During the Philippine revolution against Spanish colonialism, Emilio Aguinaldo had emerged as the leader of the revolution and revolutionary forces were organized into the PRA Aguinaldo and the senior leadership of the revolution went into exile in Hong Kong following the Pact of Biak-na-Bato and, during the exile period, some elements of the PRA remained active in the Philippines under the Central Executive Committee established by Francisco Macabulos. Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines during the Spanish-American War, rekindled the revolution, declared independence from Spain, and became President of the First Philippine Republic which had been established during the lull following Spanish surrender to American forces in the Philippines.