas was an established professional with much to lose. His decision to abandon his law practice and join the secret society of the <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/906/about-the-katipunan" class="news_link">Katipunan</a> was a calculated act of patriotism that signaled the commitment of the middle and upper-upper classes to the cause of independence.   
</p>
<h2>
The Revolutionary Alias and the Magdiwang Council
</h2>
<p>
When de las Alas joined the revolution, he adopted the symbolic name "Di-kilala", which translates to "Unknown". This choice of pseudonym was characteristic of his modest approach to leadership, despite his significant intellectual contributions. In the early days of the conflict, the revolutionaries in Cavite were divided into two provincial councils: the <b class="lt-bold">Magdalo</b>, led by the Aguinaldo family in Kawit, and the <b class="lt-bold">Magdiwang</b>, led by <a href="https://kahimyang.com/articles/3324/mariano-malia-alvarez-filipino-revolutionary-leader" class="news_link">Mariano Álvarez</a> in Noveleta. Severino de las Alas was originally identified with the Magdiwang Council, a faction that remained fiercely loyal to the Katipunan Supremo, <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/786/today-in-philippine-history-november-30-1863-andres-bonifacio-was-born-in-tondo-manila" class="news_link">Andres Bonifacio</a>, during the initial phases of the war.   
</p>
<p>
His role within the Magdiwang was not merely that of a soldier but as a political theorist and mediator. He recognized early on that the secret society structure of the Katipunan, while effective for fomenting a revolt, was insufficient for governing a liberated territory. This realization led him to become one of the most vocal advocates for a transition toward a more formal, republican system of government - a stance that would eventually place him at the center of the most pivotal debate in the history of the revolution.   
</p>
<h2>
The Tejeros Convention: Shifting the Revolutionary Paradigm
</h2>
<p>
The Tejeros Convention, held on <time datetime="1987-03-22">March 22, 1897</time>, at a friar estate house in San Francisco de Malabon (now General Trias), was intended to unify the two factions of the revolution. During this assembly, Severino de las Alas emerged as a key intellectual disruptor. He challenged the existing leadership structure by questioning the very nature of the Katipunan's government. He famously asked whether the organization was a monarchy or a democracy, arguing that the lack of a formal constitution and elected leadership made its legal standing ambiguous.   
</p>
<p>
Andres Bonifacio, acting as the chairman of the convention, defended the Katipunan as a republican and democratic entity, emphasizing that all members were united under the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity. However, de las Alas was not easily satisfied. He persuaded the assembly that the establishment of a revolutionary government was necessary to replace the secret society. His advocacy was a primary factor in the decision to hold elections that day, which resulted in the election of <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1028/today-in-philippine-history-march-22-1869-emilio-aguinaldo-was-born-in-kawit-cavite" class="news_link">Emilio Aguinaldo</a> as President.   
</p>
<p>
Interestingly, de las Alas attempted to play a conciliatory role following Bonifacio's defeat in the presidential election. He proposed that Bonifacio, having received the second-highest number of votes, should be automatically considered the Vice President of the new government. This motion, however, was not seconded, and the elections continued, leading to the appointment of <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/677/today-in-philippine-history-october-12-1868-mariano-trias-was-born-in-cavite" class="news_link">Mariano Trias</a> as Vice President. This moment marked the beginning of a shift in de las Alas's political alignment, as he moved from the Magdiwang inner circle toward a more institutionalist position that supported the newly elected central government.   
</p>
<h2>
Architect of the Department of Grace and Justice
</h2>
<p>
The formalization of the revolutionary government required a legal head to oversee the administration of laws in the liberated provinces. Following the Tejeros Convention, another assembly was held in Naic, Cavite, on <time datetime="1897-04-17">April 17, 1897</time>. It was at this Naic Assembly that the <b class="lt-bold">Department of Grace and Justice</b> was established. Severino de las Alas was appointed as the head of this department, making him the historical precursor to the modern Secretary of Justice of the Philippines.   
</p>
<p>
His mandate was the "establishment of a regime of law" in a country that was currently in the throes of a violent struggle for independence. This role required de las Alas to balance the needs of military necessity with the principles of civil justice. Under his leadership, the department laid the groundwork for a judiciary that would operate independently of the Spanish colonial system. This transition was crucial for gaining international recognition, as it demonstrated that the Filipino people were capable of self-governance through a structured legal framework.   
</p>

<h2>
The Bonifacio Incident and the Indang Report
</h2>
<p>
The internal conflict between the Aguinaldo government and Bonifacio's faction eventually reached a tragic climax in de las Alas's hometown of Indang. After the Naic Military Agreement, in which Bonifacio and his supporters attempted to reassert their authority, General Aguinaldo ordered the arrest of the Supremo. The justification for this arrest was partly based on a report filed by Severino de las Alas regarding the conduct of Bonifacio's men in Indang.   
</p>
<p>
De las Alas reported that Bonifacio's followers were engaged in looting and other unauthorized activities that were distressing the local population. This report, coming from a respected legal professional and a native of the town, provided the necessary political cover for Aguinaldo to send a force to Limbon, Indang, to apprehend Bonifacio. De las Alas was later among the individuals who filed formal complaints against the Supremo, which led to the court-martial and the eventual execution of the Bonifacio brothers in the mountains of Maragondon. This chapter of his life remains one of the most debated among historians, highlighting the ruthless pragmatism that often accompanies the formation of a new state.   
</p>

Severino de las Alas: First PH Secretary of Justice


Explore the life of Severino de las Alas. See the vintage portrait of the first Secretary of Justice and learn about his legacy as "Di Kilala".


Severino de las Alas: The First Secretary of Justice and the Legacy of "Di Kilala"