Herbert Adams Gibbons
In the early 1930s, Gibbons argued that an American withdrawal from the Philippines would be futile, because Japan would immediately colonize the country if the United States were to pull out. In 1931, in a speech in Manila, Gibbons referred to the Philippine calls for independence as "claptrap." He said that if the United States were to withdraw, then it might as well negotiate with the League of Nations to hand the Philippines over to Japan as a mandate. The American business community roundly praised Gibbons' speech. However, Philippine nationalist leaders attacked Gibbons, saying that he was raising the "Japanese bogy" as a hurdle to Philippine independence. (Ultimately, the United States did not grant Philippine independence until 1946, after Japan was no longer a military threat to the former colony.)
Revolutionary government in the Philippines
A revolutionary government was declared by the Katipunan during the Philippine Revolution or the War for Independence of the Philippines against the Spanish colonial administration over the islands. The Tejeros Convention of 1897 saw the election of officers for a revolutionary government. The independence of the Philippines from Spain was declared by Katipunan leader, Emilio Aguinaldo, who is recognized as the first President of the country, on June 12, 1898. Six days later a revolutionary government over the Philippines was officially declared.