Chapter 23

Last Trip Abroad, (1896) no longer an exile, Rizal had a pleasant trop from Dapitan yo manila, with
deligthful stopovers in dumaguete, cebu, iloilo, capiz and romblon. He missed the regular steamer isla de
Luzon, which sailed to spain the day before he arrived in Manila Bay, while waiting for the next ship in
spain, he was kept as a guest on board the spanish cruiser castilla. Meanwhile, o August 26, 1896,
Andres Bonifacio and the katipunan raised the cry of revolution kn the hills of balintawak, a few miles
north of manila. Rizal worried about the rahing hostilities, left it was his last trip abroad.

From dapitan to manila. Leaving dapitan at midnight, july 31, 1896. The espana with Rizal and party on
board sailed northward. At dawn the next day ( Saturday, August 1), it anchored at dumaguete, capital of
negros oriental. Dumaguete wrote rizal in his travel diary, spreads out on roofing. Outstanding are the
house of a lady, whose name I one just bugun with many ipil posts.

Outbreak of the philippine Revolution. While Rizal was patiently waiting on the cruiser castilla for the
next steamer to take him yo spain portentous events occurred, presaging the downfall of spanish power
in asia.

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. Augustinian cura of tondo. This starling ioncident struct
terror into the hearts of spanish officials and residents, producing a hysteria of vindictive retaliaction
agaist the filipino patriots.

The tumult produced by the discovery of the katipunan plot was aggravated by the cry of balintawak
which was raised by bonifacio and valiant katipunerous on august 26 189. At sunrise of august 30 the
rebolutionists led by bonifacio and jacknto attacked San juan, governor general blanko proclainmed a
state of was in the first eigth provinces for risung in arms agaist spain manila ( As a province) bulacan,
Cavite, Batangas, Laguna., panpanga nueva ecija, and tarlac.

Departure for Spain. On August 30, 1896, the day when the state of war was proclaimed in the eight
provinces, Rizal received from governor general Blanco two letters of introduction for the minister of war
and the minister of coloniels, with a covering letter which absolved hkm from all blame for the ranging
revolution as fallow.

Mr. Jose Rizal

Mr dear Sir

Enclosed are two letters for the ministers War and colonies which I think will be well received.

I have no doubt that you will justify me before the government by your future your future behavior not
for your word of honor but because the present happenj g must have shown your palpably that certain
action s which are product of foolish ideas yield no other result buf hartred destruction, tears, and
blood.

May you be very happy is the wish of your attentive servant who kisses your hand.
The two letters of introduction were identical. The one addressed tk general marcelo de azcarraga.,
minister of War was written as fallows:

Most excellent Marcelo de Azcarraga

My esteemed general and disyinguised friend. I recommend to you with you with genuine interest Dr.
Jose Rizal who is departing for the peninsula at the disposal of the government,ever desirous of
rendering his services as physician to the army in cuba.On september 2,1896,the day before his
departure for spain,Rizal,on board the castilla,wrote to his mother.at 6:00 p.m september 2, Rizal was
transferred to the steamer isla de panay which was sailing for barcelona,spain.

Rizal in singapore.The isla de panay arrived at singapore in the evening of september 7.in his travel
diary,Rizal wrote: “I have observed some changes: There are more chinese merchants and less
indian….victim of spanish duplicity.by refusing to break his word of honor in singapore,Rizal sealed his
own doom.For withoit his knowledge,Governor General Blanco was secretly conspiring with the
ministers of war and the colonies for his destruction.Rizal arrested before reaching barcelona.The isla de
panay,with Rizal on board,left singapore at 1:00 p.m,september 8.Unware of the spanish
duplicity,particularly of Governor General blanco’s infernal deceit, he happily continued the voyage
towards barcelona.

On september 25,he saw the steamer isla de luzon,leaving the suez canal,crammed with spanish troops.
On september 28,a day after the steamer had left port said,a passenger told Rizal the bad news that he
would be arrested by order of Governor General blanco and would be sent to prison in ceuta opposite
Gibraltar.On september 29,Rizal wrote in his travel diary:There are people on board who do nothing but
slander me and invent fanciful stories about me.Arrival in barcelona as a prisoner.About 6:25
p.m.,september 30,the steamer anchored at malta.Being confined to his cabin,Rizal was not able to visit
the famous island-fortress of the christian crusaders.On october 3, at 10:00 o’clock in the morning.the
isla de panay arrived in barcelona, with rizal a prisoner on board. The trip from manila to barcelona,
lasted exactly 30 days,at 3:00 a.m on october 6 Rizal was awakened by the guards and escorted to the
grim and infamous prison-fortress named monjuich.about 2:00 in the afternoon,he was taken out of
prison by the guards and brought to the headquarters of General despujol.After the interview,Rizal was
taken aboard the colon,wich was “full of soldiers and afficer and their families at 8:00 p.m., october 6,
the ship left barcelona, with Rizal on board.

Chapter 24

Last homecoming and trial

Rizal’s homecoming in 1896 the last in his life, was his saddest return to his belobed native land. He
knew he was facing the supreme test, which might mean the sacrificial victim to their sadistic lust and
unholy designs for he knew that his blood would water the seeds of filipino freedom. The trial that was
held shortly after his homecoming was one of history’s mockeriès of justice. His enemies howled like
mad dogs for his blood, snd they got it without benefit of gunuine justice.

A Martyr’s last homecoming. Day by day since leavjng barcelona l Tuesday, Ocyober 6 1896, Rizal
conscientiously recorded the events in his diary.he was given a good cabin in the second class and
although strictly guarded,he was courteously treated by the army officers.The officer on duty,he wrote in
his diary,seems amiable refined,and polite,consistent with the seriousness of his duty.
On october 8 a friendly officer told Rizal that the madrid newspaper were full of stories about ghe
bloody. Revolution in the philippines and were blaming him for it. Realising the adverse and unjust public
opinion, he wrote kn his diary on the same date ( october)

I believe that what god is doing to me is a bleesing allowing me yo go back yo the philippinea on order to
be able yo desttoy such accusations. Because eigther theg do me justice and recognize my innocence and
then I will be rehabilitated or they sentence me to death and thereby, before the eyes of society, I aykne
for my supposed crime, societg will forgive me and later, without anh dought, justice will be done me
and I will be kne more martyr. At any rate, instead of dying in mg own country, I belive that what is
happening is the last best that can happen go me. Always god’s will be done I feel more calm with regard
tk my future…. I feel that the peace has descended upon me, thank god! Though art mg hope and my
hope and my consoltation let upur will be done I am ready yo obeg it. Ethier I will be ckndemned or
absolved. Km happy and ready.

Confiscation of Rizal Diary.-it was known to the spanish authorities on board the colon that rizal was
kepping track of the daily events kn his diary. They were of cour e curious ass yo what were recorded in
his diary. Not knly their curiosity, but might be writing sometimes siditious or treasonable.

On october 11 before reaching Port said, Rizal’s diary was taken away and was critically scrutinized by the
authorities. Nothing dangerous was found in its contents. Ghe cabin was searched thoroughly but
nothing incrimating was found. On november 2 the diary was returned to him. Owing to the
interrruption, rizal was not able yo record the events from Monday, ocyober 12 to Sunday november 1
speaking of this incident, he wrote in his diary.

Unsuccessful Rescue in Singapore. New of rizal’s predixament reched his frienda in Europe and
singapore. From London, Dr. Antknio Ma. Regidor and Sixto Lopez dispatched frantic telegrams to an
enlish lawyer kn singapore named hugh fort yo rescur Rizal from the Spanish steamer when it reached
singapore bh means of a writ of hapbeas corpus.

Arrival in Manila on nNovember 3 the colkn reached Manila, where it was greeted with wild rejoicings by
spaniards and friars bexausee it brought more reinforcemengs and military supplies. While ghe spanish
community was exulting with joy, Rizal was quietly transferred under heavy guard from the ship to fort
Santiago.mean while, the spanish athorities fished for evidence against Rizal. Many pilipino
patriots,kncluding deodati arellano, dr Pio Valenzuela, Moises Salvador, jose Dizon, Domingo Franco,
Temoteo Paez and Pedro Serrano laktaw, were brutally tortuned to implicate Rizal. Rizal’s own brother,
Paciano, was arrested and cruelly tortuned. He suffered all pakns inflicted by spain diabolical gortunes,
but he never signed ang damagkng statement icrinimatkng his younger brother. Although jis body was
shattered on the torthne rack and his left jand crushed by the Screw, his villiant asian spirit remained
jnbroken.

Preliminarg knvestigayon. On novemnber 20 the prelimknary investigation began, Rizal the accused,
appeared before the judge advocate, colonel francisco olive. He was informed of the charges against
him.he answered the questions asked by the judge advocate, but he was not permitted to confront
those gwho tedtified against him.
Yo kinds of evidence were presented againsf Rizal namely documentary and testimonial. The
documentary evidence consisted of fifteen exhibits as fallows

1. A letter of antonio ljns to mariano ponce dated madrid October 16 1888, showjng Rizal
connection with the filipino reform campaign kn Spain.
2. A letter of Rizal yo his family, dated madrid August 20, 1890
3. ,stating that the deportations are good for they will encourage the people to hate tyranny.
4. A poem entiled kundiman

Kn the orient beautiful

Where the sjn is borm
Full op unchanments but bound in chains where the despot reighns the land dearest yo me ah
that’s is my country she is slave oppresed geoming kn the tyrants grips luckh shall he be who
can give her liverty!

5. A letter of carloa olover yo an unidentified person. Deted barcelona, september 18 1891

describinv rizal is the man to free yhe phippines from the spanish oppression.
6. A masonic document dated manila febrauary 9 1892- honoring Rizal for his partriotic services.
7. A letter suvned dimasalang ( Rizal,pseudonym) tk tenluz ( juan Zuluete pseudonym) dated I
hongkong may 24 1892- statkng ghaf he was preparing a safe refuge for filipinos who mag be
presecuted bh the spa ish authorities
8. A letter of dimasalang tk an unidentified committee committee jn the pateiotic work.
9. An anynumous and dated letter to the ediyor of hongkong telegraph, consuring the bunishment
of Rizal dapitan.
10. A letter of idelfonso Laurel to Rizal, manila september 3, 1892, saying that thr filipino people
look up yo him (Rizal) as their savoir.
11. A letter of idelfonso Laurel to Rizal, dated Manila 17, 1893, informjng an unidentified
correspondent of the ares and banishment of doreto cortes and ambrocio salvador.
12. A letter of marcelo h del pilar to don juan a Tenluz ( juan Zulueta) dsted madrid, june 1,1893
recomending the establishment of special organization, independent of masonry, to help the
cause of filipino people.
13. Transcript of speech of pingkian ( emilio Jacinco), in a reunion of the katipunan on july 2e, 1893,
in which the followkng cry was uttered “ long live the philippines! Long live liberty ling live
doctor Rizal! Unity.
14. Transcript of a speech tik til ( jose turiano Santiago) in the same katipunan reunion where kn the
katipuneros shouted : long live the eminent docyor Rizal death to the oppressor nation!
15. A poem by laong laan ( Rizal) entitled a talisay in which the author makes the dapitan schoolboys
sing that hoe to fight for their rights.the testimonial evidence consisyed of tbe oeal testimonies
of martyn constannyino, aguedo del Rosario, jose Reyes, moiser, salvador ,pedro serrano laktaw,
Dr pio valenzuela antomio salazay, francisco quison m, and tomoteo paez.

Rizal chooses his defender. The only right given to Rizal bg authorities was to choose his defence
counsel . And even this was highly restricted. For he had yo choose only from a list submitted to him.
On december 8, feast day of the immaculate conception a list of 100 first and second liutenants in
the spanish army was presented to to Rizal. He looked over the list one name struck fancy. It was don
luis taviel Taviel de adrade, 1st liutenant of the artillery, the name was familiar to him so that he
chose the lieutenant yo be his defender kn court.
 Reading of information of charges to accused. On december 11 the information of changes was
formally read to Rizal in prison cell , with his counsel present. He was accused of being yhe organizer
and the living soul of the filipino insurrection . The founder of societies, periodicald and books
dedicated yo fomenting and propogaying ideas of rebellipn as tge accused , rizal raised no objection
on jurisdicyion of tbr court, but pleaded not guilty to the crime of rebellion.domingues forwaded the
papers of thr rizal case to malacañan palace on secember 13, the same day when general Camilo G
de polavieja, with the help of the powerful dominican friars, become governor general of the
philippines, succeceding general blanco. Thr withrawal of blanco from guberbnatorial office sealed
rizal fate, for he wasbmore himsnr in character than the ruthless polavieja and more ever he firmly
believed that rizalbm was not have a traitor to spain. Had he remajned longer kn office, Rizal would
nit have been executed. But this was one of those intriguing ifs in his history of which man has bo
control because the destiny of men and natioms is in accordance with gods devine plan.

Rizal’s Manifesto to his people.- on december 15, rizal wrote a manifesto to his people appealing yo
them to stop the necessary shedding of blood and to achieve their liberties by means of education of
industry.this manisfesto written kn his prison cell at fort Santiago. Run as fallows.

Rizal’s saddest Christmas. December w5, 1896 was christmas. On that they all christmendon
joyously celebrated the borth dah of christ who was born to redeem mankingmf and to bring peace
and brotherhood to all men on earth.whts a dark a cheerless christmas for Rizal! He who was
accustomed to spend this merry season in the company of his belovrd family of dear friends, found
hkmself alonr and depressed kn a dreary prison cell.

Truly, the christmas of 1896 his last on earth, was the saddest in rizal in Rizal lkfr he was kn despair for,
he had no illusions abouy his fate broodkng over his hopless case, he wrote a letter to lt taviel de
andrade as fallows:

Fort santiago, december 25, 1896

My very distinguished defender:

Yhe investigating judge has inf