Second Homecoming and the La Liga Filipina

Arrival in Manila with Sister

June 26, 1892; Sunday; 12:00 noon

 Rizal’s second homecoming to Manila.

 “The battlefield is in the Philippines. There we will help one another, there together we will suffer
or triumph perhaps.”
 Rizal to Blumentritt: “I believe that La Solidaridad is no longer our battlefield; now it is a new
struggle… the fight is no longer in Madrid.”
 Rizal & Lucia arrived in Manila
 At Hotel de Oriente facing Binondo Church
 Seek audience at Malacanang with Governor-General Eulogio Despujol, Conde de Caspe
 Despujol agreed to pardon his father but not the rest of his family.

Visiting Friends in Central Luzon

 June 27,1862 in Malolos, San Fernando, Tarlac and Bacolod

Other Interviews with Despujol

 very much opposed to Borneo colonization

Founding of the La Liga Filipina

 Sunday, July 3, 1892
 attended a meeting of the patriots at the home of the Chinese-Filipino, Doroteo Ongjunco on
Ylaya St., Tondo, Manila
 explained the objectives of the La Liga Filipina
 La Liga Filipina - a civic league of Filipinos
 with patriots who were mostly Mason (M): Pedro Serrano Laktaw, M & school teacher, (Panday
Pira); Domingo Franco, M & tobacco shopkeeper (Felipe Leal); Jose Ramos, M (Socorro), owner of
Bazar Gran Bretaña and first Worshipful Master of Nilad, the first Filipino Masonic Lodge*;
Ambrosio Salvador, M, gobernadorcillo/ capitan municipal of Quiapo; Bonifacio Arevalo, M
(Harem); Moises Salvador, M, (Araw);Luis Villareal, tailor & M; Faustino Villareal (Ilaw),
pharmacist & M; Mariano Crisostomo, landlord; Numeriano Adriano (Ipil); notary public & M;
Estanislao Legaspi, artisan & M; Teodoro Plata, court clerk & M; Andres Bonifacio, warehouse
employee; Apolinario Mabini (Katabay), lawyer & M; and Juan Zulueta, playwright;
 Rizal explained the objectives and constitution of La Liga and was approved unanimously

Constitution of the Liga Filipina

 Objectives:
o To unite the whole archipelago into one compact and homogenous body
o Mutual protection in every want and necessity
o Defense against all violence and injustice
 o Encouragement of education, agriculture, and commerce
o Study and application of reforms
 Motto: “Unus Instar Omnium” or One like All

Rizal Arrested and Jailed in Fort Santiago

 Wednesday, July 6, 1892 during an interview with Despujol, the latter suddenly showed him some
printed leaflets allegedly found in Lucia’s pillow cases (entitled Pobres Frailes, a satire against
Dominicans written by Fr. Jacinto)
 Incriminatory leaflets: Pobres Frailes
 Satire against the rich Dominican friars who amassed fabulous riches contrary to their monastic
vow of poverty.
 Denial of Rizal-thoroughly searched upon their arrival from Hong Kong by the custom authorities
 He was placed under arrest in Fort Santiago and was escorted by Ramon Despujol
 He was kept incommunicado in Ft. Santiago and could not talk to anyone except with the officer
on duty
 Gaceta de Manila - published the story of Rizal’s arrest which produced commotion among the
Filipino people

Arbitrary Deportation to Dapitan

 Reasons for Rizal’s deportation: (4 years)
 Writings:
o disloyalty to Spain
o “frankly anti-catholic” and “imprudently anti-friar”
 Incriminatory leaflets:
o “Pobres Frailes”
 His novel El Filibusterismo was dedicated to the memory of:
o three traitors (Gom-Bur-Za)
o title page “the only salvation for the Philippines was separation from the mother
country from Spain”

 12:30AM of July 15, 1892, was brought under heavy guard to the steamer Cebu under Captain
Delgras
 arrived 7PM of July 17 in Dapitan
 handed over to Captain Ricardo Carnicero, Spanish commandant of Dapitan (till July 31, 1896 or
4 years & 13 days)
 Exile In Dapitan

Beginning of Exile in Dapitan

 The streamer Cebu which brought Rizal to Dapitan carried a letter from Father Pablo Pastells,
Superior of the Jesuits parish priest of Dapitan.
 Father Superior Pastells informed Father Obach that Rizal could live at the parish convent on the
following conditions:
1. ”That Rizal publicly retract his errors concerning religion, and make statements that were clearly
pro-Spanish and against revolution”.
2. ”That he perform the church rites and make a general confession of his past life”.
3. “That henceforth he conduct himself in an exemplary manner as a Spanish subject and a man of
religion.”
 Rizal did not agree with these conditions
 He lived in the house of the commandant, Captain Carnicero. The relationship between the warder
and the prisoner were warm and friendly.
- He gave good reports about Rizal to Governor Despujol.
- He gave him complete freedom to go anywhere and report only once a week.
- Rizal then made a poem as a sign of esteem entitled, “A Don Ricardo Carnicero” on August
26,1892 on the Captain’s birthday.

When in Manila Lottery

 September 21, 1892, the mail boat Butuan was approaching town.
 The boat carried not high Spanish officials but rather happy tidings that the Lottery Ticket No. 9736
won the second prize of P20,000.
 This ticket was jointly owned by Captain Carnicero, Rizal, and Francisco Equilior (Spanish resident of
Dipolog, a neighbouring town of Dapitan)
 Upon dividing Rizal got a share of P6,200. Rizal then spent the money on the following:
o P2,000 – gave to his Father
o P200 – gave to his friend Basa in Hong Kong
o The rest was he bought an agricultural land along the coasts of Talisay (1km away from
Dapitan)
 Rizal’s winning in lottery reveals an aspect of his lighter side. He never drank hard liquor and never
smoked, but he was a lottery addict. During his first sojourn in Madrid from 1882 to 1885,
 He always invested at least three (3) pesetas every month for lottery tickets.

“This was his only vice” – Wenceslao E. Retana (first Spanish biographer and former enemy)
Rizal-Pastells Debate on Religion

 The debate started when Pastells sent Rizal a book by Sarda along with an advice that Rizal should
desist from his majaderas (foolishness) in viewing religion from the perspective of individual
judgement and self-esteem.
 The debate can be read in four (4) letters written by Rizal.
 In all the letters Rizal revealed his anti-Catholic ideas which he got from Europe and bitterness at his
persecution by the bad friars.
 Rizal was bitter against the friars because they commit abuses under the cloak of religion.
 As he wrote to Blumentritt from Paris on January 20,1890

“I want to hit the friars, but only friars who utilized religion not only as a shield, but also as a weapon,
castle, fortress, armor, etc.;I was forced to attack their false and superstitious religion in order to fight
the enemy who hid himself behind it.

The debate (Inconclusive)

Rizal: Individual judgement is a gift from God and everybody should use it like a lantern to show the way;
self-esteem, if moderated by judgement, saves man from unworthy acts.

Pursuit of truth may lie in different paths and thus “religions may vary, but they all lead to the
light”.

Pastell: Divine faith, supercedes everything, including reason, self-esteem, and individual judgement.
Human intelligence is limited; thus he needs the guidance of God.

 In spite of religious differences, both remained friends.

 This is shown by Father Pastells giving Rizal a copy of Imitacion de Cristo. (Imitation of Christ) by Fr.
Thomas a Kempis.
 In reciprocation, Rizal gave a bust of St. Paul which he made.

Rizal Challenges a Frenchman to a Duel

 During the exchange of letters debate, Rizal become involved, in a quarrel with a French acquaintance
in Dapitan, Mr. Juan Lardet, a businessman.
 It’s about a buying logs from the lands of Rizal however some of which were of poor quality.
 Lardet wrote a letter of disgust to Antonio Miranda (Rizal’s friend and merchant).
 Which he then secretly passed on to Rizal. Thus, one of Rizal weaknesses was shown which was his
sensitivity.
 Rizal flared up in anger and challenged the French to a duel.
 Carcinero then told the Frenchman to apologize rather than to accept the challenge for Rizal was well
versed in martial arts, fencing and pistol shooting.
 Lardet heeding the advice, wrote a letter of apology. Rizal, as a gentleman and well-versed with
pundonor (Hispanic chivalric code) accepted the apology.
 ** Rizal’s sensitivity has lead him to challenge Antonio Luna in 1890 and W.E. Retana in the same
year.

Rizal and Father Sanchez

 Father Pastells, tried to bring Rizal back in the Christian fold sent the ff:
o Father Obach – cura of Dapitan
o Father Jose Vilaclara – cura of Dipolog
o Father Francisco de Paula Sanchez – Rizal’s teacher in Ateneo.
 Father Sanchez was the only Spanish priest to defend Noli Me Tangere in public.
 Rizal gave him a gift on his birthday – “Estudios sobre la lengua tagala” (Studies on the Tagalog
Language)

Idyllic Life in Dapitan

 In Dapitan, Rizal had an exemplary life, idyllic in serenity.

 Among his family members who visited Rizal were:
- His mother
- His sisters Trinidad, Maria and Narcisa
- Nephews Teodosio, Estanislao, Mauricio and Prudencio
 Rizal built a house by the seashore of Talisay surrounded by fruit trees, a school for boys, and a
hospital for his patients.
 In a letter to his friend, Ferdinand Blumentritt, on December 19, 1893, Rizal described his peaceful
life in Dapitan.

"I shall tell you how we lived here. I have three houses-one square, another hexagonal, and the
third octagonal. All these houses are made of bamboo, wood, and nipa. I live in the square house, together
with my mother, my sister, Trinidad, and my nephew. In the octagonal house live some young boys who
are my pupils. The hexagonal house is my barn where I keep my chickens.

"From my house, I hear the murmur of a clear brook which comes from the high rocks. I see the
seashore where I keep two boats, which are called barotos here.

"I have many fruit trees, such as mangoes, lanzones, guayabanos, baluno, nangka, etc. I have
rabbits, dogs, cats, and other animals.

"I rise early in the morning-at five-visit my plants, feed the chickens, awaken my people, and
prepare our breakfast. At half-past seven, we eat our breakfast, which consists of tea, bread, cheese,
sweets, and other things.

"After breakfast, I treat the poor patients who come to my house. Then I dress and go to Dapitan
in my baroto. I am busy the whole morning, attending to my patients in town.

"At noon, I return home to Talisay for lunch. Then, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., I am busy as a teacher.
I teach the young boys.
 "I spend the rest of the afternoon in farming. My pupils help me in watering the plants, pruning
the fruits, and planting many kinds of trees. We stop at 6:00 p.m. for the Angelus

"I spend the night reading and writing."

Rizal’s Encounter with the Friar’s Spy

 Pablo Mercado – assumed name of the spy who visited Rizal at his house and pretended to be a
relative by showing a photo of Rizal and a pair of buttons with the initials P.M. as evidence of kinship.
 The spy offered to be Rizal’s courier of letters for the patriots in Manila.
 The spy stayed in Dapitan and spread talks among the people that he was a relative to Rizal.
 Rizal went to the comandancia and reported the impostor to Captain Juan Sitges (successor of
Carnicero).
 Sitges ordered Pablo Mercado’s arrest and told Anastacio Adriatico to investigate him immediately.
 Florencio Namanan a.k.a Pablo Mercado, single and about 30 years old who was hired by the
Recollect friars to spy on Rizal’s activities. And to filch certain letters and writing of Rizal which might
incriminate him in the revolutionary movement.
 Strangely, Sitges suddenly stopped the investigation and freed the spy. He forwarded all details and
documents of the investigation to Governor General Blanco who kept it highly confidential. Rizal
asked for a copy but Sitges denied.

**As now preserved at Biblioteca Nacional in Madrid, the documents contains mysterious
deletions.

 The secret mission of Pablo Mercado was not an assassination attempt but espionage only.

As Physician in Dapitan

 Dona Teodora and Maria lived with Rizal for a year and a half.
 It is here when Rizal operated his mother’s right eye.
 Though the operation was successful, his mother had a wound infection after ignoring Rizal’s
instruction of not removing the bandages. However, the infection was immediately treated
 Don Ignacio Tumarong - Rizal’s patient who was able to see again after his operation; he paid Rizal
P3,000
 Don Florencio Azcarraga - Rich hacendero of Aklan who was cured of eye ailment, in turn he gave
Rizal a cargo of sugar.
 Rizal prescribed medicinal plants to his poor patients. He was interested in local medicine and studied
medicinal plants in the Philippines and their curative values.

Water System for Dapitan

 Rizal held the title of expert surveyor (perito agrimensor) which he obtained from Ateneo.
 Rizal applied his engineering knowledge by constructing a system of waterworks to furnish clean
water to the townspeople
  Modern engineers marvelled at how Rizal could have built such a system, for he had inadequate tools
and meagre materials, and limited finances, and no aid from the government.
 Mr. H.F. Cameron –American engineer who praised Rizal for his engineering ingenuity.

Community Projects for Dapitan

 When Rizal arrived at the town, he decided to improve it.

“I want to do all that I can for this town” – Rizal to Father Pastells

 Aside from contructing the town’s first water system Rizal had:
- Drained the marshes to get rid of malaria that was infesting Dapitan
- Equipped the town with lighting system using P500 one of his patients paid him. The lighting
system consisted of Coconut oil lamps
- Beautified the town of Dapitan by remodeling the town plaza and making a huge relief map
of Mindanao out of earth, stones and grass

Rizal as Teacher

 Rizal established in Dapitan a school in 1893 until the end of his exile in July, 1896.
 It began with 3 pupils who increased to 16 and eventually 21.
 16 of his pupils did not pay tuition. Instead of charging them fees, Rizal made them work in his
gardens and construction projects.
 He taught them reading, writing, languages (Spanish and English), geography, history, mathematics,
industrial work, nature study and etc.
 Formal classes were between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
 He also applied the “emperor” system like that of Ateneo.
 During recess, his pupils built fires to drive away insects, pruned fruit trees and manured the soil.
 Outside class hours, students had gymnastics, boxing, wrestling, stone-throwing, swimming, arnis
and boating
 Himno A Talisay (Hymn to Talisay) - A poem Rizal wrote in honor of Talisay which he made his pupils
sing

Contributions to Science

 Rizal found Mindanao to be rich virgin for collecting specimens. Using his baroto (sailboat) explored
jungles and coasts.
 Sent the specimen to museum of Europe – Dresden Museum
 Built up a rich collection of concology which consisted of 346 shells representing 203 species
 Discovered several species that was named after him:
 Draco rizali (flying dragon)
 Apogonia rizali (small beatle)
 Rhacophorus (rare frog)
 Conducted anthropological, ethnographical, archaeological, geological and geographical studies.
Linguistics Studies

 Continuing his study of languages, Rizal learned in Dapitan:

- Bisayan
- Subanum
- Malay languages
 Wrote a tagalog grammar
 Made a comparative study of the Bisayan and Malay languages
 He knew by that time 22 languages as follows:

Tagalog, Malay, Ilokano, Hebrew, Bisayan, Sanskrit, Subanum, Dutch, Spanish, Catalan Latin,
Italian Greek, Chinese, English, Japanese, French, Portuguese, German, Swedish, Arabic, Russian

Artistic Works in Dapitan

 To pursue his artistic activities, Rizal:

1. Contributed paintings to the Sisters of Charity who were preparing the sanctuary of the Holy
Virgin
2. Made sketches of persons and things that attracted him in Dapitan, the three rare species he
discovered
3. Modelled a statuette called “The Mother’s Revenge” to stress the moral of the incident where
a puppy of his dog, Syria, was eaten by a crocodile
4. Constructed a statue of a girl called “The Dapitan Girl”, a woodcarving of Josephine Bracken
(Rizal’s wife)
5. Made a bust of St. Paul for Father Pastells

Rizal as Farmer

 Rizal acquired total land holdings of 70 hectares where 6,000 hemp plants, 1,000 coconut trees and
numerous fruit trees, sugarcane, corn, coffee and cacao were planted.
 He planned to establish an agricultural colony in Sitio Ponot because it was ideal for raising cacao,
coffee, coconuts and cattle.
 However, this did not materialize due to lack of support from the government: the same with the
Borneo colonization
 On his farms, Rizal introduced modern methods of agriculture from Europe and America

Rizal as Businessman

 Ramon Carreon – Rizal’s business partner in Dapitan Rizal made profitable business ventures in
fishing, copra and hemp industries.
 Hemp industry – Rizal’s most profitable business
 Once he shipped 150 bales of hemp to Manila. He purchased hemp in Dapitan at P7 and 4 reales
per picul and he sold it to Manila at P10 and 4 reales.
  Rizal also engaged in lime manufacturing. Their lime burner had a monthly capacity of more than
400 bags of lime
 He organized the Cooperative Association of Dapitan Farmers to break Chinese monopoly.
 Its purpose was to – improve farm products, obtain better outlets for them, collect funds for
purchases, and help the producers and workers by establishing a store wherein they can buy prime
commodities at moderate prices

Rizal’s Inventive Ability

Among Rizal’s inventions were:

 Cigarette lighter which he sent as a gift to Blumentritt called “sulpukan”

- based on principle of compressed air.
 A wooden machine for making bricks
- can manufacture 6000 bricks daily.

“My Retreat” (“Mi Retiro”) - a beautiful poem about his serene life as an exile

 February 1895
 Upon restoring her eyesight, Dona Teodora returned to Manila.
 Seeing how busy Rizal is, she regretted neglecting her muses.
 She requested Rizal to write poetry.
 As a response, Rizal wrote “Mi Retiro” relating his serene life as an exile in Dapitan

Rizal and Josephine Bracken

 The death of Leonor Rivera left a poignant void in Rizal’s heart. In his loneliness, he met Josephine
 Josephine Bracken – 18 years old, slender, a chestnut blond Irish girl born in Hong Kong on Oct 3,
1876
 James Bracken and Elizabeth Jane MacBride – Josephine’s parents who are both Irish in citizenship
 Mr. George Taufer – man who adopted Josephine after her mother died of childbirth
 Mr. Taufer became blind so he sought for an ophthalmic specialist. This is how Josephine and Rizal
met.
 Manuela Orlac – Filipina companion who accompanied Josephine Bracken to Dapitan.
 Rizal and Josephine Bracken decided to get married but Father Obach refused to marry them
without the permission of Bishop of Cebu.
 Hearing of the planned marriage and unable to endure the thought of losing Josephine, Mr. Taufer
tried to commit suicide by cutting off his throat with a razor but Rizal was able to prevent this.
 To avoid a tragedy, Josephine accompanied Mr. Taufer back to Manila. Mr. Taufer returned to
Hong Kong alone while Josephine stayed with the Rizals in Manila and Rizal went back to Dapitan
 Having no priests to marry them, Rizal and Josephine married themselves before the eyes of God.
 “They held hands together and married themselves before the eyes of God”; wrote “Josephine,
Josephine”
  The two were happy for they were expecting for a baby. However, Rizal played a prank on
Josephine making her give birth to an eight-month baby boy. The baby lived for only three hours.
He was named “Francisco” in honor of Rizal’s father.

Rizal and the Katipunan

 Pio Valenzuela – emissary to Dapitan in order to inform Rizal of the plan of Katipunan during the
meeting at a little river called Bitukang Manok.
 Venus – steamer Valenzuela boarded to reach Dapitan
 Raymundo Mata – blind man who came withValenzuela to camouflage his mission
 Rizal objected Bonifacio’s project because:
o The people are not ready for a revolution
o Arms and funds must first be collected before raising the cry of revolution.

Volunteer as Military Doctor in Cuba

 When Cuba was under revolution and raging yellow fever epidemic, Rizal wrote to Governor
General Ramon Blanco offering his services as military doctor.
 Governor Blanco later notified Rizal of the acceptance of the offer. The notification came along
with an instruction of acquiring first a pass for Manila from the politico-military commander of
Dapitan.

“The Song of the Traveler”

 Upon receiving the acceptance of his offer to go to Europe then to Cuba to help in the curing of
patients suffering yellow fever, he wrote a poem “El Canto del Viajero”

Adios, Dapitan

 España – steamer which brought Rizal to Manila from Dapitan

 Rizal was accompanied by Josephine, Narcisa, Angelica (Narcisa’s daughter), his three nephews
and six pupils.
 As farewell, the town brass of Dapitan played the dolorous Funeral March of Chopin.
 He stayed in Dapitan for four years, thirteen days and a few hours.

Trial of Rizal

Before the Trial

 While waiting for the next ship for Spain, he was kept as a “guest” on board the Spanish cruiser
Castilla. Meanwhile, on August 26, 1896, Andres Bonifacio and the Katipunan raised the cry of
revolution in the hills of Balintawak, a few miles north from Manila. Rizal, worried about the raging
 hostilities, left for Spain on the steamer Isla de Panay on September 3, 1896. It was his last trip
abroad.
 Rizal had a pleasant trip from Dapitan to Manila, having multiple stopovers in Dumaguete, Cebu,
Iloilo, Capiz, and Romblon to visit some friends and acquaintances.
 The Espana steamer arrived in Manila Bay early in the morning of Thursday, August 6, 1896.
Unfortunately, Rizal was not able to catch the mail ship Isla de Luzon for Spain since it had
departed the previous day at 5:00pm. Near midnight of the same day, Rizal was transferred to the
Spanish cruiser Castilla, by order of Gov. Gen. Ramon Blanco. Rizal stayed on the cruiser for about
a month, from August 6 to September 2, 1896.
 While Rizal was patiently waiting on the cruiser Castilla for the next steamer to take him to Spain,
portentous events occurred.
- On the fateful evening of August 19, 1896, the Katipunan plot to overthrow Spanish rule by
means of revolution was discovered by Fray Mariano Gil, an Augustinian cura of Tondo.
- The tumult produced by the discovery of the Katipunan plot was aggravated by the “Cry of
Balintawak” which was raised by Bonifacio and the Katipuneros on August 26, 1896.
- At sunrise of August 30, the revolutionists led by Bonifacio and Jacinto attacked San Juan but
they were repulsed with heavy horses(?).
- In the afternoon, after the Battle of San Juan, Gov. Gen. Blanco proclaimed a state of war in
the first eight provinces for rising in arms against Spain --- Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas,
Laguna, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, and Tarlac.
 Rizal was worried for two reasons
1. The violent revolution which he sincerely believed to be premature and would only cause
much suffering and terrible loss of human lives and property had started
2. It would arouse Spanish vengeance against all Filipino patriots
 While the ship was anchored at the Manila Bay, the Katipuneros hatched a plan to rescue Rizal.
In executing the plot, Emilio Jacinto, Guillermo Masangkay, and other Katipuneros disguised
themselves as sailors. Using the boat named Caridad, the group was able to go near the ship,
confronted Rizal and informed him of their intention. Rizal declined. He refused the idea of him
getting rescued.
 On August 30, 1896, the day when the state of war was proclaimed in the 8 provinces, Rizal
received from Gov. Gen Blanco two letters of introduction for the Minister of War and the
Minister of Colonies, with a covering letter which absolved him from all the blame for the raging
revolution
 At 6pm September 2, Rizal was transferred to the steamer Isla de Panay which was sailing for
Barcelona and then it left the next morning (September 3).
 The Isla de Panay arrived at Singapore in the evening of September 7.
 Don Pedro Roxas (rich Manila creole industrialist) advised Rizal to stay behind Singapore and take
advantage of the protection of the British Law. Several Filipino residents of Singapore who
boarded the steamer, urged him to stay in Singapore to save his life. However, Rizal ignored all
their appeals because he had given his word of honor to Gov. Gen Blanco and he did not like to
break it.
  Without Rizal’s knowledge, Gov. Gen Blanco was secretly conspiring with the Ministers of War
and the colonies for his destruction. Rizal believed that Gov. Gen Blanco was a man of honor and
a friend because he allowed him to go as a free man to Spain to become a physician-surgeon of
the Spanish army in Cuba. The truth of the matter, Blanco was his implacable foe, who regarded
him as a “dangerous Filipino” who was responsible for the raging Philippine Revolution, and
therefore plotted his doom.
 The Isla de Panay left Singapore at 1pm, September 8.
 On September 25, he saw the steamer Isla de Luzon, leaving the Suez Canal, crammed with
Spanish troops. 2 days later, he heard from the passengers that a telegram arrived from Manila
reporting the execution of Francisco Roxas, Genato, and Osorio.
 On September 28, a passenger told Rizal the bad news that he would be arrested by order of Gov.
Gen Blanco and would be sent to prison in Ceuta (Spanish Morocco), opposite Gibraltar.
 On September 30 at 4pm, he was officially notified by Captain Alemany that he should stay in his
cabin until further orders from Manila.
 On October 3 at 10am, the Isla de Panay arrived in Barcelona, with Rizal a prisoner on board. The
trip from Manila to Barcelona lasted exactly 30 days. He was kept under heavy guard in his cabin
for 3 days. His jailor was no longer the ship captain but the Military Commander of Barcelona,
who happened to be Gen. Eulogio Despujol, the same one who ordered his banishment to Dapitan
in July 1892.
 At 3am on October 6, Rizal was awakened by the guards and escorted to the grim and infamous
prison-fortress named Monjuich. He spent the whole morning in a cell.
 About 2pm, he was taken out of prison by the guards and brought to the headquarters of Gen
Despujol. The general told Rizal that he would be shipped back to Manila on board the transport
ship Colon which was leaving that evening.
 At 8pm, October 6, the ship left Barcelona, with Rizal on board.
 On October 8, a friendly officer told Rizal that the Madrid newspapers were full of stories about
the bloody revolution in the Philippines and were blaming him for it.
 On October 11 before reaching Port said, Rizal’s diary was taken away and was critically
scrutinized by the authorities. On November 2, the diary was returned to him.
 News of Rizal’s predicament reached his friends in Europe and Singapore. From London, Dr.
Antonio Ma. Regidor and Sixto Lopez dispatched frantic telegrams to an English lawyer in
Singapore named Hugh Fort to rescue Rizal from the Spanish steamer.
 When the Colon arrived in Singapore, Atty. Fort instituted proceedings at the Singapore Court for
the removal of Rizal from the steamer. The crux of Mr. Fort’s legal contention was that Rizal was
“illegally detained” on the Spanish steamer. Unfortunately, Chief Justice Loinel Coz denied the
writ saying it is a warship of a foreign power, which under international law was beyond the
jurisdiction of the Singapore authorities.

The Trial

 On November 3, Colon reached Manila. Rizal was then quietly transferred under heavy guard from
the ship to Fort Santiago.
 Meanwhile, the Spanish authorities fished for evidence against Rizal. Many Filipino patriots were
brutally tortured to implicate Rizal. Even Paciano was arrested and cruelly tortured. He suffered
all pains inflicted by Spain’s diabolical torturers but he never signed any damaging statement
incriminating his younger brother.
 On November 20, the preliminary investigation began.
- Rizal appeared before the Judge Advocate, Colonel Francisco Olive. He was subjected to
grueling five-day investigation. He was informed of the charges against him. Two kinds of
evidence were presented against Rizal: documentary and testimonial. The documentary
evidence consisted of fifteen exhibits. (see page 254-255 ni Zaide)
- Testimonial Evidences:
1. Aguedo Del Rosario Llamas, a native Mindoro stated that Rizal was the honorary
president of Katipunan, at that his portrait hangs in the session of the society.
2. Martin Constantino, stated that the objectives of the association were to execute
Spaniards, declare the independence of the Philippines, and place Rizal as its supreme
leader.
3. Jose Reyes, stated that Rizal was one of the Mason who campaigned for the
independence of the Philippines; that Moises Salvador arrived from Spain following the
directives of Rizal to establish La Liga Filipina; and that the statutes of the society was
already prepared by Rizal.
4. Moises Salvador, the founder and president of an association of Filipinos in Madrid,
stated that Rizal and Marcelo H. Del Pilar were the leaders of La Liga Filipina. He added
that the La Liga was established to provide the means to secure the independence of the
islands. He also testified that when Rizal arrived in Manila in June 1892, he called for a
meeting in the house of Doroteo Ongjunco where Rizal explained the need for the Liga
with the final aim of attaining the separation of the Philippines from Spain.
5. Jose Dizon, stated that the La Liga was amassing funds for the expenses of the
insurrection and that the Katipunan and the Liga were one and the same society.
6. Domingo Franco, declared that Rizal was the one who called for a meeting at the house
of Doroteo Ongjunco. He likewise stated that Rizal discussed the need for setting up La
Liga for it to gather funds and to hasten the separation of the Philippines from Spain.
7. Deodato Arellano, stated that La Liga was to carry out a subversive propaganda in the
island, and when Rizal was exiled in Dapitan, and that the Masonic Lodge collected funds
to arrange his escape.
8. Ambrosio Salvador, testified that during the meeting at Ongjunco's house, a proposal was
made to organize La Liga and that Rizal was elected president.
9. Pedro Serrano Laktaw, admitted that he made trips with Rizal in the town of Tarlac and
that he was present in the meeting at the house of Ongjunco.
10. Dr. Pio Valenzuela stated that in a meeting in Pasig, some Filipinos agreed to take a trip
to Japan after consulting Jose Rizal.
11. Antonio Salazar, testified that Timoteo Paez, together with the sister of Rizal, have
arranged for a vessel that would be used by Rizal to escape to Japan, and that he would
 be joined by Doroteo Cortes and Marcelo Del Pilar. He also added that there was a
collection of funds to help Rizal escape from Dapitan.
12. Francisco Quison stated that there was an agreement among the leaders of Katipunan to
send R. Pio Valenzuela to Dapitan and seek Rizal's advises whom they considered a
supreme leader. He also stated that the members of the society decided to launch a
revolution.
13. Timoteo Paez stated that he attended the founding of La Liga in Ongjunco's house and
that Moises Salvador received some copies of the by-laws of the organization.
 On November 26, Colonel Olive transmitted the records of the case to Gov. Gen Blanco, and the
letter appointed Captain Rafael Dominguez as special Judge Advocate to institute the
corresponding action against Rizal.
 Immediately, Dominguez made a brief resume of the chargers and returned it to Gov. Gen Blanco
who transmitted them to the Judge Advocate General, don Nicolas de la Pena for an opinion.
- After studying the papers, Pena submitted the following recommendations
1. The accused be immediately brought to trial
2. He should be kept in prison
3. An order of attachment be issued against his property to the amount of one million pesos
as indemnity
4. He should be defended in court by an army officer, not a civilian lawyer
 The only right given to Rizal was to choose his defense counsel but he had to choose only from
a list submitted to him.
- On December 8, a list of 100 first and second lieutenants in the Spanish army was presented
to Rizal. He chose Don Luis Taviel de Andrade to be his defender in court since the name was
familiar to him.
- Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade proved to be the brother of Lt. Jose Taviel de Andrade, Rizal’s
bodyguard in Calamba in 1887.
 On December 11, the information of charges was formally read to Rizal in his prison cell with his
counsel present. He was accused of being “the principal organizer and the living soul of the Filipino
insurrection, the founder of societies, periodicals and books dedicated to fomenting and
propagating ideas of rebellion”.
 Dominguez forwarded the papers of the Rizal case to Malacanan Palace on December 15, the
same day when General Camilo Polavieja became Governor General of the Philippines.
 On December 15, Rizal wrote a manifesto to his people appealing to them to stop the necessary
shedding of blood and to achieve their liberties by means of education and industry.

The Day of the Trial

 At 8am December 26, 1896, the court-martial of Rizal started in the military building called Cuartel
de Espana.
 Rizal sat on a bench between two soldiers. His arms were tied behind, elbow to elbow. He was
dressed in a black woolen suit with a white best and black tie.
  The trial was opened by Judge Advocate Dominguez who explained the case against Rizal. After
him, Prosecuting Atty. Alcocer arose and delivered a long speech summarizing the charges against
Rizal and urged the court to give the verdict of death to the accused.
 Then Defense Counsel Taviel de Andrade took the floor and read his eloquent defense of Rizal.
 When Lt. Taviel de Andrade took his seat, the court asked Rizal whether he had anything to say.
Rizal then read a supplement which consists of 12 points to his defense. (pp. 260-261 in zeida)
 The president, Lt. Col. Togores Arjona, considered the trial over and ordered the hall cleared.
After a short deliberation, the military court unanimously voted for the sentence of death.
 On December 28, Gov. Gen Polavieja approved the decision of the court-martial and ordered Rizal
to be shot at 7am of December 30 at Bagumbayan Field.

Rizal’s Execution

Last Hours of Rizal

 The court martial of Rizal commenced on Dec. 26, 1896. Even before the death verdict was
handed down, Rizal knew he was a dead man since his trial had been a moro-moro (sham).
 Rizal was busy meeting visitors, Josephine Bracken, Jesuit priests, members of his family, Spanish
newspaper correspondent (Santiago Mataix), some friends and finishing his farewell poem.

December 29, 1896

 7:00 AM – After reading the death sentence, Rizal was moved to the prison chapel.
 7:15AM – Fr. Viza gave back the statuette (Sacred Heart of Jesus which Rizal carved using a pen
knife when he was in Ateneo 9 inch when he was 14 y/o).
 8:00AM – Fr. Antonion Rosell was invited by Rizal to join him in breakfast.
 9:00AM – Fr. Federico Faura was reminded by Rizal that he said the he (Rizal) would someday lose
his head for writing Noli. Rizal remarked “You are indeed a prophet”.
 10:00AM – Fr. Villaclara (Rizal’s Teacher in ateneo) and Vicente Balaguer (Jesuit missionary in
Dapitan) visited the hero.
 12:00PM – 3:30PM – Took his lunch, after which he was busy writing his farewell poem and hid it
in his alcohol cooking stove, write his letter to Prof. Blumentritt (his bestfriend) in German.
Prof. Ferdinand Blumentritt:

My Dear Brother:

When you received this letter, I shall be dead. Tomorrow at seven, I shall be shot; but I am
innocent of the crime of rebellion.
I am going to die with tranquil conscience.
Goodbye, my best, my dearest friend, and never think of ill of me.
 Fort Santiago, December 29, 1896
 3:30PM – Father Balaguer discussed with Rizal about his retraction of the Anti-Catholic ideas in
his writings and membership in Masonry.
 4:00PM – Rizal’s mother arrived. He knelt down, kissed her hands and asked for forgiveness.
o Rizal gave to Trinidad the cooking stove where his last poem was.
 8:00PM – Rizal had his last supper. He informed Captain Dominguez that he already forgave his
enemies.
 9:30PM – Don Gaspar Cestano (fiscal of the Royal Audiencia of Manila) visited him.
 10:00PM – Rizal did not sign the draft of retraction submitted by Father Balaguer because it was
too long and he did not like it. Rizal wrote his retraction.
 3:00AM – Rizal heard mass.
 5:30AM – he took his last breakfast. He wrote letters to his family, and Paciano.
o Rizal embraced Josephine Bracken and gave her a book Imitation of Christ which he
autographed “To my dear unhappy wife”.
 6:00AM – As the soldiers were getting ready, he wrote letters to his parents.

Death March to Bagumbayan

 About 6:30AM trumpet sounded at Fort Santiago to signal the beginning of death march to
Bagumbayan.
 Rizal walk calmly with his defense counsel (Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade) and on one side to Jesuit
priest (Fathers March and Villaclara).
 Rizal was dressed in black suit, black derby hat, black shoes, white shirt and black tie his arms
were tied behind.
 When they reached Malecon (now Bonifacio Drive), Rizal looked at the sky and said “How
beautiful is it today, Father. What morning could be more serene! How clear is Corregidor and the
mountains of Cavite! On mornings like this, I used to take a walk with my sweetheart.”
 They passed by the Ateneo.

Martyrdom of a Hero

 His brother Paciano who had joined the Revolution forces was said to have discouraged groups
who might want to save Rizal since it would not be able to match Spanish Firepower.
 He requested the commander of the firing squad that he’ll be shot facing the firing squad, but he
was denied for the captain had implicit orders to shoot him in the back.
 Failing to have his request granted, he asked to be shot at the back instead of the head so that he
may, at the end, turn his head and body sidewise and fall with his face upward.
 Rizal refused to be blindfolded and insisted on facing his executioners but this was denied, Rizal
wanted to show that he was willing to die for his country.
 Upon hearing the squad commander’s shout of Fuego, Rizal turned to face the firing squad.
 Historical accounts showed that six to eight Filipino volunteer troops composed the firing squad
designated by the Spanish authorities.
  A descendant of one of the executioners Adolfo Pastor Quetcuti, related that only one rifle was
loaded with a life bullet while the rest were blanks. This is to ease the guilt of Rizal’s executioners
who knew he was innocent, he explained. Another group of peninsular troops stood behind them
as an additional measure in case the Filipino troops decided to back out.
 A Spanish military physician, Dr. Felipe Ruiz Castillo asked to feel his pulse, and was amazed to
find it normal.
 “Fire” was heard and the guns of the firing squad barked. Rizal fell on the ground dead with face
upward facing the morning sun, exactly 7:03AM aged 35 years, five months and 11 days.
 Rizal fell face up and was able to see the dawn breaking before he uttered in his final breath:
“Consummatum est (It is finished)”.
 The commander gave the last order the coup de grace or final blows. The commander fired his
pistol for one last merciful shot in the head at close range to make sure he was really dead.
 Out of nowhere a little dog came whimpering and barking ran in circles around the body of Rizal.
 Rizal died as he described in his farewell poem, third stanza:

“I die just when I see the dawn break,

Through the gloom of night, to herald of the day;
And if color is lacking my blood, thou shalt take,
Pour’d out at need for thy dear sake,
To dye with its crimson the waking ray”
 14 years before his execution, Rizal predicted that he would die on December 30th
“January 1, 1883
Two nights ago, that is 30 December, I had a frightful nightmare when I almost died. I
dreamed that, imitating an actor dying on stage, I felt vividly that my breath was failing
and I was rapidly losing my strength. Then my vision became dim and dense darkness
enveloped me – they are the pangs of death”.

Aftermath of a Hero-Martyr’s Death

 After the Rizal’s execution the Spanish spectators (friars, Jesuits not included, corrupt officials
including Gov. Polavieja) shouted “Viva España!” “Muerte a los Traidores”, (“Long Live Spain!”
“Death to the traitors”)
 Spanish Military Band played the gay Marcha de Cadiz
 Rizal was buried at Paco Cemetery without a coffin. It was only 1911 when Rizal’s remains where
transferred to where a monument now stands in his honor.
 Rizal's sister Narcisa looked for the cadaver everywhere but could not find it. She passed by the
unused Paco cemetery and saw through the open Gate some civil guards. She saw a grave with
freshly turned earth and knew at once it was her brother’s body. With a little money, she asked
the gravedigger to place a plaque on it with her brother’s initial reverse. That is R.P.J. for Protacio
Jose.
  Not all of Rizal’s skeletal remains were buried under the monument in Luneta. A vertebra or a
piece of the backbone where Rizal was allegedly hit by the bullet was claimed by his family and is
now displayed at the Rizal Shrine, Fort Santiago.
 It was believed that Rizal stuffed unknown papers in his pockets and shoes on the eve of his
execution. He did this because he presumed that his corpse would be turned over to his family.
But papers were deteriorated and the contents of which were never identified.
 He left specific instructions on how he wanted to be treated after his death.
1. Bury me in the ground
2. I prefer paang bundok
3. Keep my epitaph simple
4. I’m good with a fence
5. No anniversaries
 Rizal’s execution led to the death of a Spanish Prime Minister. On August 8, 1897, an Italian
anarchist named Michele Angine Golli shot at point-blank range Spanish Premier Antonio Canovas
del Castillo outside a spa. After being interrogated, Golli said he killed Canovas to avenge his fellow
anarchists who had been imprisoned and executed in the castle of Montjuich, Barcelona. He also
dedicated his act as retribution for the death of “Don Jose Rizal” and expressed regret for his
failure to kill Camilo de Polavieja, the Spanish Governor General under whom Rizal was executed.
 True that the Spanish bullets which killed Rizal destroyed his brain, but the libertarian ideas
spawned by his brain destroyed the Spanish rule in the Philippines.

REFERENCES

36 Amazing Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Jose Rizal (2019). Retrieved from
https://filipiknow.net/jose-rizal-facts/

Arizala, R. (2014). Some not very wll known facts about Rizal’s trial and execution. Retrieved from
https://www.positivelyfilipino.com

Catindig R. (n.d.) Rizal’s Execution: Little known facts. Retrieved from https://www.philstar.com

CHAPTER Nine: THE TRIAL AND EXECUTION OF DR. JOSE RIZAL (2014). Retrieved from
https://bshmjoserizal.weebly.com/our-hero-jose-rizal/chapter-nine-the-trial-and-execution-of-dr-jose-
rizal

Guzman, Joshua De. “Arrest & Trial of Rizal.” LinkedIn SlideShare, 20 Aug. 2014,
www.slideshare.net/djoshuaabel/arrest-trial-of-rizal.

Sarmiento, V. (2017). Feature: Ten interesting things about Dr. Jose Rizal. Retrieved from pia.gov. ph

Zaide, G., & Zaide, S. (1994). JOSE RIZAL: Life Works aand Writing of a Genius, Writer, Scientist and
National Hero. Quezon City: All Nations Publishing Co., Inc.