Rizal’s Life: exile,

trial and death

 Exile
Rizal’s return in Manila was his second homecoming having
stayed abroad since August 1887 or a period of Almost five
years.

He had two reasons for coming home:

1.) to talk personally with Governor Despujol of the British North
Borneo colonization Project and
2.) To establish La Liga Filipina

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As embodied in the Constitution, the aims of the La Liga Filipina
were the ff:
1. Unity in the whole archipelago into one compact and
homogenous body;
2. Mutual protection in every want and necessity;
3. Defense against all violence and injustice;
4. Encouragement of education, agriculture, and commerce;
and
5. Study and application of Reforms

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The association had a motto: Unus Instar Omnimium (One Like All)

All Filipinos who have welfare of their country and their fellowmen were
qualified for membership. Membership fee was fixed at two pesos and a
monthly due of 10 pesos.

Visited Gov. Despujol to request pardon for his parents; wherein latter
agreed to pardon his father but not the rest of his family.

June 7, 1892 he boarded a train to visit his friends in Malolos, Bulacan;

San Fernando and Bacolor both in Pampanga and in Tarlac, Tarlac, he
visited his friends whom he shared the same sentiments of their country
and the reform crusade to discuss such issues.

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In this talks with the Governor, he was shown “subversive” Materials
allegedly found in Lucia’s Pillow case. They were Leaflets, entitled
Pobres Frailles (Poor Friars), a satire against the Dominican Friars
who amassed wealth and fortune “contrary to their monastic vows
of poverty” written by Fr. Jacinto and printed in Manila.

Nine days later, Shortly after midnight, Rizal was brought under
heavy guard to the steamer Cebu which brought him to Dapitan,
arriving at a destination on 17th of July 7:00 in the morning. Here he
was handed by Captain Delgras, the ship’s captain Ricardo
Canicero, the Spanish commander of Dapitan.

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 Life in dapitan
In Dapitan Rizal was given a chance to live at the parish convent
provided the following conditions were met:

1. That Rizal publicly retract the errors concerning religion, and

make statements that were clearly pro – Spanish and against
revolution. Pn
2. That he perform the church rites and make a general
confessions of his past life.
3. That henceforth, he would conduct himself in an exemplary
manner a Spanish subject and a man of religion.

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Rizal refused to follow the conditions set, and preferred to live in the house
of the commandant, Captain Carnicero, with whom he developed a warm
friendship and a pleasant relationship to the extent that the commander
gave him freedom to go anywhere, but to report only once a week at his
office and even allowed Rizal, who was a good equestrian to ride to his
chestnut horse.

Rizal wrote on a occasion of his birthday on August 26, 1892. Their warm
friendship can also be illustrated when both of them, together with
Spanish residents in Dipolog, Francisco Equilor, bought a lottery ticket No.
9736 which won second prize of P20,000 in the government owned Manila
lottery. Of his share of P6, 200, Rizal gave his father P2,000; P200. to his
friend in Hongkong , Jose Ma. Basa; and the rest he invested in agricultural
lands along the coast of Talisay, a kilometer away from Dapitan.

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 Community Activities
One of the problems besetting the municipality of Dapitan was
its water system. Rizal used his knowledge he had gained as an
expert surveyor (perito agrimensor).
Rizal was born teacher. Inclination started when he was young
for, he realized the value of education. While in Europe he made it its
business to observe not only customs and traditions but also their
school systems. He started his school with only three pupils, it grew
into 21, and instead of charging school fees, they were required to
render services or work in the garden, fields or on construction
projects in the community.

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 Rizal put up a two-hour schedule for the classes everyday
starting 2:00 till 4:00 in the afternoon under the Talisay tree,
which become the subjects of his poem later. The pupils sat on
bench, while the teacher was seated on the hammock. Subjects
such as English and Spanish were taught every other day.

He followed the style at Ateneo where the best student was

called an “Emperor” and sat on the bench, the poorest student
sat at the other end of the bench.

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 Gymnastics was not a part of the school program, but Rizal
encouraged them to do exercises to strengthen their bodies.
Aside from that they had other sports such as swimming,
wrestling, stone-throwing, native fencing and boating. Rizal
found Dapitan and its surroundings a rich field of specimen.
Together with the students, they would go around in his Baroto
and explore the jungles and coasts. They collected different
specimens of insects, frogs, lizards, snakes, shells, and plants.
The exploration added to the students’ knowledge aside from
their school work under the trees.

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