RETRACTION OF RIZAL

José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda

 He was a Filipino Nationalist and a polymath during the tail end of the Spanish Colonial Period of the Philippines
 An ophthalmologist by profession and also became a writer and a key member of the Filipino Propaganda Movement
which advocated political reforms for the economy under Spain.
 He was a member of a worldwide fraternity called Freemasonry
 Freemasonry or Masonry consists of fraternal organizations that trace their origins to the local fraternities
 Freemasonry is open to men of any faith, but religion should not be discussed at Masonic meetings.
 Masons believe that there is one God and that people employ different ways to seek, and to express what they know of
God.
 He then wrote his classic novel Noli me Tangere, which condemned the Catholic Church in the Philippines for
promoting Spanish colonialism. One of the reasons why Spanish officials were displeased
Retraction - “Withdrawal of a statement”
Rizal allegedly retracted his Masonic claims about Catholicism. His retraction letter was “discovered” and the date was
December 29, 1896. It was said to have been signed by Rizal himself.
It stated “I declare myself a Catholic in this religion in which I was born and educated and wish to live and die. I retract with
all my heart whatever in my words, writings, publications and conducts has been contrary to my character as son of the
Catholic Church.” Until today, the issue whether Rizal retracted or whether the document was forged or real, is still a subject
of continuous debate between historians and Rizal scholars.
The following primary sources are two kinds:
• The first two are the official accounts as witnessed by the two Jesuits who were instrumental in the alleged retraction.
•The last two were the critical analysis by two Rizalist scholars who doubted the story of the retraction
Fr. Vicente Balaguer - One of the Jesuit priest who visited Rizal during his last hours in Fort Santiago and claimed that he
managed to persuade Rizal to denounce Masonry and return to Catholic fold. He also claimed that he’s the one who
solemnized the marriage of Josephine Bracken and Rizal, hours before his execution. He has claimed that he talked to
Rizal and asked him about his stand in religion and why he is fighting against the Catholic Church. He then said that he only
believes in the Sacred Scriptures and not on the claims of the church. They talked from morning till dusk until his words
finally woke him up because he does not want to be damned and wrote a retraction letter to reconcile with the church.
Padre Pio Pi - The Jesuit superior in the Philippines during the time that Jose Rizal was executed. In 1917, he issued an
affidavit recounting his involvement in the said retraction of Rizal. Unlike father Balaguer, he was involved only because he
kept the retraction letter. He did not witness it at all but he’s the one who claimed the he kept the documents safe.
Rafael Palma - A lawyer, educator and politician. He is the author of Biografria de Rizal which is all about the life of our
National Hero and his work won in a literary contest in 1938 but the publication was postponed because of the World War II
Roman Ozaeta - “Pride of the Malay Race”, translated Palma’s writings into English and the story of Rizal’s alleged
retraction was found on Chapters 32 and Chapter 33 was Palma’s own analysis regarding this matter. He argued that
retraction of Rizal was a fraud made by the Catholic Church because they wanted to show everyone that Rizal bowed down
and said sorry to them before his death. It is hard to believe that it’s true because they can’t show the original copies to
everyone even Rizal’s family. He also gave 7 reasons why it isn’t true:
1st – the documents were kept as a secret and the original copy was not found until now.
2nd – when the family asked for the original copy of the said document, they denied it
3rd –his burial was kept as a secret and his cadaver was said to be kept by the people of the church instead of the family.
4th – in spite of what he contributed and did for our country, no masses were said for his soul or funeral
5th – he was not really buried in the Catholic cemetery in Paco but in the ground without any cross or stone to mark his
grave.
6th- he was considered among the persons who died impenitent and did not received any spiritual aids.
7th – lastly, there was no moral motive for the conversion. Why would he reconcile himself to the rites of the religion which
he had fought?
AUSTIN COATES - His interest with Rizal began when he was the Assistant Colonial Secretary and Magistrate in Hong
Kong in 1950. His first study with Rizal happened last 1891-1892. At that time people who knew Rizal were still alive. He
wrote and published “Rizal: Philippine Nationalist and Martyr (1956) and was the first biography of Rizal written by a
European since Vida y Escritos del Dr. Jose Rizal written by Wenceslao Retana (1907). His analysis of Rizal’s retraction
was found in Part VII Chapter V of the book. He argued that when Rizal’s family and close peers saw the article about his
retraction, they immediately said that it was ecclesiastical fraud. In the first place, Rizal believed that the prime leader in the
likelihood fraud was the friar archbishop. The Archbishop was the one who wanted his retraction.
He used Balaguer to make everyone believe it and Balaguer on the other hand claimed that he succeeded in persuading
Rizal to reconcile with the Catholics. But Coates was arguing that there was no written retraction and Rizal believed before
God so he had nothing to retract. The family and his friends did not believe in it because if Rizal was planning to do that he
would tell it to his mother because they had the chance to talk on the phone at 6 am. Balaguer anonymously published a
written account which damaged the Church’s name and revealed his own fraud because he forgot to mention the Ultimo
Adios. Which only showed that he did not know that Rizal wrote a poem because he’s not there at that time when he said
that Rizal had finished his retraction letter.
CRY OF REBELLION
The “Cry of Pugad Lawin” was an event that officially marked the start of the Philippine Revolution against Spain. The revolt later grew
in strength and spread to 8 provinces including Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Pampanga, Tarlac, Laguna, Batangas, and Nueva Ecija —
which were eventually represented by the eight rays of the sun in the present Filipino flag.
 The Philippine Revolution against over 300 years of Spanish rule began with Andrés Bonifacio, leader of the Katipunan, a secret
revolutionary society that sought independence for the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule.
 In August 1896, in the sitio of Pugad Lawin in Balintawak, now part of Quezon City, the Katipuneros led by Andrés Bonifacio rose up in
revolt by tearing up their “cedulas” which became a sign of enslavement of the Filipinos. This event called the “Cry of Pugad Lawin,”
officially regarded as the start of the Philippine Revolution against Spain with the use of violence and arms.
DEFINITION OF THE CRY
 The word “cry” comes from the Spanish el grito de rebelion (cry of rebellion) or el grito for short. Thus the Grito de Balintawak is similar
to the Grito de Dolores of Mexico (1810). But the “el grito de rebelion” strictly refers to a decision or call to revolt. It doesn’t necessarily
mean shouting, unlike the Filipino term Sigaw or Sigao.
 Originally the term “cry” referred to the first clash between the members of Katipunan and the Civil Guards (Guardia Civil).
 The cry could also refer to the tearing up of cedulas (community tax certificates) in resistance to Spanish government.
 The cry can also be referred to in the inscriptions of “Viva la Independencia Filipina” which was literally accompanied by patriotic
shouts.
DIFFERENT DATES AND PLACES
 Several accounts provide differing dates and places for the Cry of Pugad Lawin.
 Olegario Diaz, who was an officer of the Spanish Guardia civil stated that the Cry happened in Balintawak on August 25, 1896.
 Historian Teodoro Kalaw wrote in his 1925 book entitled The Filipino Revolution that the Cry took place during the final week of August
1896 at Kangkong, Balintawak.
 Santiago Alvarez, a Katipunero and son of Mariano Alvarez who was the leader of the Magdiwang faction in Cavite, stated in 1927 that
the cry happened at Bahay Toro, now in Quezon City on August 24, 1896.
 Pío Valenzuela, Andrés Bonifacio’s close associate, declared in 1948 that the event took place on August 23, 1896, in Pugad Lawin.
 Some of the apparent confusion about the place where it happened is in part due to the double meanings of the words “Balintawak”
and “Caloocan” at the turn of the century.
 However, from 1908 until 1963, this event was officially recognized as having happened on August 26 in Balintawak. Ultimately, the
Philippine government declared in 1963 a change from August 26 to August 23 in Pugad Lawin, Quezon City.
EVENTS PRIOR TO THE CRY OF PUGAD LAWIN
 Several events occurred to strengthen the unity of the Filipino people and brought a “thirst” for independence.
 These include the Cavite Mutiny of 1872, Martyrdom of the GOMBURZA, propaganda movements, and different peaceful campaigns
for reforms, Dr. Rizal’s exile in Dapitan, and the foundation and the discovery of the KKK or Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang
Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (“Supreme and Venerable Association of the Children of the Nation”).
THE KATIPUNAN
 The Katipunan was an offshoot from the La Liga Filipina, a movement that sought to bring about political reform in the Spanish colonial
government led by José Rizal (Philippines’ national hero).
 Rizal had been exiled right after his organization was formed with their first meeting.
 After several years had passed with essentially no changes in the constitution, Bonifacio and others lost all hope for some peaceful
reform being brought about by La Liga Filipina.
 Spearheaded by Andres Bonifacio, they abandoned the organization and concentrated their efforts on the Katipunan to bring about a
revolution with the use of violence and arms.
 Founded by Bonifacio, Ladislaw Diwa, Deodato Arellano, and others on July 7, 1892, the secret organization consisted of both male
and female patrons, including Bonifacio’s wife, who led the female faction.
 With aiming the organization’s goal of independence from Spain, the Katipunan led by Andres Bonifacio started the revolution
preceded by the Cry of Pugad Lawin.
 August 19, 1896, the paraphernalia used in printing Katipunan documents and other items was found revealing the existence of the
Katipunan.
 Consequently, a series of arrests of Katipuneros in Manila followed, and many Filipinos were jailed or imprisoned.
 As many as five hundred arrests were performed and many escaped the city for fear of been captured, tortured, or killed.
TEARING OF CEDULA
 Not all statements describe the tearing of cédulas in the last days of August but the version of Agoncillo, which was based on the later
statements of Pío Valenzuela including the others who insisted that the cry happened in Pugad Lawin instead of Balintawak, was the
source of the current stance of the Philippine government official commemorations.
 Bonifacio and many others had escaped to Pugad Lawin.
 During their meeting at the house of Juan Ramos on August 23, 1896, Bonifacio urged his supporters to tear into pieces their cédulas
(residence certificates) as a sign of revolt against the Spanish government.
 Being highly motivated by the killings and arrest of their fellow members in Manila, they tore up their cedulas and let out the cry “Long
live the Philippines,” which is known as the Cry of Pugad Lawin in Philippine history.
 He released a manifesto on the 28th for all their supporters in the surrounding towns to take up arms on the impending strike on Manila
which would happen on August 29th.
 The revolt eventually increased in strength and spread to eight provinces –Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Pampanga, Tarlac, Laguna,
Batangas, and Nueva Ecija — which were subsequently represented by the eight rays of the sun in the present Filipino flag.
DEATH AND LEGACY
 The Cry of the Rebellion in Pugad Lawin marked the beginning of the Philippine Revolution in 1896 which ultimately led to Philippine
Independence in 1898.
 After Bonifacio’s death on May 10, 1897, in Maragondon, Cavite, General Emilio Aguinaldo continued the revolution.
 He declared the independence of the country from Spain on June 12, 1898, at Kawit, Cavite