Rizal, the

Revolutionary
By Prof. Jet T. Castillo
This Lecture has 2 Parts:
Rizal, an anti-revolutionary person Rizal, a Revolutionary, and the
prime mover of the Revolution
Rizal, the Anti-Revolutionary
Most people believe that Rizal was
NEVER a Revolutionary
• He was always against a revolution.
• What he wanted was ASSIMILATION.

• ASSIMILATION- the Philippines to be a province of Spain

Clues:
1. His novels (Simoun died, the revolution failed)
2. His involvement in the Propaganda Movement (the Illustrados
advocated assimilation thru the La Solidaridad)
3. His testimony in his trial (he straightforwardly asserted that he was
not involved in the KKK, and he’s very loyal to “Mother Spain.”
4. The 1896 Pio Valenzuela testimony.
5. The Katipuneros used his name as a battle cry

* Let us discuss in detail the last 2 clues…

The 1896 Pio Valenzuela testimony
• A few days after the Revolution broke out, Pio Valenzuela was
captured by the Spaniards, and was interrogated about the KKK and
Rizal’s involvement in it.
• Valenzuela admitted visiting Rizal in Dapitan and asking his permission
to start the revolution.
• According to Valenzuela, Rizal was against the revolution.
The 1896 Pio Valenzuela testimony
• Rizal said:
• “What can your bolos and spears do to the guns and cannons of the
Spaniards? You will just be wasting your blood for nothing.”
• It’s like saying: It’s a mismatch. It’s a sure loss. Don’t do it.
The 1896 Pio Valenzuela testimony
• When Valenzuela reported this to Bonifacio, the Supremo got furious.
• He cursed Rizal continuously for half-a-day, shouting, “Duwag pala si
Rizal! Duwag!Duwag!”, in between cuss words.
The Katipunan battle cry
• The Katipuneros would shout “Mabuhay si Dr. Jose Rizal!” whenever
they charge at the Spaniards.
• Is this a sign that they idolize Rizal so much, or is this a frame up?
• Ambeth Ocampo says, there’s abig chance it is actually a frame up!
• Why?
The Katipunan battle cry
• Andres Bonifacio had this habit of employing dirty tactics against his
enemies.
• When he tried to solicit for financial support from the rich Filipinos
before the Revolution began, he got rejected.
• So when the Revolution began, he planted fake documents
implicating the rich Filipinos to the KKK.
• He left fake receipts of “revolutionary cash donations” in KKK camps,
so when the Spaniards would reach those camps, they would see
those receipts and arrest the rich Filipinos whose names were on the
documents.
The Katipunan battle cry
• When the Spaniards arrested these rich Filipinos, they got tortured or
killed.
• Bonifacio then had the last laugh.
• So when Rizal rejected the KKK, Bonifacio “could have” framed up
Rizal as a way to hurt him back, by shouting Rizal’s name in the battle
field.
• If Bonifacio did it to the rich Filipinos, then he could also do it to Rizal.
The Katipunan battle cry
• In essence, Rizal was an ANTI-REVOLUTIONARY, who became
Bonifacio’s most-hated man.
• His name was shouted in the battlefields because he was an ANTI-
REVOLUTIONARY.
But Wait!!!

There are also clues that Rizal was Pro-

Revolution!!!
He is even the prime mover of the Revolution
The 1917 Pio Valenzuela Testimony
• During the American Period, Pio Valenzuela was interviewed and he
gave more details on his meeting with Rizal in Dapitan.
• He said Rizal was not against the Revolution per se, but was against
the timing of the Revolution!
The 1917 Pio Valenzuela Testimony
• Rizal said:
• “Do not start the Revolution now because you lack arms. Wait for a
better timing, when you will be better-supplied with arms.”
The 1917 Pio Valenzuela Testimony
• Rizal even gave them more advices on how to conduct the Revolution.
• Rizal said:
• “In order for the Revolution to succeed, you’ll need the of the rich
Filipinos. Without them, you won’t succeed. They will most likely
support the Spaniards, or just remain neutral. Then, you will be
fighting by yourselves. You need them so the Spaniards will be
defeated.”
• This is the symbolism of the chapter in Noli about Ibarra and Elias
teaming-up to defeat the crocodile.
The 1917 Pio Valenzuela Testimony
• Rizal even gave them more advices on how to conduct the Revolution.
• Rizal said:
• “Get Antonio Luna in your team. He will be a great help. He knows
what to do best when the fighting breaks out. He can direct the
operations of the Revolution.”
The 1917 Pio Valenzuela Testimony
• The Katipunan followed Rizal’s advices.
• They tried to get more guns by soliciting from the Japanese military,
but they got rejected.
• They tried to get the help of the rich Filipinos, but they got rejected.
• They tried to get Antonio Luna, but he became active in the
Revolution in the Fil-Am War phase only.
The 1917 Pio Valenzuela Testimony
• We can clearly see in the 1917 Valenzuela Testimony that Rizal was
NOT ANTI-REVOLUTION, but PRO-REVOLUTION because he was a
major adviser of the Katipunan.
Rizal: Prime Mover of the Revolution
• Rizal was not only an “adviser” of the KKK, but also the main driving
force behind its existence.
• Bonifacio read the Noli and the Fili, and these inspired him to start a
revolution.
• Bonifacio was a La Liga member who got frustrated when Rizal was
arrested and deported to Dapitan. After that, Bonifacio started the
KKK.
• Without Rizal, Bonifacio wouldn’t have started the Revolution.
• So Rizal was the Prime Mover of the Revolution!!!
Rizal: Prime Mover of the Revolution
• Thus, when the Katipuneros went out in the battle field, they shouted
the name of Rizal, to acknowledge the man who started the fire of
the Revolution in their hearts.
Conclusion
• So was Rizal really a Revolutionary?
• What do you think?