Group 5

RIZAL’S EXILE, TRIAL, AND EXECUTION

Table of Contents
I. Second Homecoming and the Liga Filipina
II. Exile in Dapitan
III. Arrest and Trial
IV. Execution at Bagumbayan
Recap
A. Secondary Studies in Ateneo de Manila (1872-1877)
B. Medical Studies at the University of Santo Tomas (1877-1882)
C. In Sunny Spain (1882-1885)
D. Paris to Berlin (1885-1887)
E. Noli Me Tangere Published in Berlin (1887)
F. First Homecoming (1887-1888)
G. Travels and Journey Abroad (1888-1891)
H. El Filibusterismo Published in Ghent (1891)
I. Ophthalmic Surgeon in Hong Kong (1891-1892)

I. SECOND HOMECOMING AND THE LIGA FILIPINA

A. Arrival in Manila
• June 26, 1892 - Rizal and his sister Lucia arrived in Manila.
• Rizal sought audience with Governor General Eulogio Despujol, Conde de Caspe in
Malacañan Palace.
• June 27, 1892 - He visited his friends in Central Luzon. He was shadowed by the
government spies who watched carefully his every move.
• June 28, 1892 - Rizal had other interviews with the governor general.
B. Founding of Liga Filipina
• July 3, 1892 - Rizal established La Liga Filipina in the house of Doroteo Ongjunco in
Tondo, Manila.
• Elected officers:
i. Ambrosio Salvador, President of the League
ii. Agustin dela Rosa, Fiscal
iii. Bonifacio Arevalo, Treasurer
iv. Deodato Arellano, Secretary and first Supreme leader of Katipunan
v. Rizal functioned as its adviser
• Push reform for PH in a peaceful manner
• Aim/Ends:
i. Unite the whole country
ii. Protect and assist all members
iii. Fight violence and injustice
iv. Support education
v. Study and implement reforms
• Motto: Unus Instar Omnium (One Like All)
• Duties of the Liga members:
i. obey the orders of the Supreme Council
ii. to help in recruiting new members
iii. to keep in strictest secrecy the decisions of the Liga authorities
iv. to have a symbolic name which he cannot change until he becomes president of
his council
v. to report to the fiscal anything that he may hear which affects the Liga
vi. to behave well as befits a good Filipino
B. Split of the Liga Filipina
• Liga was initially active under Bonifacio's leadership.
• Supreme Council of the Liga later dissolved the society. [The reformist leaders found out
that most of the popular councils which Bonifacio had organized were no longer willing
to send funds to the Madrid propagandists because, like Bonifacio, they had become
convinced that peaceful agitation for reforms was futile.]
• Frustrated by ineffective peaceful concern, Liga leaders opted for dissolution.
• The Liga membership split into two groups:
i. Conservatives: Cuerpo de Compromisarios - pledged to continue supporting La
Solidaridad and the reform
ii. Radicals: Katipunan or KKK - organized and led by Andres Bonifacio on July 7,
1892; aimed for revolution by force and arms
C. Arrested and Jailed in Fort Santiago
• June 6, 1892 - Rizal resumes interviews with the governor general at Malacañan Palace.
• During the interview, Governor General Despujol presents incriminating leaflets titled
“Pobres Frailes (Poor Friars)” found in Lucia's pillow cases.
• Leaflets satirize Dominican friars for accumulating wealth in contrast to their vow of
poverty
• Rizal denies involvement and requests a proper investigation.
• Despite his pleas, he was arrested and taken to Fort Santiago by Governor General
Despujol's nephew and aide, Ramon Despujol.
• Rizal was detained at Fort Santiago for 9 days in isolation (incommunicado).
• July 7, 1892 – Gaceta de Manila published the story of Rizal’s arrest and the decree to
deport Rizal in Dapitan.
• The gubernatorial decree gave the reasons for Rizal’s deportation:
1. Publication and introduction of various anti-monastic books and handbills;
2. Travelling through different provinces without permit from the Governor-
General;
3. Finding in his luggage the pamphlets Pobres Frailes or Poor Friars which
mocked the religious orders;
4. Dedication of the El Filibusterismo to the memory of Gomburza; and
5. Rizal’s attempts at de-Catholicizing and denationalizing the Filipino people.
• July 15, 1892 – Rizal was brought under heavy guard to the steamer Cebu which was
sailing for Dapitan.
• July 17, 1892 - Rizal arrived in Dapitan on the evening of Sunday.
• Captain Delgras, captain of the steamer, handed Rizal over to Captain Ricardo Carnicero,
Spanish commandant of Dapitan.

II. EXILE IN DAPITAN (1892-1896)

[Jose Rizal lived the life of a political exile in Dapitan, the northern Mindanao which today is part of the
province of Zamboanga del Norte, near Dipolog.]
A. Beginning of Exile in Dapitan
• Rizal was given a choice to stay and live in the quarters of the commandant Captain
Ricardo Carnicero, or in the parish convent of Dapitan headed by Fr. Antonio Obach.
• Fr. Pablo Pastells, Superior of the Jesuit Society of the Philippines, instructed Fr. Obach
that Rizal could only live in the convent on the following conditions:
i. he publicly retracted his Masonic and antichurch beliefs
ii. he regularly participate in church rites
iii. he conduct himself as a good Spanish subject and a man of religion
• Rizal did not agree with these conditions and stayed in the house of Capt. Carnicero.
• The relations between Carnicero (the warden) and Rizal (the prisoner) were warm and
friendly.
• Carnicero was charmed by Rizal’s fine qualities and personality. He came to know that
Rizal was not a common felon, much less a filibustero.
o He gave good reports on his prisoner to Governor General Despujol
o He gave Rizal complete freedom to go anywhere in Dapitan, reporting only
once a week at his office
• Rizal made him a bust and composed a poem in his honor “A Don Ricardo Carnicero” on
his birthday on August 26, 1892.
B. Wins in Manila Lottery
• September 21, 1892 – The mailboat Butuan brought to Dapitan the news that the
Lottery Ticket No. 9736 jointly owned by Capt. Carnicero, Dr. Rizal, and Francisco Equilior
won the second prize of P20,000 in the Manila Lottery, with Rizal's share being P6,200.
• Rizal gave P2,000 to his father, P200 to his friend Jose Basa in Hong Kong, and invests the
remainder in agricultural lands near Dapitan.
C. Rizal-Pastells Debate on Religion
• During his exile in Dapitan, Rizal engaged in a scholarly debate with Father Pastells on
religion.
• Rizal engaged in a debate with Father Pastells through letters.
• The debate began when Father Pastells sent Rizal a book by Sarda and advised him to
refrain from criticizing religion.
• In his letters to Father Pastells, Rizal expressed his anti-Catholic ideas and bitterness he
got from Europe towards the bad friars who had persecuted him.
“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.”
- Rizal’s letter to Blumentritt, Paris, January 20, 1890
• Rizal's criticism was aimed at friars who misused religion as a shield and a weapon.
• The debate ended inconclusively, and Rizal remained outside the Catholic Church but
maintained a friendly relationship with Father Pastells.
• Rizal continued to be a Catholic in his own way, one that sought enlightenment and
inquiry, similar to the "Catholicism of Renan and Teilhard de Chardin.“
• Despite their differences, Rizal and Pastells exchanged gifts, including a copy of the
“Imitacion de Cristo (Imitation of Christ)" and a bust of St. Paul.
D. Rizal Challenges a Frenchman to a Duel
• He also had a business deal with a French acquaintance, Mr. Juan Lardet, involving the
purchase of logs.
• Lardet expressed his dissatisfaction with the logs' quality in a letter to Antonio Miranda.
• Miranda shared Lardet's letter with Rizal, who was sensitive and took offense at Lardet's
comments about his integrity.
• Rizal immediately challenged Lardet to a duel.
• The commandant, Carnicero, advised Lardet to apologize instead of accepting the
challenge, highlighting Rizal's expertise in martial arts.
• Lardet apologized in a letter dated March 30, 1893, and Rizal, following the Hispanic
chivalric code (pundonor), accepted the apology.
[Rizal had previously challenged individuals to duels due to his sensitivity, including
Antonio Luna and W. E. Retana in 1890.]
E. Rizal and Father Sanchez
• Father Pastells instructed two Jesuits in Mindanao, Father Obach, cura of Dapitan and
Father Jose Vilaclara, cura of Dipolog, to persuade Rizal to return to the Catholic faith.
• He also assigned Father Francisco de Paula Sanchez, Rizal's former teacher at the Ateneo
de Manila, to Dapitan.
• Father Sanchez was the only Spanish priest to publicly defend Rizal's Noli Me Tangere.
• Father Sanchez and Rizal engaged in frequent theological debates during the latter's
time in Dapitan.
• Despite their discussions, Father Sanchez was unable to convince Rizal to change his
unorthodox views on the Catholic religion.
• Rizal and Father Sanchez maintained a friendly relationship, and Rizal even assisted him
in beautifying the town plaza.
• On Father Sanchez's birthday, Rizal gifted him a manuscript titled "Estudios Sobre La
Lengua Tagala (Studies on the Tagalog Language)”, a Tagalog grammar dedicated to his
beloved former teacher.
F. Idyllic Life in Dapitan
• Rizal had an exemplary life, idyllic in serenity in Dapitan.
• Since August 1893, members of his family took turns in visiting him.
• Among them were his mother; sisters Trinidad, Maria, Narcisa; and nephews Teodosio,
Estanislao, Mauricio, and Prudencio.
• He build his house by the seashore of Talisay, surrounded by fruit trees.
• He also had another house for his school boys and a hospital for his patients.
“I shall tell you how we live here. I have three houses: one square, another hexagonal, and a third octagonal, all
of bamboo, wood, and nipa. In the square house we live, my mother, sister Trinidad, a nephew and I; in the
octagonal live my boys or some good youngsters whom I teach arithmetic. Spanish and English; and in the
hexagonal live my chickens. From my house I hear the murmur of a crystal, clear brook which comes from the
high rocks; I see the seashore, the sea where I have small boats, two canoes or barotos, as they say here. I have
many fruit trees, mangoes, lanzones, guayabanos, baluno, nanka, etc. I have rabbits, dogs, cats, etc. I rise early –
at five – visit my plants, feed the chickens, awaken my people and put them in movement. At half-past seven we
breakfast with tea, pastries, cheese, sweatmeats, etc. Later I treat my poor patients who come to my land; I dress,
go to the town in my baroto, treat the people there, and return at 12, when my luncheon awaits me. Then I teach
the boys until 4 P.M. and devote the afternoon to agriculture. I spend the night reading and studying.”
- Rizal’s letter to Blumentritt on December 19, 1893, describing his life in Dapitan
G. Rizal’s Encounter with a Friar’s Spy
• November 3, 1893 - A spy of the friars with assumed name of “Pablo Mercado” and
posing as a relative, secretly visited Rizal.
• The strange visitor offered his services as a confidential courier of Rizal’s letters and
PH GOV. GEN. TERMS
1. Eulogio Despujol writings for the patriots in Manila.
(Nov 1891 – Mar 1893) • Rizal sent him away the next day and moved past the incident.
2. Federico Ochando
(Mar 1893 – May 1893) • Later he learned that the rascal was still in Dapitan, telling people that he was a beloved
3. Ramon Blanco
(May 1893 – Dec 1896)
relative of Rizal.
• Rizal went to the comandancia and denounced the impostor to Captain Juan Sitges.
• Capt. Sitges ordered the arrest of “Pablo Mercado” and instructed Anastacio Adriatico to
investigate him immediately.
• Real name of “Pablo Mercado” was Florencio Namaan, was hired by the Recollect friars
to spy on Rizal’s activities and to filch letters and writings.
• Strangely, Capt. Sitges cancelled the investigation and released the spy.
espionage - the practice
of spying or of • Capt. Sitges forwarded the records to Governor General Blanco and kept them as highly
using spies, typically by
governments to obtain
confidential.
political and military • Rizal was denied of his request to have a copy of the investigation.
information.
• The incident of the secret mission of Pablo Mercado was not an assassination attempt
on Rizal, as based on documentary sources.
• It was merely an espionage plot planned by the friars.
H. As a Physician in Dapitan
• Rizal provided free medicine to his patients, mostly underprivileged.
• He also had wealthy patients who paid him well for his excellent surgical skill.
• Some of his notable patients were:
• Don Ignacio Tumarong who gave Rizal 3000 pesos for restoring his sight
• An Englishman who gave him 500 pesos
• Aklanon haciendero, Don Francisco Azcarraga, who paid him a cargo of sugar
• In August 1893, Rizal performed eye surgery on his mother, Doña Teodora Alonzo, for
the third time.
• The operation was a success, but Alonzo removed the bandages in her eyes too early,
which led to infection.
• Fortunately, the infection was stopped thanks to her son’s ophthalmic expertise and her
mother’s sight was fully restored.
• He studied local medicine, medicinal plants in the country and their curative values.
I. Waterworks for Dapitan
• Rizal applied his engineering knowledge to construct a waterworks system in Dapitan.
• He obtained the title of expert surveyor (perito agrimensor) from the Ateneo Municipal.
• He widened his knowledge by reading engineering-related books.
• Despite the inadequacy of tools at hand, he successfully provided a good water system
for the province.
J. Community Projects for Dapitan
• Rizal also partook in civic works in Dapitan.
• Drained the marshes of Dapitan to get rid of malaria-carrying mosquitoes.
• Provided lighting system (coconut oil lamps) in the dark streets of the province.
• Beautified Dapitan by remodeling the town plaza with the aid of his Jesuit teacher, Fr.
Francisco Sanchez.
• Created a relief map of Mindanao (using stones, soil, and grass) right in front of the
church.
K. Rizal as Teacher
• Established a school in Dapitan attended by 16 young boys from prominent families.
• Did not charge tuition fees; instead, students did community projects such as
maintaining his garden and field.
• Taught reading, writing in English and Spanish, geography, history, mathematics,
industrial work, nature study, morals, and gymnastics.
• Encouraged students to engage in sports activities. They had gymnastics, boxing,
wrestling, stone-throwing, arnis and boating.
L. “Hymn to Talisay”
• In honor of the Talisay tree, he wrote a poem entitled “Himno A Talisay” for his pupils to
sing.
Hymn to the Talisay Tree by Dr. José Rizal
At Dapitan, the sandy shore Talisayans, people call us; CHORUS:
And rocks aloft on mountain crest Mighty souls in bodies small.
Form thy throne, O refuge blest, O'er Dapitan's district all, Hail, O Talisay!
That we from childhood days have known, No Talisay like this towers. Firm and untiring,
In your vales that flowers adorn, None can match our reservoir. Ever aspiring,
And your fruitful leafy shade, Our diving pool, the sea profound! Stately thy gait,
Our thinking powers are being made, No rowing boat the world around Things, everywhere
And soul with body being grown. For a moment can pass ours. In sea, land or air
Shalt thou dominate.
We are youth not long on earth We study sciences exact;
But our souls are free from sorrow; The history of our motherland:
Calm, strong men we'll be tomorrow, Three languages or four command;
Who can guard our families' rights. Bring faith and reason in accord.
Lads are we whom naught can frighten, Our hands can manage at one time
Whether thunder, waves, or rain. The sail and working spade and pen,
Swift of arm, serene of mien The mason's maul -- for virile men
In peril, shall we wage our fights. Companions, and the gun and sword.

With our games we churn the sand, Live, live, O leafy green Talisay!
Through the caves and crags we roam, Our voices sing thy praise in chorus,
On the rocks we make our home, Clear star, and precious treasure for us,
Everywhere our arms can reach. Our childhood's wisdom and its balm.
Neither dark nor night obscure In fights that wait for every man,
Cause us fear, nor fierce torment In sorrow and adversity,
That even Satan can invent. Thy memory a charm will be,
Life or death? We must face each! And in the tomb, they name, they calm.
M. Contributions to Science
• Shared his interest in nature with his students.
• Explored the jungles with his students to search for specimens, which he sent to
museums in Europe, particularly the Dresden Museum.
• Received scientific books and surgical instruments from European scientists in return.
• Made a bulk of other researches and studies in the fields of ethnography, archaeology,
geology, anthropology, and geography.
• Most significant contribution in the scientific world was his discovery of three species:
i. Draco rizali - flying dragon
ii. Apogonia rizali - small beetle
iii. Rhacophorus rizali - rare frog
N. Linguistic Studies
• Was interested in the languages used in Dapitan and studied and compared the Bisayan
and Malayan languages existing in the region.
• Had knowledge in 22 languages: Tagalog, Ilocano, Bisayan, Subanun, Spanish, Latin,
Greek, English, French, German, Arabic, Malayan, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Dutch, Catalan,
Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Swedish, and Russian.
O. Artistic Works in Dapitan
• Contributed his talent to the Sisters of Charity who were preparing for the arrival of the
image of the Holy Virgin in their private chapel .
• Modeled the image's right foot and other details.
• Conceptualized the image's curtain, which was oil-painted by a Sister under his
instruction.
• Made sketches of anything which attracted him in Dapitan, including three rare fauna
species that he discovered and the fishes he caught.
• Sculpted the statuette called "The Mother's Revenge", which represented his dog, Syria,
avenging her puppy to a crocodile which killed it.
• Other sculptural works of Rizal in Dapitan were:
i. A bust of Fr. Guerrico (Ateneo professor)
ii. A statue of a girl called “The Dapitan Girl”
iii. A woodcarving of Josephine Bracken
iv. A bust of St. Paul which he gave to Fr. Pastells
P. Rizal as Farmer
• Devoted time to planting important crops and fruit-bearing trees on his 16-hectare land
(later, reaching as large as 70 hectares).
• Planted cacao, coffee, sugarcane, and coconuts, among many others.
• Invested part of his earnings from being a medical practitioner and his 6000-peso
winnings from a lottery on lands.
• Imported agricultural machinery from the United States and introduced modern
agricultural methods to the native farmers of Dapitan.
• Visualized of having an agricultural colony in Sitio Ponot, within the Sindagan Bay.
Believed the area was suitable for cattle-raising and for cash-crops as the area had
abundant water. Unfortunately, this plan did not materialize.
Q. Rizal as Businessman
• Tried his luck in the fishing, hemp, and copra industries with his partner, Ramon Carreon.
• He invited his relatives, particularly Saturnina and Hidalgo to engage in business
opportunities in Mindanao.
• Saw the potential of the fishing industry in Dapitan and requested that two good
Calamba fishermen be sent to teach the fisher folks of the new fishing methods.
People use hemp seeds •
Most profitable business venture was the hemp industry.
and oils in a range of •
One time, he shipped 150 bales of hemp to a foreign firm in Manila at huge profit for
food products including
hemp milk, hemp oil, him and his partner.
and hemp cheese
• He purchased hemp in Dapitan at P7 and 4 reales per picul and sold it in Manila at P10
substitutes.
Hemp provides healthy and 4 reales, giving him a profit of 3 per picul.
fat and is a good source
of protein. Industrial
• May 14, 1893 – Rizal and his business partner formed lime manufacturing.
hemp is a class of • Their limeburner had a monthly capacity of more than 400 bags of lime.
cannabis sativa that
contains no more than • January 1, 1895 – Rizal organized the Cooperative Association of Dapitan farmers to
0.3% break the Chinese monopoly in Dapitan.
tetrahydrocannabinol
(THC). • Its purpose was to improve farm products , their outlets and help producers and
workers.
R. Rizal’s Inventive Ability
• In 1887, while practicing medicine in Calamba, he invented a cigarette lighter which he
sent as a gift to Blumentritt.
• He called it “sulpakan”, made of wood.
• Its mechanism is based on the principle of compressed air.
• Invented a machine for making bricks.
• Machine could manufacture 6,000 bricks daily.
S. “My Retreat”
• February 1895 – Donya Teodora returned to Manila.
• She requested Rizal to write poetry again.
• Rizal wrote a beautiful poem “Mi Retiro (My Retreat)” about his serene life as an exile in
Dapitan and sent it to her on October 22, 1895.
My Retreat by Dr. José Rizal
By the spreading beach where the sands are soft But when in the night the wild winds awake, I breathe here the winds that perchance have
and fine, And the waves in their fury begin to leap, pass'd
At the foot of the mount in its mantle of green Through the air rush the cries that my mind shake; O'er the fields and the rivers of my own natal
I have built my hut in the pleasant grove's confine; Voices that pray, songs and moans that partake shore;
From the forest seeking peace and a calmness Of laments from the souls sunk down in the deep. And mayhap they will bring on the returning blast
divine, The sighs that lov'd being upon them has cast --
Rest for the weary brain and silence to my sorrow Then from their heights the mountain groan, Messages sweet from the love I first bore.
keen. And the trees shiver tremulous from great unto
least; To see the same moon, all silver'd as of yore.
Its roof of the frail palm leaf and its floor the cane. The groves rustle plaintive and the herds utter I feed the sad thoughts within me arise;
Its beams and posts of the unhewn wood; moan, The fond recollections of the troth we swore,
Little there is of value in this hut so plain, For they say that the ghost of the folk that are Of the field and the bower and the wide seashore,
And better by far in the lap of the mount to have gone The blushes of joy, with the silence and sighs.
lain, Are calling them down to their death's merry feast.
By the song and the murmur of the high sea's A butterfly seeking the flowers and the light,
flood. In terror and confusion whispers the night, Of other lands dreaming of vester extent;
While blue and green flames flit over the deep; Scarce a youth, from home and love I took flight,
A purling brook from the woodland glade But calm reigns again with the morning's light, To wander unheeding, free from doubt of affright -
Drops down o'er the stones and around it sweeps, And soon the bold fisherman comes into sight, -
Whence a fresh stream is a drawn by the rough And his bark rushes on and the waves sink to So in foreign lands were my brightest days spent.
cane's aid; sleep.
That in the still night its' murmur has made, And when like a languishing bird I was fain
And in the day's heat a crystal fountain leaps. So onward glide the days in my lonely abode; To the home of my fathers and my love to return,
Driven forth from the world where once I was Of a sudden the fierce tempest roar'd amain;
When the sky is serene how gently it flows, known, So I saw my wings shatter'd and no home remain,
And its zither unseen ceaselessly plays; I muse o'er the fate upon me bestow'd; My trust to others and wrecks round me burn.
But when the rains fall a torrent it goes A fragment forgotten that the moss will corrode,
Boiling and foaming through the rocky close, To hide from mankind the world in me shown. Hurl'd out into exile from the land I adore,
Roaring uncheck'd to the sea's wide ways. My future all dark and no refuge to seek;
I live in the thought of the lov'd ones left, My roseate dreams hover round me once more,
The howl of the dog and the song of the bird, And oft their names to my mind are borne; Sole treasures of all that life to me bore;
And only the kalao's hoarse call resound; Some have forsaken me and some by death are The faiths of youth that with sincerity speak.
Nor is the voice of vain man to be heard; reft;
My mind to harass or my steps to begird; But now 'tis all one, as through the past I drift, But not as of old, full of life and of grace,
The woodlands alone and the sea wrap me round. That past which from me can never be torn. Do you hold out hopes of undying reward;
Sadder I find you; on your lov'd face,
The sea, ah, the sea! for me it is all, For it is the friend that is with me always, Though still sincere, the pale lines trace
And it massively sweeps from the world's apart; That ever in sorrow keeps the faith in my soul; the marks of the faith it is yours to guard.
Its smile in the morn to my soul is a call, While through the still night it watches and prays,
And when in the evening my faith seems to pall, As here in my exile in my one hut it stays You offer now, dreams, my gloom to appease,
It breathes with its sadness an echo to my heart. To strengthen my faith when doubts o'er me roll. And the years of my youth again to disclose;
So I thank you, o storm, and heaven-born breeze,
By night an arcanum; when translucent it glows, That faith I keep and I hope to see shine That you knew of the hour my wild flight to ease,
All spangled over with its millions of lights, The day when the Idea prevails over might; To cast me back down to the soil whence I rose.
And the bright sky above resplendent shows; When after the fray and death's slow decline.
While the waves with their sights tell of their woes Some other voice sounds, far happier than mine, By the spreading beach where the sands are soft
-- To raise the glad song of the triumph of right. and fine,
Tales that are lost as they roll to the heights. At the foot of the mount it its mantle of green;
I see the sky glow, refulgent and clear, I have found a home in the pleasant grove's
They tell the world when the first dawn broke, As when it forced on me my first dear illusion; confine,
And the sunlight over their surface played; I feel the same wind kiss my forehead sere, In the shady woods, that peace and calmness
When thousands of beings from nothingless woke, And the fire is the same that is burning here divine,
To people the depths and the heights to cloak, To stir up youth's blood in boiling confusion. Rest for the weary brain and silence to my sorrow
Wherever its life-giving kiss was laid. keen.
T. Rizal and Josephine Bracken
• Rizal missed his family and was saddened by Leonor Rivera's death on August 28, 1893.
• Josephine Bracken, an Irish girl, born in Hong Kong on October 3, 1876, brought light to
Rizal's life in Dapitan.
• Born to Irish parents – James Bracken, corporal in British garrison, and Elizabeth Jane
MacBride.
• Her mom died in childbirth, and adopted by Mr. George Taufer, who later became blind.
• She arrived in Dapitan in February 1895 with her blind foster father, George Taufer, and a
Filipina named Manuela Orlac.
• Rizal's fame as an ophthalmic surgeon led to their meeting.
• Rizal and Bracken fell in love and decided to marry within a month, which shocked her
foster father.
• To avoid tragedy, Josephine went to Manila with uncured Taufer.
• Taufer returned alone to Hong Kong and Josephine went back to Dapitan.
• The parish priest refused to marry them without permission from the Bishop of Cebu.
• They exchanged vows privately, which scandalized the priest.
• In early 1896, Josephine became pregnant but gave birth prematurely to an 8-month
baby boy named Francisco, who lived for only three hours and was buried in Dapitan.
U. Rizal and the Katipunan
• Before the revolution, Katipunan leader Andres Bonifacio sought advice from Jose Rizal.
• A secret meeting of Katipunan took place on May 2, 1896, at Bitukang Manok river near
Pasig.
• The group decided to send Dr. Pio Valenzuela to Dapitan to inform Rizal about their plan
for a revolution against the Spaniards.
• Valenzuela left Manila on the steamer Venus on June 15, 1896, and arrived in Dapitan in
six days with a blind companion, Raymundo Mata.
• Rizal and Valenzuela had a conversation in Rizal's garden in Dapitan, where Valenzuela
shared the Katipunan's plan.
• Rizal objected to Bonifacio's idea for two reasons:
i. Filipinos were not yet prepared for a bloody revolution, and
ii. the Katipunan lacked the necessary resources such as arms and funds.
•
Valenzuela also discussed a plan to rescue Rizal, but Rizal declined as he did not want to
break his word of honor to the Spanish authorities.
V. Volunteers as Military Doctor in Cuba
• During the Cuban Revolution, Rizal offered his services as a military doctor to help with
the shortage of physicians.
• His friend Ferdinand Blumentritt informed him of the situation in Cuba and suggested
that he volunteer.
• Rizal wrote a letter to Governor General Ramon Blanco on December 17, 1895, offering
his services.
• He waited for months for Blanco's reply, but lost hope that his request would be
granted.
• On July 30, 1896, Rizal received a letter from Blanco, dated July 1, 1896, accepting his
offer.
• The letter also stated that Rizal would be given a pass so that he could go to Manila,
then to Spain, where its “Minister of War would assign him to the Army of Operations in
Cuba, detailed to the Medical Corps.”
W. “The Song of the Traveler”
• It was with his joyous thought of resuming his travels that he wrote his heart-warming
poem “El Canto del Viajero (The Song of the Traveler)”
The Song of the Traveler by Dr. José Rizal
Dry leaf that flies at random A tomb perhaps in the desert, Begone, wanderer! In your own country
till it’s seized by a wind from above: a sweet refuge, he shall discover, a stranger now and alone!
so lives on earth the wanderer, by his country and the world forgotten… Let the other sing of loving, who are happy –
without north, without soul, without Rest quiet: the torment is over. but you, begone!
country or love!
And they envy the hapless wanderer Begone, wanderer! Look not behind you
Anxious, he seeks joy everywhere as across the earth he persists! nor grieve as you leave again.
and joy eludes him and flees, Ah, they know not of the emptiness Begone, wanderer: stifle your sorrows!
a vain shadow that mocks his yearning in his soul, where no love exists. The world laughs at another’s pain.
and for which he sails the seas.
The pilgrim shall return to his country,
Impelled by a hand invisible, shall return perhaps to his shore;
he shall wander from a place; and shall find only ice and ruin,
memories shall keep him company – perished loves, and graves – nothing more.
of loved ones, of happier days.
X. Adiós, Dapitan
• July 31, 1896 – end of Rizal’s four-year exile in Dapitan.
• Boarded in steamer España, with Narcisa, Josephine, Angelica (Narcisa’s daughter), his
three nephews, and six of his students.
• Almost all Dapitan folks were at the shore to bid him goodbye.
• As farewell music, the town brass band strangely played the dolorous Funeral March of
Chopin.
• He wrote in his diary: “I have been in that district four years, thirteen days and a few
hours”.
Y. From Dapitan to Manila
• August 1, 1896 - España anchored at Dumaguete, capital of Negros Oriental, where Rizal
visited a friend and former classmate.
• Next day, España reached Cebu where Rizal did some operations.
• Monday, August 3, Rizal landed at Iloilo, where he went shopping and visited Molo
church.
• From Iloilo, Rizal’s ship sailed to Capiz
• After a brief stopover, it proceeded towards Manila via Romblon.
Z. Rizal Misses Ship Going to Spain
• August 6, 1896 - España arrived in Manila
• Rizal was not able to catch the mail ship Isla de Luzon for Spain because it had departed
the previous day at 5:00 p.m.
• Due to the unfortunate circumstance, Rizal was very disappointed and worried.
• Rizal was transferred to Spanish cruiser Castilla, by order of Governor General Ramon
Blanco
• Rizal stayed on the cruiser for about a month, from August 6 to September 2, 1896,
waiting for a Spain-bound ship.
AA. Outbreak of the Philippine Revolution
• August 19, 1896 – the Katipunan plot to overthrow the Spanish rule by revolution was
discovered by Fray Mariano Gil, cura of Tondo, after Teodoro Patino’s disclosure of
organization’s secrets
• The noise by discovery was severed by the “Cry of Balintawak (Sigaw ng Pugad Lawin)”
raised by Bonifacio and over 1,000 Katipuneros on August 26, 1896.
• August 30, 1896 – revolutionists led by Bonifacio and Jacinto attacked San Juan, near the
city of Manila, but repulsed by heavy losses
• Afternoon of August 30, 1896 – after Battle of San Juan, Governor General Blanco
proclaimed a state of war in the first 8 provinces for rising arms against Spain

• Rizal learned the eruption of the revolution and raging battles around Manila through
the newspapers he read on Castilla.
• He was worried for two reasons:
i. 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
ii. it would arouse Spanish vengeance against all Filipino patriots
BB. Departure for Spain
• August 30, 1896 – Rizal received two letters of introduction from Gov. Gen. Blanco for
the Minister of War and the Minister of Colonies, with a covering letter which absolved
him from all blame for the raging revolution, as follows:
Mr. Jose Rizal
My Dear Sir:
Enclosed are two letters for the Ministers of 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 behavior not
only for your word of honor but because the present happening must have shown you palpably that
certain actions which are the product of foolish ideas yield no other result but hatred, destruction,
tears, and blood.
May you be very happy is the wish of your attentive servant who kisses your hand.
Ramon Blanco

Most Excellent Marcelo de Azcarraga

My esteemed General and distinguished Friend,
I recommend to 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.
His conduct during the four years that he was in exile in Dapitan has been exemplary and he is,
in my opinion, the more worthy of pardon and benevolence as he is in no way involved either in the
criminal attempt that we are lamenting these days or in any conspiracy or secret society that they
have been plotting.
With this object I have the pleasure to remain,
Your most affectionate friend and colleague who kisses your hand,
Ramon Blanco
• September 2, 1896 – the day before Rizal’s departure for Spain, on board the Castilla,
wrote to his mother
• September 2, 6:00 p.m. – Rizal was transferred to steamer Isla de Panay sailing for
Barcelona, Spain
• September 3, 1896 – the steamer left Manila Bay
• Among passengers were Don Pedro Roxas (rich Manila creole industrialist and his friend)
and his son named Periquin
CC. Rizal in Singapore
• September 7, 1896 – Isla de Panay arrived at Singapore
• Don Pedro, with his son, disembarked at Singapore.
• He advised Rizal to stay behind too and take advantage of the protection of the British
law.
• Several Filipino residents of Singapore, headed by Don Manuel Camus, boarded the
steamer, urging him to stay in Singapore to save his life.
• Rizal did not listen to them because he had given his word to Gov. Gen. Blanco and he
didn’t like to break it.
DD. Victim of Spanish Duplicity
• By refusing to break his word of honor in Singapore, Rizal sealed his own doom.
• Without his knowledge, Gov. Gen. Blanco was secretly conspiring with the Ministers of
War and the Colonies (Ultramar) for his destruction.
• One of his greatest mistakes was to believe that Gov. Gen. Blanco was a friend.
• Blanco was his ruthless enemy, who regarded him as a “dangerous Filipino” responsible
for the raging revolution
• Rizal was unaware that Gov. Gen. Blanco and the Minister of War and Colonies were
exchanging coded telegrams and confidential messages for his arrest upon reaching
Barcelona.
i. Implicated that he was a deportee and being secretly kept under surveillance

III. ARREST AND TRIAL

A. Rizal Arrested Before Reaching Barcelona
• September 8, 1896 – Isla de Panay left Singapore, Rizal continued his voyage towards
Barcelona
• September 25 – he saw steamer Isla de Luzon leaving the Suez Canal, crammed with
Spanish troops
• September 27 – he heard from the passengers that a telegram arrived from Manila the
execution of Francisco Roxas, Genato, and Osorio
• September 28 – Isla de Panay passed Port Said; a passenger told Rizal the bad news that
he would be arrested by order of Gov. Gen. Blanco
• Rizal was shocked by the alarming news, belatedly realizing that he was tricked by the sly
Spanish officials
• He immediately wrote a letter to Blumentritt, unburdening his disgust and bitterness.
• There was nothing official yet about his impending arrest; it was still merely shipboard
gossip.
• September 30, 4:00 p.m. – Rizal was officially notified by Captain Alemany to stay in his
cabin until further orders from Manila; he complied.
B. Arrival in Barcelona as Prisoner
• September 30, 6:25 p.m. - Isla de Panay anchored in Malta
• October 3, 1896; 10:00 a.m. - Isla de Panay arrived in Barcelona, with Rizal as prisoner
on board.
• Trip from Manila to Barcelona lasted exactly 30 days.
• His jailor was no longer the ship captain but the Military Commander of Barcelona, who
happened to be General Eulogio Despujol, the gov. gen. that ordered his banishment to
Dapitan on July 1892.
• October 6, 3:00 a.m. – Rizal was awakened by the guards and escorted to the prison-
fortress Montjuich.
• 2:00 p.m. – he had an interview with General Despujol; telling Rizal that he would be
shipped back to Manila on board the transport ship Colon
• Rizal was taken aboard the Colon, which was “full of soldiers and officers and their
families.”
• October 6, 8:00 p.m. – the ship left Barcelona, with Rizal on board
C. Last Homecoming
• Rizal conscientiously recorded the events in his diary.
• On October 8 a friendly officer told Rizal that Madrid newspapers were full of stories
about the bloody revolution in the PH and were blaming him for it.
• Realizing the adverse and unjust public opinion, he thanked God for giving he the chance
to return in order to confront his slanderers and to vindicate his name.
D. Confiscation of Rizal’s Diary
• October 11, 1896 – before reaching Port Said, Rizal’s diary was taken away and critically
scrutinized by the authorities.
• Not only their curiosity, but also their suspicion was aroused, because they feared that
the diarist might be writing something seditious or treasonable.
• Nothing dangerous was found in its contents.
• November 2 – the diary was returned to him
E. Unsuccessful Rescue in Singapore
• 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 it reached Singapore by means of a writ of habeas corpus.
• When Colon arrived in Singapore, Atty. Fort began the proceedings at the Singapore
Court for the removal of Rizal from the steamer.
• The point of Mr. Fort’s legal contention was that Rizal was “illegally detained” on the
Spanish steamer.
• Unfortunately, Chief Justice Loinel Cox denied the writ on the ground that Colon was
carrying Spanish troops to the PH, therefore it is a warship of foreign power which under
international law was beyond the jurisdiction of the Singapore authorities.
• Rizal was unaware of these efforts because he was behind bars inside the ship.
F. Arrival in Manila
• November 3, 1896 – the Colon reached Manila with more reinforcements and military
supplies; Rizal was quietly transferred under heavy guard from the ship to Fort Santiago.
• Meanwhile, the Spanish authorities fished for evidence against Rizal.
• Many Filipino patriots, including Deodato Arellano, Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Moises Salvador,
Jose Dizon, Domingo Franco, Temoteo Paez, and Pedro Serrano Laktaw, were brutally
tortured to implicate Rizal.
• Rizal’s own brother, Paciano, was arrested and cruelly tortured.
• He suffered all pains inflicted by Spain’s devilish torturers, but he never signed any
damaging statement incriminating his younger brother.
G. Preliminary Investigation
• November 20, 1896 – the preliminary investigation began
• Rizal, the accused, appeared before the Judge Advocate, Colonel Francisco Olive.
• He was subjected to a grueling five-day investigation.
• 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 who testified against him.
• Two kinds of evidences were presented against Rizal, namely documentary and
testimonial.
• The documentary evidence consisted of fifteen (15) exhibits.
o 15 Documentary Evidences
1. A letter from Antonio Luna to Mariano Ponce dated October 16, 1888,
Madrid.
2. A letter of Rizal to his family dated August 20, 1890, Madrid.
3. A letter from M.H Del Pilar to Deodato Arellano dated January 7, 1889,
Madrid.
4. A poem entitled " Kundiman" allegedly written by Rizal.
5. A letter of Carlos Oliver to an unidentified person, September 18, 1891,
Barcelona.
6. A masonic document, dated Manila, February 9, 1892.
7. A letter signed "Dimasalang" to Ten Luz (Juan Zulueta) dated May 24,
1892, H.K.
8. A letter of Dimasalang to an unidentified committee, dated Hongkong,
June 1, 1892.
9. An anonymous and undated letter to the Editor of Hong Kong telegraph.
10. A letter of Ildefonso Laurel to Rizal, dated September 8, 1892.
11. A letter of certain Rizal Segundo, dated September 14, 1893.
12. A letter of Marcelo H. Del Pilar to Juan A. Tenluz (Juan Zulueta), dated
Madrid, June 1, 1893.
13. Transcript of a speech of Pingkian (Emilio Jacinto), in a reunion of the
Katipunan on July 13, 1893.
14. Transcript of speech Tik-tik (Jose Turiano Santiago) in the same
Katipunan meeting.
15. A poem of Laong Laan, entitled " A Talisay “.
• The testimonial evidence consisted of thirteen (13) oral testimonies.
o 13 Testimonial Evidences
1. Martin Constantino: Objectives of the association were to execute
Spaniards, declare Philippine independence, and make Rizal its supreme
leader.
2. Aguedo Del Rosario Llamas: Rizal was the honorary president of
Katipunan, and his portrait hung in the session hall.
3. Jose Reyes: Rizal was a Mason campaigning for Philippine
independence, directed Moises Salvador to establish La Liga Filipina, and
prepared the society's statutes.
4. Moises Salvador: Rizal and Marcelo H. Del Pilar led La Liga Filipina to
secure Philippine independence.
5. Jose Dizon: La Liga was amassing funds for the insurrection, and
Katipunan and Liga were one society.
6. Dr. Pio Valenzuela: Filipinos decided to visit Japan after consulting Rizal.
7. Ambrosio Salvador: Proposal to organize La Liga, with Rizal elected as
president.
8. Francisco Quison: Leaders decided to seek Rizal's advice in Dapitan and
to launch a revolution.
9. Timoteo Paez: Attended the founding of La Liga and Moises Salvador
received by-laws.
10. Arellano Deodato: La Liga conducted subversive propaganda, collected
funds for Rizal's escape from Dapitan.
11. Pedro Serrano Laktaw: Made trips with Rizal in Tarlac and attended
meetings at Ongjunco's house.
12. Antonio Salazar: Arranged for Rizal's escape to Japan, with the help of
Timoteo Paez and Rizal's sister.
13. Domingo Franco: Rizal called for a meeting at Ongjunco's house and
discussed the need for La Liga to gather funds for Philippine separation
from Spain.
• November 26, 1896 – Colonel Olive gave the records of the case to Gov. Gen. Ramon
Blanco and letter appointed Captain Rafael Dominguez as special Judge Advocate to
establish a corresponding action against Rizal
• Immediately, Dominguez made a brief review of the charges and returned it to Gov. Gen.
Blanco, who then forwarded it to the Judge Advocate General, Don Nicolas de la Peña ,
for an opinion.
• General Don Nicholas de la Peña’s recommendations:
• Rizal must be immediately sent to trial.
• He must be held in prison under necessary security.
• His properties must be issued with order of attachment, and as indemnity, Rizal had to
pay one million pesos.
• Instead of a civilian lawyer, only an army officer is allowed to defend Rizal.
H. Rizal Chooses His Defender
• The only right given to Rizal by the Spanish authorities was to choose his defense
counsel (and even this was highly restricted; he get to choose only from a list)
• December 8, 1896 – a list of 100 first and second lieutenants in the Spanish Army was
presented to Rizal
• He chose Don Luis Taviel de Andrade, 1st Lieutenant of the Artillery.
• Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade, brother of Lt. Jose Taviel de Andrade (Rizal’s “bodyguard” in
Calamba in 1887) agreed to defend the accused.
I. Reading of the Information of Charges to the Accused
• December 11, 1896 – the 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 provoke and
spread ideas of rebellion.”
• Rizal had no objection, but he pleaded not guilty to the crime of rebellion.
• December 13, 1896 - Dominguez forwarded the papers of Rizal to Malacañan Palace, the
same day when General Camilo G. Polavieja, with the help of the powerful Dominican
friars, became Governor General of the PH, succeeding General Blanco.
J. Rizal’s Manifesto to His People
• December 15, 1896 – 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.
• Inside his cell at Fort Santiago, Rizal wrote the controversial Manifesto addressed to his
countrymen – a letter denouncing bloody struggle, and promoting education and
industry as the best means to acquire independence.
My Countrymen:
On my return from Spain, I learned that my name had been used as a war cry among some who
were in arms. The news painfully surprised me, but believing it was all over. I kept silent over what I
considered irremediable. Now I hear rumors that the disturbances continue, and lest any persons should
still go on using my name in bad or good faith, to remedy this abuse and to undeceive the unwary. I
hasten to address you these lines so that the truth may be known.
From the beginning, when I had news of what was being planned, I opposed it, fought it, and
demonstrated its absolute impossibility. This is the truth, and witnesses to my words are still living. I
was convinced that the idea was highly absurd and, what was worse, would bring great suffering. I did
more. When later, in spite of my counsels. the movement broke out, I spontaneously offered not only
my services, but my life, and even my name so that they might use them in the manner they saw fit to
suppress the rebellion, for, convinced of the evils that would befall them, 1 considered myself fortunate
if, at any sacrifice, 1 could prevent such useless misfortunes. This is equally of record.

My countrymen: I have given proofs, more than anybody else, of desiring liberties for our
country and I still desire them. But I place as a premise the education of the people so that by means of
education and of labor they might have a personality of their own and make themselves worthy of
liberties. In my writings I have recommended redemption. I have also written (and my words have been
repeated) that reforms, to be fruitful, have to come from above, that those that come from below are
irregular and unstable. Imbued with these ideals, I cannot but condemn and I do condemn this absurd,
savage uprising planned behind my back, which dishonors us, the Filipinos, and discredits those who
may advocate our cause. I abhor its criminal methods and disclaim all participation therein, pitying
from the bottom of my heart the unwary who have allowed themselves to be deceived. Return then to
your homes, and may God forgive those who have acted in bad faith.
• Fortunately for Rizal, Judge Advocate General Nicolas de la Peña noted Gov. Gen.
Polavieja to destroy the manifesto.
K. Rizal’s Saddest Christmas
• December 25, 1896 – Rizal, who was supposedly to spend the merry season with his
beloved family and friends, found himself alone and depressed in a dreary prison cell.
• He was in despair for he had no illusions about his fate.
• Agonizing over his hopeless case, he wrote a letter to Lt. Taviel de
Andrade, telling him to meet him before his trial, and wishing him a “Merry Christmas”.
L. The Trial of Rizal
• The trial of Rizal was an expressive proof of Spanish injustice and misrule.
• Rizal, a civilian, was tried by a military court composed of alien military officers.
• His case was prejudged; he was considered guilty before the actual trial.
• The military court met not to give him justice, but to accuse and condemn him.
• Rizal was not given the right to face the witnesses against him in open court.
• December 26, 1896; 8:00 a.m. – the court-martial of Rizal started in Cuartel de España in
Fort Santiago.
• Seated behind a long table on an elevated dais were the 7 members of the military
court, dressed in their respective army uniforms, as follows:
o Lt. Col. Jose Togores Arjona (president)
o Capt. Ricardo Muñoz Arias
o Capt. Manuel Reguera
o Capt. Santiago Izquierdo Osorio
o Capt. Braulio Rodriguez Nuñez
o Capt. Manuel Diaz Escribano
o Capt. Fermin Perez Rodriguez
• Also present in the courtroom were Dr. Rizal, Lt. Taviel de Andrade, Capt. Rafael
Dominguez (Judge Advocate), Lt. Enrique de Alcocer (Prosecutoring Attorney), and the
spectators.
• Among the spectators were Josephine Bracken, some newspapermen, and many
Spaniards.
• Rizal sat on a bench between 2 soldiers. His arms were tied behind, elbow to elbow. He
was dressed in a black woolen suit with a white vest and black tie. He was calm and
dignified in appearance.
• Trial was opened by Judge Advocate Dominguez who explained the case against Rizal.
• After him, Prosecuting Attorney delivered a long speech summarizing the charges
against Rizal and urged the court to give the verdict of death to the accused.
o He was accused of three crimes:
1. rebellion
2. sedition
3. illegal association
o Penalty: Life imprisonment-death for rebellion and a fine of 325 to 3250
pesetas for illegal association.
• Defense counsel Taviel de Andrade read his articulate defense of Rizal. He ended his
defense with an honorable but ineffective advice to the members of the military: “The
judges cannot be vindictive; the judges can only be just.”
• The court then asked Rizal if he had something to say, and proceeded to read a
supplement to his defense which he wrote in his prison cell.
• Written in the supplement, he further proved his innocence by presenting twelve (12)
points:
o Rizal’s 12 Arguments:
1. As testified by Pio Valenzuela, Rizal was against rebellion.
2. He had not written a letter addressed to the Katipunan comprising
revolutionary elements.
3. Without his knowledge, his name was used by the Katipunan; if he really
was guilty, he could have escaped while he was in Singapore.
4. If he was guilty, he should have left the country while in exile; he
shouldn't have built a home, bought a parcel of land or established a
hospital in Dapitan.
5. If he was really the leader of the revolution, the revolutionists should
have consulted him.
6. He did not deny that he wrote the by-laws of the La Liga Filipina, but to
make things clear, the organization was a civic association, not a
revolutionary society.
7. After the first meeting of La Liga, the association banished because of
his exile in Dapitan, thus, did not last long.
8. If the La Liga was reorganized nine months later, he had no idea about
it.
9. If the La Liga had a revolutionary purpose, then Katipunan should not
have been organized.
10. If the Spanish authorities found his letters to have a bitter atmosphere,
it was because in 1890 his family was being persecuted resulting in their
dispossession of properties and deportation of all his brothers-in-law.
11. He lived an exemplary life in Dapitan – the politico-military commanders
and missionary priests in the province could attest to that.
12. If, according to witnesses, the speech he delivered at Doroteo
Ongjunco's house had inspired the revolution, then he wanted to
confront these persons. If he really was for the revolution, then why did
the Katipunan send an unfamiliar emissary to him in Dapitan? It is so
because all his friends were aware that he never advocated violence.
• The prejudiced military court remained indifferent to Rizal’s pleading.
• 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 the same day (December 26), the court decision was submitted to Gov. Gen.
Polavieja who then asked the opinion of Judge Advocate General Nicolas de la Peña.
• The judge advocate general affirmed the death verdict.
M. Polavieja Signs Rizal’s Execution
• December 28, 1896 – Polavieja approved the decision of court-martial and ordered Rizal
to be shot at 7:00 o’clock in the morning of December 30 at Bagumbayan Field (Luneta).
• For signing the fatal document of Dr. Rizal’s execution, Gov. Gen. Polavieja won the
eternal hate of the Filipino people.
• He and other Spanish officials who were responsible for the death of Rizal will evermore
remain as horrible villains in PH history.

IV. EXECUTION AT BAGUMBAYAN

• After the court-martial, Rizal returned to his cell in Fort Santiago to prepare his meeting with
destiny.
• During his last hours, he was busy meeting visitors, family and friends, and writing farewell
poems and letters.
• As a Christian and hero martyr, he was peacefully resigned to die for his beloved country, which
he called “Pearl of the Orient Sea” in his last poem and “Pearl of the Orient” in an article entitled
“Unfortunate Philippines” published in The Hongkong Telegraph on September 24, 1892.
The Last Hours of Rizal
December 29, 1896 | 6:00 A.M.
Capt. Rafael Dominguez, designated by Gov. Gen. Polavieja to take charge of all arrangements for
the execution of condemned prisoner, read the death sentence to Rizal – to be shot at the back by a
firing squad at 7:00 A.M. in Bagumbayan (Luneta).

December 29, 1896 | 7:00 A.M.

Rizal was moved to the prison chapel, where he spent his last moments.
His first visitors were Father Miguel Saderra Mata (Rector of Ateneo Municipal) and Father Luis
Viza, Jesuit teacher

December 29, 1896 | 7:15 A.M.

Rector Saderra left.
Rizal, in a cheerful mood, reminded Fr. Viza of the statuette of the Sacred Heart of Jesus he
carved with his pen knife as an Ateneo student.
Fr. Viza, anticipated the reminiscence, got the statuette from his pocket, gave it to Rizal and
placed it on his writing table.

December 29, 1896 | 8:00 A.M.

Fr. Antonio Rosell replaced Fr. Viza.
Fr. Rosell and Rizal had breakfast together.
After breakfast, Lt. Taviel de Andrade came, and Rizal thanked him for his gallant services.

December 29, 1896 | 9:00 A.M.

Fr. Federico Faura arrived.
Rizal reminded him that he said “You, Rizal, would someday lose your head for writing the Noli.”
“Father,” he remarked, “You are indeed a prophet”.

December 29, 1896 | 10:00 A.M.

Fathers Jose Vilaclara (Rizal’s teacher in Ateneo) and Vicente Balaguer (Jesuit missionary in
Dapitan who befriended Rizal during his exile) visited.
After them came the Spanish journalist, Santiago Mataix, who interviewed Rizal for his
newspaper El Heraldo de Madrid.

December 29, 1896 | 12:00 P.M. – 3:30 P.M.

Rizal was left alone in his cell.
He took lunch and became busy writing.
Rizal finished his final poem Mi Ultimo Adios and hid it inside his alcohol cooking stove.
My Last Farewell by Dr. José Rizal
Farewell, my adored Land, region of the sun My life's fancy, my ardent, passionate desire, And when the dark night wraps the cemet'ry
caressed, Hail! Cries out the soul to you, that will soon part And only the dead to vigil there are left alone,
Pearl of the Orient Sea, our Eden lost, from thee; Don't disturb their repose, don't disturb the
With gladness I give you my Life, sad and Hail! How sweet 'tis to fall that fullness you may mystery:
repressed; acquire; If you hear the sounds of cithern or psaltery,
And were it more brilliant, more fresh and at its To die to give you life, 'neath your skies to expire, It is I, dear Country, who, a song t'you intone.
best, And in your mystic land to sleep through eternity!
I would still give it to you for your welfare at most. And when my grave by all is no more remembered,
If over my tomb some day, you would see blow, With neither cross nor stone to mark its place,
On the fields of battle, in the fury of fight, A simple humble flow'r amidst thick grasses, Let it be plowed by man, with spade let it be
Others give you their lives without pain or Bring it up to your lips and kiss my soul so, scattered
hesitancy, And under the cold tomb, I may feel on my brow, And my ashes ere to nothingness are restored,
The place does not matter: cypress laurel, lily Warmth of your breath, a whiff of your Let them turn to dust to cover your earthly space.
white, tenderness.
Scaffold, open field, conflict or martyrdom's site, Then it doesn't matter that you should forget me:
It is the same if asked by home and Country. Let the moon with soft, gentle light me descry, Your atmosphere, your skies, your vales I'll sweep;
Let the dawn send forth its fleeting, brilliant light, Vibrant and clear note to your ears I shall be:
I die as I see tints on the sky b'gin to show In murmurs grave allow the wind to sigh, Aroma, light, hues, murmur, song, moanings deep,
And at last announce the day, after a gloomy night; And should a bird descend on my cross and alight, Constantly repeating the essence of the faith I
If you need a hue to dye your matutinal glow, Let the bird intone a song of peace o'er my site. keep.
Pour my blood and at the right moment spread it
so, Let the burning sun the raindrops vaporize My idolized Country, for whom I most gravely pine,
And gild it with a reflection of your nascent light! And with my clamor behind return pure to the sky; Dear Philippines, to my last goodbye, oh, harken
Let a friend shed tears over my early demise; There I leave all: my parents, loves of mine,
My dreams, when scarcely a lad adolescent, And on quiet afternoons when one prays for me on I'll go where there are no slaves, tyrants or
My dreams when already a youth, full of vigor to high, hangmen
attain, Pray too, oh, my Motherland, that in God may rest Where faith does not kill and where God alone
Were to see you, gem of the sea of the Orient, I. does reign.
Your dark eyes dry, smooth brow held to a high
plane Pray thee for all the hapless who have died, Farewell, parents, brothers, beloved by me,
Without frown, without wrinkles and of shame For all those who unequalled torments have Friends of my childhood, in the home distressed;
without stain. undergone; Give thanks that now I rest from the wearisome
For our poor mothers who in bitterness have cried; day;
For orphans, widows and captives to tortures were Farewell, sweet stranger, my friend, who
shied, brightened my way;
And pray too that you may see you own Farewell, to all I love. To die is to rest.
redemption.

At the same time, he wrote his last letter to Professor Blumentritt (his best friend) in German.
Prof. Ferdinand Blumentritt:
My dear Brother:
When you receive 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 a tranquil conscience.
Goodbye, my best, my dearest friend, and never think ill of me.
Fort Santiago, December 29, 1896.
(Signed)
Jose Rizal
Regards to the entire family, to Sra. Rosa, Loleng, Conradito, and Federico.
I am leaving a book for you as a last remembrance of mine.

December 29, 1896 | 3:30 P.M.

Father Balaguer returned to Fort Santiago and discussed with Rizal about his retraction of the
anti-Catholic ideas in his writings and membership in Masonry.

December 29, 1897 | 4:00 P.M.

Donya Teodora arrived. Rizal knelt down and kissed her hands, asking for forgiveness.
They both cried as guards came to separate them.
Shortly after, Trinidad came to fetch his mother. As she was leaving, Rizal gave her the alcohol
cooking stove and whispered: “There is something inside.”
Fathers Vilaclara and Estanislao March entered the cell, followed by Father Rosell.

December 29, 1896 | 6:00 P.M.

Rizal received a new visitor, Don Silvino Lopez Tuñon, Dean of the Manila Cathedral.
Fathers Balaguer and March left.
December 29, 1896 | 8:00 P.M.
Rizal had his last supper.
He informed Captain Dominguez who was with him that he forgave his enemies, including the
military judges who condemned him to death.

December 29, 1896 | 9:30 P.M.

Rizal was visited by Don Gaspar Cestaño, the fiscal of the Royal Audencia of Manila.
After a pleasant conversation, the fiscal left with a good impression of Rizal’s intelligence and
noble character.

December 29, 1896 | 10:00 P.M.

The draft of the retraction sent by the anti-Filipino Archbishop Bernardino Nozaleda (1890-1903)
was submitted by Father Balaguer to Rizal for signature, but Rizal rejected it because it was too long and
he did not like it.
He was presented another version made by Father Pio Pi, Superior of the Jesuit Society in the
PH, which Rizal accepted.
After making some changes in it, Rizal then wrote his retraction and signed it at 11:30 P.M.,
which he debunked Masonry and his religious ideas which were anti-Catholic.
[The retraction is still a controversy until now. But one thing is certain. Rizal remains the GREATEST
Filipino hero-martyr of all time.]

December 30, 1896 | 3:00 A.M.

Rizal heard Mass, confessed his sins, and took Holy Communion

December 30, 1896 | 5:30 A.M.

Rizal took his last breakfast of three boiled eggs.
He wrote two letters, the first addressed to his family and second, to his older brother Paciano.
To My Family.
I ask you for forgiveness for the pain I cause you, but some day I shall have to die and it is better that I die
now in the plenitude of my conscience
Dear Parents, brother, and Sisters, Give thanks to God that I may preserve my tranquility before my death.
I die resigned, hoping that with my death you will be left in peace, Ah! It is better to die than to live suffering.
Console yourselves.
I enjoin you to forgive one another the little meannesses of life and try to live united in peace and good
harmony. Treat your old parents as you would like to be treated by your children later. Love them very much in
my memory.
Bury me in the ground. Place a stone and a cross over it. My name, the date of my birth, and of my death.
Nothing more. If later you wish to surround my grave with a fence, you can do so. No anniversaries. I prefer
Paang Bundok.
Have pity on poor Josephine.

My dear Brother:
It has been four years and a half that we have not seen each other nor have we communicated with each
other. I do not think it is due to lack of affection on my part nor on yours, but because, knowing each other so
well, we do not need to talk to understand each other.
Now I am about to die, and it is to you that I dedicate my last lines, to tell you how sad I am to leave you
alone in life, burdened with the weight of the family and our old parents.
I am thinking now how hard you have worked to give me a career, I believe I have tried not to waste my
time. Brother of mine: if the fruit has been bitter, it is not my fault, but the fault of circumstances. I know that you
have suffered much on my account, and I am sorry.
I assure you, brother, that I die innocent of this crime of rebellion. If my former writings have contributed,
I do not deny it absolutely; but then, I thought I have expiated for the past with my deportation.
Tell our father I remember him, and how! I remember my whole childhood, of his affection and his love.
Ask him to forgive me for the pain that I have unwillingly caused him
Your brother,
(Signed) Jose Rizal
Josephine Bracken, accompanied by Josefa, arrived.
Rizal gave her a last gift – Imitacion de Cristo (Imitation of Christ) book by Father Thomas a
Kempis, which he autographed.
To my dear unhappy wife, Josephine
December 30th, 1896
Jose Rizal

December 30, 1896 | 6:00 A.M.

As soldiers were getting ready for the death march to Bagumbayan, Rizal wrote his last letter to
his parents.
My beloved Father,
Pardon me for the pain with which I repay you for sorrows and
sacrifices for my education I did not want nor did I prefer it.
Goodbye, Father, goodbye . . .
Jose Rizal
To my very dear Mother,
Sra. Dña. Teodora Alonso
6 o'clock in the morning, December 30, 1896
Jose Rizal

Death March to Bagumbayan

December 30, 1896 | 6:30 A.M.
• A trumpet sounded at Fort Santiago, a signal to begin the march to the execution site.
• Rizal walked calmy, surrounded by soldiers, with Lt. Taviel de Andrade and Jesuit priests Fr.
March and Fr. Vilaclara.
• Rizal was dressed elegantly in black suit, black derby hat, black shoes, white shirt, and black tie.
His arms tied slightly loose elbow to elbow.
• There was a handful of spectators along the streets of Fort Santiago to Plaza del Palacio.
• The march passed Ateneo streets.
• Reaching the Bagumbayan Field, spectators crowded a huge square formed by soldiers.
• Rizal walked serenely to the place where he was told to stand.
• It was a grassy lawn by the shore of Manila Bay, between two lamp posts.

Martyrdom of A Hero
December 30, 1896 | 7:00 A.M.
• Rizal bade farewell to Fathers March and Vilaclara, and to Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade, his defense
counsel.
• One of the priests blessed Rizal and offered him a crucifix to kiss.
• Rizal requested to spare his head, which was granted.
• Rizal also requested to the commander of the firing squad, that he be shot facing the firing
squad. His request was denied.
• Six to eight Filipino volunteer troops composed the firing squad designated by Spanish
authorities to execute Rizal. Behind them were peninsular troops as an additional measure just
in case the Filipino troops decided to back out.
• Rizal turned his back to the firing squad, facing Manila Bay.
• A Spanish military physician, Dr. Felipe Ruiz Castillo, took his pulse and was amazed to find it
normal.

The death ruffles of drums filled the air. Above the drum beats, the sharp command Fuego!
(Fire!) was heard, and the guns of the firing squad barked.
Rizal, with supreme effort, turned his bullet-riddled body to the right, and fell on the ground
dead – with face upward facing the morning sun.
He was shot again to confirm. (“Tiro de Gracia”)
It was exactly 7:03 in the morning when he died in the bloom of manhood – aged 35 years, five
months, and 11 days.

Aftermath of A Hero-Martyr’s Death

• Residents, friars (Jesuits excluded), corrupt officials (including Gov. Gen. Polavieja) rejoiced with
sadistic joy, shouting “Viva España!” “Muerte a los Traidores!”, (“Long Live Spain!” “Death to the
Traitors!”)
• The Spanish military band played Marcha de Cadiz.
• Rizal’s body was secretly buried at Paco Cemetery where after 2 days, it was traced by his sister
Narcisa.
• The remains of Rizal were cleaned in Higino Mercado’s house in Binondo and were given to
Donya Teodora.
• His remains were laid to rest inside the Rizal monument in Luneta.

Rizal had died but he lives in the hearts of the people, as a martyr to Filipino freedom (Capino et al.
1977). His leadership – being direct, enlightened, liberal, democratic, progressive, compassionate and
peaceful – was the crowning glory of his service to the Filipino people. This kind of leadership that he
manifested can be gleaned from his writings and personal examples. Here lies his excellence as an
individual, a man with a purpose and conscience.