Macario Sakay y de León (March 1, 1870 – September 13, 1907) was a Filipino general who took part in the 1896 Philippine Revolution against the Spanish Empire and in the Philippine–American War.

After the war was declared over by the United States in 1902, Sakay continued resistance by leading guerrilla raids.

Macario Sakay de León was born on March 1, 1878, along Tabora Street, Tondo, in the City of Manila.

[6][5] An original member of the Katipunan movement, which he joined in 1894, he fought alongside Andrés Bonifacio against the Spanish throughout the Philippine Revolution.

[6] Contrary to popular belief, the Philippine resistance to American rule did not end with the capture of General Emilio Aguinaldo.

When Aguinaldo surrendered to the US, Sakay seized the leadership of the revolution and declared himself Supreme President of the Tagalog Republic.

In May 1902, Sakay and his men declared open resistance to the US and conducted guerrilla raids that lasted for five years.

[6][page needed] However, in Sakay's Second Manifesto, dated April 5, 1904, it said the exact number of soldiers in the army could not be ascertained.

2, dated May 8, 1903, the government, in search of sources of weapons to carry out its struggle against the Americans, said that it was willing to confer military rank on citizens who could turn over firearms to the Presidential Office or any of the headquarters under its command.

[6][page needed] In 1905, Filipino labour leader Dominador Gómez was authorised by Governor-General Henry Clay Ide to negotiate for the surrender of Sakay and his men.

As a result, he surrendered on July 14, 1906, descending from the mountains on the promise of an amnesty for him and his officials, and the formation of a Philippine Assembly composed of Filipinos that would serve as the "gate of freedom".

But I want to tell you that we are not bandits and robbers, as the Americans have accused us, but members of the revolutionary force that defended our mother country, the Philippines!