UNIT 3: CHAPTER 1

Rizal’s Arrest, Exile, Imprisonment Trial and Execution

The arrival of Rizal in Manila on June 26, 1892 had become very sensational among the Filipinos.
Because the Spaniards feared his popularity, they paid careful attention to his every move. The houses
where he had visited were searched and the Filipinos seen in his company were suspected as
collaborators.

His plan to put up the La Liga Filipina on July 3, 1892 was realized. The organization of this secret
society was held in the house of Doroteo Ongjunco in Tondo Manila.

On June 27, 1892, Rizal boarded a train in Tutuban Station in Tondo and visited his friends in
Malolos, Bulacan, San Fernando, Pampanga, Tarlac and Bacoor. He was lavishly welcomed and
entertained at the homes of his friends,

 June 28, 1892 - Rizal returned by train to Manila. The homes he visited were also visited by the
Guardia Civil which seized some copies of the Noli and Fili and some “subversive” pamphlets.
 June 29, 1892 - After his visits to his friend in Central Luzon, Rizal had his interview with
Governor General Despujol at 8:30 in the morning and ended at 9:15 in the evening.
 June 30, 1892 — Rizal came back to see again Governor General Despujol and talked about the
question of Borneo. The Governor General was opposed to it and told him to come back Sunday.
 July 3, 1892 - Rizal and Governor General Despujol discussed many things. Rizal thanked the
Governor General for lifting the exile of his sisters. Rizal told Governor Despujol to return on
Wednesday, July 6, 1892.
On the evening of this date (following his interview with the Governor), Rizal attended a
meeting of the patriots on Ylaya Street, Tondo, Manila, at the home of Doroteo Ongjunco
 July 6, (Wed), 1892 – Rizal went to Malacanang Palace to resume his series of interviews with
the governor general. During the interview Governor-General Despujol suddenly showed him
some printed copies of the Pobres Frailes (Poor Friars) which were found in Lucia’s pillow cases.
The incriminatory leaflets were under the authorship of P. Jacinto (Rizal's pen name) and printed
by the Imprenta de los Amigos del Pais, Manila. These leaflets were a satire against the rich
Dominican friars who enriched themselves contrary to their vow of poverty. Rizal denied owning
these leaflets. Despite such denial and insistent demand for investigation according to law, he
was arrested and escorted to Fort Santiago by Ramon Despujol, nephew and aide of the
Governor General.
 July 7, 1892 – The Gaceta de Manila published the story of Rizal's arrest. Rizal's arrest caused
commotion among Filipinos, especially the newly organized La Liga Filipina. On the same day,
Governor Despujol issued a decree deporting Rizal to Dapitan. The decree mentioned the
reasons for deportation as follows: (1) the books and articles to Spain, anti- Catholic and anti-
friars; (2) a bundle of handbills found in one of his packages after his arrival in Manila entitled
Pobres Frailes satirized the Filipinos and anti-religious order; (3) El Filibusterismo was dedicated
to the Gomburza which the Spanish authorities considered as traitors; (4) Rizal was pursuing the
salvation of the Filipinos through their separation from Mother country (Spain).
 July 5-July 15, 1892 - Rizal was imprisoned at Fort Santiago — before his exile to Dapitan.
  July 15, 1892 - at 12:30 a.m. of July 15, Rizal was brought under heavy guard to the steamer
Cebu which was sailing for Dapitan. The steamer under Captain Delgras left Manila at 1:00 a.m.
under cover of darkness.
 July 17, 1892 — After two days of sailing, the steamer Cebu reached Dapitan 7:00 p.m. of July
17. Captain Delgras handed Rizal to Captain Ricardo Carcinero, the Spanish Commandant of
Dapitan. That same night, Rizal was exiled in Dapitan for a period of four (4) years, from July 17,
1892 to July 31, 1896.

Beginning of Exile in Dapitan

The steamer Cebu carried a letter of Father Pablo Pastells, e Jesuit Superior of the Jesuit Society
of the Philippines. The letter was given to Father Antonio Obach, Dapitan Jesiut parish priest. It stated
that Rizal could live at the parish convent on the conditions that Rizal publicly retract his errors
concerning religion, make his statement Pro-Spanish, perform church rites, make a general confession of
his past life, and to conduct himself like a Spanish subject and a man of religion. Rizal did not agree to
these conditions. Consequently, he lived in the house of Captain Carcinero, Spanish Commandant at
Dapitan. They later became good friends. Captain Carcinero believed that Rizal had fine qualities and
personality and was not a Filibuster. As a result, the Captain gave Rizal complete freedom to go
anywhere reporting only once a week to him. On his part, Rizal wrote a poem on August 26, 1892 on the
occasion of the Captain’s birthday.

 September 21, 1892 — Rizal, Captain Carcinero and Francisco Equilior (Spanish resident of
Dipolog), the neighboring town of Dapitan, jointly owned the ticket that won the second prize of
Php 20,000 in a lottery. The ticket no. is 9736. Rizal’s share is Php 6,200. He gave his father Php
2,000 and Php 200 to his friend Basa in Hongkong. The rest of the amount was invested in
purchasing agricultural lands along the coast of Talisay, one kilometer away from Dapitan.
Rizal Debated with Pastells on Religion — Rizal had a long and scholarly debate with
Father Pastells (Sept. 1, 1892 to April 1893) on religion. In his letter to Father Pastells Rizal
revealed his anti-Catholic ideas because of his bitterness of the Spanish friars who committed
certain abuses. Rizal believed that individual judgment is a gift from God and everybody should
use it. He further stressed that the pursuit of truth may be in different paths and this religion
may vary but they all lead to one light. Father Pastel refuted Rizal's attack on Catholic dogmas,
but in spite of their religious differences, they remained good friends. Although Rizal did not like
Pastells’ interpretation of Catholic dogmas. he continued to be a Catholic by hearing mass at the
Dapitan Catholic Church and celebrating Christmas.
Rizal Challenged a Frenchman to a Duel — While Rizal was still debating with Father
Pastells by means of exchanging letters, he became involved in a quarrel with Mr. Juan Larder, a
French acquaintance and business man. Mr. Larder purchased many logs from the lands of Rizal
but these were logs of poor quality. Angered by the letter to Antonio Miranda, a Dapitan
businessman, expressing his disgust over the business deal, Rizal became mad and challenged
Mr, Larder to a duel. Mr. Larder was persuaded by the Commandant to apologize rather than
accept the challenge. Heeding the Commander's advice, Larder wrote to Rizal on March 30,
1893 apologizing for the bad comments. Rizal, being a gentleman, accepted the apology.
Rizal Could not be Convinced by Father Sanchez — Father Francisco Paula Sanchez,
Rizal’s favorite teacher at Ateneo, was sent by Father Pastells to convince Rizal to return to the
 Catholic faith. Father Sanchez failed to convince Rizal to discard his unorthodox views on the
Catholic religion.
 August 1893 — His mother and sister Maria arrived in Dapitan and lived with him for 1 % year.
He likewise operated the right eye of his mother. Few days after the operation, his mother,
ignoring Rizal’s advice, removed the bandages from her eye causing the wound to be infected.
Nevertheless, the wound was treated and the operation was successful.
 November 3, 1893 — In the early part of November, 1893, Rizal was living peacefully and
happily at his house in Talisay, a kilometer away from Dapitan. His mother, sister Narcisa, and
Trinidad and some nephews came to see Rizal and decided to live with him. But on this date, a
certain “Pablo Mercado” (real name was Florencio Namaan), single, 30 years old from Cagayan
de Misamis, pretended as a relative of Rizal. But it was found out later by Captain Juan Sitges
(who succeeded Captain Carcinero in May 4, 1893 as Commandant of Dapitan) that he was hired
by the Recollect Friars and was paid Php 75.00 and promised him more, to spy on Rizal's
activities, and was asked to steal letters and writings which will incriminate him in the
revolutionary movement.

Rizal’s Life and Works in Dapitan

Rizal’s exile in Dapitan for 4 years and 13 days had been maximized by devoting much of his
time in improving his artistic and literary skills, doing agricultural and civic projects, engaging in business
activities and writing letters to his friends in Europe, particularly to Dr. Ferdinand Blumentritt and
Reinhold Rost.

Careers and Achievements While in Exile in Dapitan

As a physician, Rizal provided free medicine to his patients, most of them were underprivileged,
However, he also had wealthy patients who paid him well enough for his excellent surgical skill. Among
them were Don Ignacio Tumarong who gave Rizal 3000 pesos for restoring his sight, an Englishman who
gave him 500 pesos, and Aklanon haciendero, DonFrancisco Azcarraga, who paid him a cargo of sugar.
His skill was put into test in August 1893 when his mother, Dona Teodora Alonzo, was placed under
opthalmic surgery for the third time. The operation was a success, however, Alonzo, ignored her son's
instructions and removed the bandages in her eyes which lead to irritation and infection.

As an engineer, Rizal applied his knowledge through the waterworks system he constructed in
Dapitan. Going back to his academic life, Rizal obtained the title of expert surveyor (perito agrimensor)
from the Ateneo Municipal. From his practical knowledge as agrimensor, he widened his knowledge by
reading engineering-related books. As a result, despite the inadequacy of tools at hand, he successfully
provided a good water system in the province.

As an educator, Rizal established a school in Dapitan which was attended by 16 young boys from
prominent families. Instead of charging them for the matriculation, he made the students do community
projects for him like maintaining his garden and field. He taught them reading, writing in English and
Spanish, geography, history, mathematics, industrial work, nature study, morals and gymnastics. He
encouraged his students to engage in sports activities to strengthen their bodies’ as well. There was no
formal room, like the typical classroom nowadays. Classes were conducted from 2 p.m to 4 p.m. with
the teacher sitting on a hammock while the students sat on a long bamboo bench.
 As an agriculturist, Rizal devoted time in planting important crops and fruitbearing trees in his
16-hectare land (later, reaching as large as 70 hectares). He planted cacao, coffee, sugarcane, and
coconuts, among many others. He even invested part of his earnings from being a medical practitioner
and his 6000 peso winnings from a lottery on lands. From the United States, he imported agricultural
machinery and introduced to the native farmers of Dapitan the modern agricultural methods. Rizal also
visualized of having an agricultural colony in Sitio Ponot, within the Sindañgan Bay. He believed that the
area was suitable for cattle-raising and for cash-crops as the area had abundant water. Unfortunately,
this plan did not materialize.

As a businessman, the adventurous Rizal, with his partner, Ramon Carreon, tried his luck in the
fishing, hemp and copra industries. In a letter to his brother-in-law, Manuel T. Hidalgo, he pointed out
the potential of the fishing industry in the province (as the area was abundant with fish and good
beach). He also requested that two good Calamba fishermen be sent to Dapitan to teach the fisher folks
of the new fishing methods, using a big net called pukutan. But the industry in which Rizal became more
successful was in hemp, shipping the said product to a foreign firm in Manila.

As an inventor, little was known of Rizal. In 1887, during his medical practice in Calamba, he
invented a special type of lighter called sulpukan which he sent to Blumentritt as a gift. According to
Rizal, the wooden lighter’s mechanism was based on the principle of compressed air. Another of his
invention was the wooden brick-maker can manufacture about 6,000 bricks a day.

As an artist, he had contributed his talent in the Sisters of Charity who were preparing for the
arrival of the image of the Holy Virgin. Rizal was actually the person who modeled the image's right foot
and other details. He also conceptualized its curtain, which was oil-painted by a Sister under his
instruction. He also made sketches of anything which attracted him in Dapitan. Among, his collections
were the three rare fauna species that he discovered (dragon/lizard, frog and beetle) and the fishes he
caught. He also sculptured the statuette called “The Mother's Revenge” which represented his dog,
Syria, avenging her puppy to a crocodile which killed it.

As a linguist, Rizal was interested in the languages used in Dapitan, thus, studied and made
comparisons of the Bisayan and Malayan languages existing in the region. In fact, Rizal had knowledge in
22 languages: Tagalog, llocano, Bisayan, Subanun, Spanish, Latin, Greek, English, French, German,
Arabic, Malayan, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Dutch, Catalan, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Swedish and
Russian.

As a scientist, Rizal shared his interest with nature to his students. With his boys, they explored
the jungles and searched for specimens which he sent to museums in Europe, particularly in Dressed
Museunt. In return, scientific books and surgical instruments were delivered to him from the European
scientists. He also made a bulk of other researches and studies in the fields of ethnography,
archaeology, geology, anthropology and geography. However, Rizal's most significant contribution in the
‘scientific world was his discovery of three species: Draco rizali (flying dragon), Apogonia rizali (small
beetle), and Rhacophorus rizali (rare frog).

Rizal also partook in civic works in Dapitan. Upon arriving in the province, he noticed its poor
condition. He drained the marshes of Dapitan to get rid of malaria-carrying mosquitoes. He also
provided lighting system — coconut oil lamps posted in dark streets — in the province out of what he
earned from being a physician. He beautified Dapitan by remodeling the town plaza, with the aid of his
Jesuit teacher, Fr. Francisco Sanchez, and created a relief map of Mindanao (footnote: using stones, soil
and grass) right in front of the church.

Romantic Affair with Josephine Bracken

Rizal had always been missing his family and their happy moments together in Calamba and his
despair doubled upon the announcement of Leonor Rivera’s death. Not soon, to his Surprise, an Irish girl
enlightened his rather gloomy heart. This girl was the 18-year old Josephine Bracken who, to Wenceslao
Retana's words, was “slender, a chestnut blond, with blue eyes, dressed with elegant simplicity, with an
atmosphere of light (gaiety).”

From Hongkong, she arrived in Dapitan in February, 1895 with his blind foster father, George
Taufer, and a Filipina named Manuela Orlac. Rizal's fame as an opthalmic surgeon reached overseas, and
one of Rizal's friends, Julio Llorente referred the group to Rizal. Rizal and Bracken instantly fell in love
with each other as “Love at First Sight” and in just one month, they agreed to marry which appalled and
disturbed Taufer. However, the parish priest of Dapitan, Father Pedro Obach, refused to do so unless
they be permitted by the Bishop of Cebu.

On the other hand, Taufer returned to Hongkong uncured. Because no priest was willing to
marry the two, the couple exchanged their vows before God in their own way, which scandalized Fr.
Obach. In 1896, their love bear its fruit — Josephine was pregnant. Unfortunately, Bracken gave birth to
a one-month premature baby boy who lived only for three hours. The child was buried in Dapitan,
bearing the name Francisco, after Rizal's father.

Katipunan Seeks Rizal’s Advice

Prior to the outbreak of the revolution, the Katipunan leader, Andres Bonifacio, sought the
advice of Jose Rizal. In a secret meeting on May 2, 1896 at Bitukang Manok river in Pasig, the group
agreed to send Dr. Pio Valenzuela as a representative to Dapitan who will inform Rizal of their plan to
launch a revolution against the Spaniards. On board the steamer Venus, Valenzuala left Manila on June
15, 1892 and in 6 days (June 21, 1896), arrived at Dapitan with a blind companion, Raymundo Mata. At
night, Rizal and Valenzuela had a talk in the former's garden. There, Valenzuela told him of the
Katipunan's plan. Regarding this, Rizal outspokenly objected Bonifacio's “premature” idea for two
reasons:

1. the Filipinos were still unready for such bloody revolution; and
2. the Katipunan lacked machinery — before plotting a revolution, there must be sufficient arms
and funds collected.

Valenzuela also told Rizal of their plan to rescue him in Dapitan. Again, the exiled hero disagreed
because he had no plan of breaking his word of honor to the Spanish authorities.

 July 30, 1896 - Months before Rizal was contacted on the plan of Katipunan, Rizal offered his
medical service in Cuba, which was then in the throes of a revolution and there was an outbreak
of yellow fever epidemic. Rizal wrote Governor General Ramon Blanco, Despujol’s successor of
his plan and serve as a military doctor in Cuba.
It was only in July 30, 1896 that he was given a go-signal to go to Cuba through a letter
from Governor General Blanco.
Rizal’s Departure from Dapitan (as a prisoner)

Rizal's destination is Cuba, as a military doctor.

 July 31, 1896 — On the midnight of July 31, 1896, he bade goodbye to the Dapitan folks. He was
accompanied to the shore by Josephine, Narcisa, Angelica (Narcisa’s daughter), his three
nephews, six pupils and some Dapitan residents. He embarked on board the steamer España.
Many wept as the steamer sailed away. The town brass band played the dolorous farewell music
“Funeral March” of Chopin.
As the ship pushed out farther into the sea, Rizal gazed for the last time on Dapitan
waving farewell salute to the kind and hospitable people with tears of nostalgic memories. Rizal
stayed in Dapitan for 4 years and 13 days. Rizal made some delightful stopovers in Dumaguete,
Cebu, Iloilo, Capiz, and Romblon.
 August 6, 1896 — The Espania arrived in Manila on a Thursday morning. He failed to catch the
mail ship Isla de Luzon because it had earlier departed midnight of the same day. Governor-
General Blanco, on orders, transferred Rizal to the Spanish cruiser Castilla. Captain Enrique gave
Rizal a good accommodation because Rizal was told that he was not a prisoner but a guest on
board in order to avoid difficulties from friends and enemies. Rizal stayed in the cruiser for
about a month (August 6 to September 3, 1896) pending in the availability of a Spain-bound
ship.
 August 19, 1896 - The Katipunan’s plot to overthrow the Spanish rule means of revolution was
discovered by the Fray Mariano Gil, an Augustinian cura of Tondo.
 August 26, 1896 — The Cry of Balintawak was raised by Bonifacio and his valiant Katipuneros.
 August 30, 1896 — Bonifacio and Jacinto attacked San Juan (Battles of San Juan). In the
afternoon, Governor-General Blanco proclaimed a state of war in the first eight provinces —
Manila (as a Province), Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Pampanga, Nueva Ejica, and Tarlac.
Rizal learned of the eruption and the raging battles in Manila through the newspapers
he read while on board the steamer Castilla. On this day also, Rizal received a letter absolving
him all blame for raging revolution.
 September 2, 1896 — At 6:00 p.m., Rizal was transferred to the steamer Isla de Panay which
was to sail for Barcelona, Spain. This was his last trip to Spain. Among his fellow passenger on
board were Don Pedro Roxas (rich Manila industrialist) and his son Periquin.
 September 7, 1896 — Rizal arrived in Singapore in the evening of September 7. Together with
other passengers, he went sightseeing and shopping. He was, however, placed under arrest by
the ship skipper Captain Alimany, upon instruction from Manila government.
Rizal was unaware that since his departure from Manila Bay on his way to Spain,
Governor-General Blanco was secretly conspiring with the Minister of War and the Colonies for
his destruction. The two were exchanging coded telegrams and confidential messages for his
arrest. He was secretly being kept under surveillance.
 September 30, 1896 — The steamer anchored at Malta at about 6:25 in the evening. Being a
prisoner, he was confined in his cabin. He was not able to visit the famous island fortress of the
Christian crusaders.
 October 3, 1896 — The steamer Isla de Panay arrived in Barcelona about 10:00 o’clock in the
evening. The trip from Manila to Barcelona lasted for 30 days. He was kept under heavy guard in
 the cabin for three (3) days by General Eulogio Despujol and his men. The General happened to
be the same person who ordered his banishment to Dapitan in July 1892.
 October 6, 1896 — At 3:00 a.m. of October 6, he was awakened and escorted to the infamous
prison-fortress MOnjuich. He spent the whole morning inside the cell. At 2:00 p.m. he was taken
out of the cell and brought to the headquarters of General Despujol. He was told that he would
be shipped back to Manila on board the ship Colon. At 8:00 p.m. Rizal was taken aboard the ship
which was full of soldiers, officers, and their families. The ship left Barcelona with Rizal on
board.
 October 11, 1896 – Rizal’s diary was taken away before reaching Port Said. His diary was
critically scrutinized by the Spanish authorities but nothing dangerous was found in its content.
The cabin was also thoroughly searched but no subversive materials were found.

Rizal was Shipped Back to the Philippines to Undergo Trial

 November 2, 1896 - Rizal's diary was returned to him. At this time, news reports on Rizal's
predicament reached his friends in Europe and Singapore. Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor and Sixto Lopez
requested Atty. Fort, an English lawyer in Singapore to institute a writ of habeas corpus to the
Supreme Court for the removal of Rizal from the steamer. Unfortunately, Chief Justice Lornel Cox
denied the writ on the grounds that the steamer Colon is a warship of a foreign power and was
carrying Spanish troops. Under International law, the Singapore authorities has no jurisdiction over
the steamer.
 November 3, 1896 - The steamer Colon reached Manila. Meanwhile, the Spanish authorities who
wanted to get evidence against Rizal arrested Deodato Arellano, Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Moises
Salvador, Jose Dizon, Domingo Franco, Temoteo.
Rizal was brought to Fort Santiago where other patriots were incarcerated including his brother
Paciano to implicate Rizal. But Paciano refused to sign anything despite being his body broken and
his left hand crushed.

Rizal's Trial

 November 20, 1896 - On this day, a preliminary 5-day investigation began. He appeared before the
Judge Advocate Colonel Francisco Olive. Documentary and testimonial evidences were presented
against Rizal. The documentary evidences were:

1. Antonio Luna's letter to Mariano Ponce on October 16, 1888 which showed Rizal 's connection
with the Filipino reform campaign in Spain.

2. Rizal's letter to his family on August 20, 1890 in which he stated that the deportations are good
for they will encourage the people to hate tyranny.

3. Marcelo H. Del Pilar's letter to Deodato Arellano on January 7, 1889 implicating Rizal in the
Propaganda campaign in Spain.

4. A poem "Kundiman” allegedly written by Rizal in September 12, 1891 which mentioned that "in a
land of beauty, despot reigns and where the slaves are oppressed in the tyrant's grips".

5. Carlos Oliver's letter to an unidentified person on September 18, 1891 describing Rizal as the man
to free the Philippines from Spanish oppression.
 6. A Masonic document dated February 9, 1892 which honored Rizal for his patriotic services.

7. Dimasalang's letter (Rizal's pen name) to Tenluz (Juan Zulueta’s name) dated May 24, 1892 which
stated that Rizal was preparing a safe refuge for Filipinos who may be persecuted by the Spanish
authorities.

8. Dimasalang's (Rizal) letter to an unidentified committee on June 1, 1892 soliciting the aid of the
committee in his "Patriotic work”.

9. Anonymous undated letter to the editor of the Hongkong Telegraph censoring the banishment of
Rizal to Dapitan.

10. Ildefonso Laurel's letter to Rizal on mentioning that Filipinos look up to Rizal as their savior.

11. Ildefonso Laurel's letter to Rizal dated September 3, 1893 informing an unidentified
correspondent of the arrest and banishment of Doroteo Cortes and Ambrosio Salvador.

12. Marcelo H. Del Pilar's letter to Don Juan A. Tenluz (Juan Zulueta) dated June 1, 1893
recommending the establishment of a special organization, independent of masonry, to help the
cause of the Filipino people.

13. Transcript of speech of Pingkin (Emilio Jacinto) in a reunion of Katipunan on July 23, 1893 in
which the following cry was uttered Long Live the Philippines! Long Live Liberty! Long Live Doctor
Rizal's Unity!"

14. Transcript of speech of Tik-Tik (Jose Turiano Santiago), in the same Katipunan reunion wherein
the Katipuneros uttered: Long Live the Philippines! Long Live the eminent Doctor Rizal! Death to the
oppressor of nation!"

15. Laong Laan's (Rizal) poem "Talisay in which the author made the schoolboys of Dapitan sing.

The restimonial evidence included the oral testimonies of Martin Constantino, Aguedo del
Rosario, Jose Reyes, Moises Sabado, Jose Dizon, Domingo Franco, Deodato Arellano, Ambrosio
Salvador, Pedro Laktaw, Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Antonio Salazar, Francisco Quison, and Timoteo Paez.
 November 26, 1896 - After the preliminary investigation, Colonel Olive transmitted the records of
the case to Governor General Ramon Blanco, who was thereupon transmitted to them to Don
Nicolas de la Pena. Judge Advocate General. Among Pena's recommendation for Rizal to be
defended in court by an Army officer, not by civilian lawyer.
 December 8, 1896 - Rizal chose his defender from a list of 100 first and second lieutenants in the
Spanish Army. He chose Don Luis Taviel de Andrade, 1st lieutenant of the Artillery and brother of Lt.
Jose Taviel de Andrade, Rizal's bodyguard in Calamba in 1887.
 December 11, 1896 - The information of charges was formally read to Rizal in his prison cell, with his
counsel present. Rizal was accused of three (3) crimes: (1) rebellion, (2) sedition (3) illegal
association.
 December 13, 1896 - Ramon Blanco was replaced by Camilo Polavieja, a more ruthless character, a
governor general of the Philippines. Dominguez submitted the papers of the Rizal case to
Malacañang Palace.
 December 15, 1896 - Rizal wrote a manifesto to his people appealing to them to stop shedding of
blood and to achieve liberties by means of education and industry. The Judge Advocate General
 recommended to the Governor General Polavieja that the manifesto be suppressed and so Rizal’s
manifesto was not issued to the people.
 December 25, 1896 - It was the saddest Christmas for Jose Rizal because this was his last Christmas.
Rizal wrote a letter to Lt. Taviel de Andrade that his case was a hopeless one.
 December 26, 1896 at 8 a.m. - The court-martial of Rizal was held in Cuartel de Espana, a military
building. Sealed behind a long table on an elevated dais were the seven members of the military
court in their respective uniforms - Lt. Col. Jose Togores Arjona (president); Capt. Rizardo Munoz
Arias, Capt. Manuel Reguero, Capt. Santiago Izquierdo Osorio; Capt. Braulio Rodriguez Nunez, Capt.
Manuel Escribano, and Capt. Fermin Perez Rodriguez. Cuartel de España is used to be the present
site of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.
Present inside the courtroom were Dr. Rizal (accused), Lt. Taviel de Andrade (defense counsel),
Capt. Rafael Dominguez (Judge Advocate), Lt. Enrique de Alcocer (Prosecuting Attorney), Josephine
Bracken, some newspaper men, many Spaniards and other spectators.
Rizal sat on a bench between two soldiers. His arms were tied behind elbow to elbow. He wore a
black woolen suit with a white vest and black tie. He was calm and dignified in appearance.

TRIAL PROPER -The trial was opened by Judge Advocate Dominguez who explained the case against
Rizal. After him, Prosecuting Attorney Alcocer delivered a speech summarizing the charges against Rizal
and urged the court to give the verdict death. The Spanish spectators applauded noisily.

After Alcocer finished his speech, Defense Counsel Taviel de Andrade took the floor and read
the eloquent defense of Rizal and admonished the members of the military. His admonition fell on deaf
ears. After the defense counsel took his seat, court asked Rizal to say something. Rizal read a
supplement to his defense. But the military court remained indifferent to Rizal's pleading.

Lt. Col. Togores Arjona, the president considered the trial over and ordered the hall cleared.
After a short deliberation, the military court unanimously voted for Rizal's sentence of death. The Judge
Advocate General Nicolas de la Pena affirmed the death verdict.

 December 28, 1896 - Governor General Polavieja approved the decision of the court martial and
ordered Rizal to be shot at the back by a firing squad on December 30, 1896 at 7:00 in the
morning in Bagumbayan Field (Luneta).
 Rizal Received Visitors - Rizal was busy meeting visitors such as Jesuit priests, Josephine
Bracken, members of his family, and some newspapermen. His first visitors were Father Miguel
Sadero Mata (Rector of Ateneo Municipal) and Father Luis Viza, Jesuit teacher.

December 29, 1896

 6:00 a.m.- Rizal was read his verdict by Captain Rafael Dominguez. To be shot the next day at 7:00
a.m. at the Luneta de Bagumbayan (Rizal Park)
 29 December, 7:00 AM: Rizal was transferred to the chapel cell which were adorned by religious
images to convince him to go back to Catholic fold. His first visitors were Fathers Miguel Sadera
Mata and Luis Viza.
 29 December, 7:15 AM: After Father Sadera left, Rizal asked Fr. Viza for the Sacred Heart statuette
which he carved when he was an Ateneo student. From his pocket the same statue appeared.
 29 December, 8:00 AM: Father Viza was relieved by Father Antonio Rosell who joined Rizal for
breakfast. Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade joined them.
 29 December, 9:00 AM: Fr. Federico Faura, who once said that Rizal would lose his head for writing
Noli Me Tangere, arrived. Rizal told him, "Father, you are indeed a poet."
 29 December, 10:00 AM: Fathers Jose Vilaclara and Estanislao March visited Rizal, followed by a
Spanish journalist, Santiago Mataix of El Heraldo Madrid, for an interview.
 29 December, 12:00-3:30 PM: Rizal was alone in his cell. He had lunch, wrote letters and probably
wrote his last poem of 14 stanzas which he wrote in his flowing handwriting in a very small piece of
paper. He hid it inside his alcohol stove. The untitled poem was later known as Mi Ultimo Adios (My
Last Farewell). In its second stanza, he already praised the revolutionaries in the battlefield in giving
their lives "without doubt, without gloom."

First page of the "Mi Ultimo Adios" in Rizal's own handwriting

 29 December, 3:00 PM: According to an account of the agent of the Cuerpo de Vigilancia guarding
Rizal's cell, Rizal signed what seems to be the document retracting his anti-Catholic writings and his
membership in masonry. This event is a contentious issue among Rizal experts.
 29 December, 4:00 PM: Visit of Rizal's mother, Teodora Alonso. Then Rizal's sister Trinidad entered
to get her mother and Rizal whispered to her in English referring to the alcohol stove, "There is
something inside”. They were also accompanied by Narcisa, Lucia, Josefa, Maria and son Mauricio
Cruz. Leoncio Lopez Rizal, Narcisa's eleven-year-old son, was not allowed to enter the cell. While
leaving for their carriages, an official handed over the alcohol stove to Narcisa. After their visit,
Fathers Vilaclara and Estanislao March returned to the cell followed by Father Rosell.
 29 December, 6:00 PM: Rizal was visited by the Dean of the Manila Cathedral, Don Silvino Lopez
Tuñon. Father March left Father Vilaclara to be with the two.
 29 December, 8:00 PM: Rizal's last supper where he informed Captain Dominguez that he already
forgave those who condemned him.
 29 December, 9:30 PM: Rizal was visited by the fiscal of the Royal Audiencia of Manila, Don Gaspar
Cestaño with whom Rizal offered the best chair of the cell. According to accounts, the fiscal left with
"a good impression of Rizal's intelligence and noble character.

The so-called Rizal retraction

 December 29, 1896 at 10:00 p.m. - The draft of the retraction sent by the anti-Filipino Archbishop
Bernardinó Nozaleda (1890-1903) was submitted by Father Balaguer to Rizal for signature but Rizal
rejected it at first because it was too long. Another shorter retraction was prepared by Father Pio Pi,
Superior of the Jesuit Society in the Philippine, which was acceptable to Rizal. Rizal wrote his own
retraction in which he abjured masonry and his religious ideas which were anti-Catholic. The Rizal's
retraction is now controversial document. The Rizalist scholars were anti-Mason or anti-Catholic
claimed it to be forgery.
 December 30, 1896 at 3:00 a.m. - Rizal heard a mass, confessed his sins and took Holy communion.
At 5:30 a.m., he took his last breakfast. Also, Josephine Bracken accompanied by Josefa (Rizal's
sister) arrived. Before Josephine Bracken left, Rizal gave her a religious book "Imitation of Christ" by
Thomas Kempis, which was autographed: "To my dear unhappy wife, Josephine. December 30,
1896."
 30 December, 5:00 AM: Teary-eyed Josephine Bracken and Josefa Rizal came. According to the
testimony of the agent of the Cuerpo de Vigilancia, Josephine and Rizal were married. Josephine was
gifted by Rizal with the classic Thomas á Kempis book Imitations of Christ in which he inscribed, "To
 my dear unhappy wife, Josephine, December 30th, 1896, Jose Rizal." They embraced for the last
time.
 30 December, 5:30 AM: Rizal took his last meal. According to stories told to Narcisa by Lt. Luis Taviel
de Andrade, Rizal threw some eggs in the corner of a cell for the "poor rats," "Let them have their
fiesta too". Rizal also wrote to his family and to his brother.

Rizal's Execution and Death

 30 December, 6:00 AM: Rizal wrote his father, Francisco Mercado "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 his mother, he had only these words, "To
my very dear Mother, Sra. Doña Teodora Alonso 6 o'clock in the morning December 30, 1896. Jose
Rizal."
 30 December, 1896 at 6:30 AM: A trumpet sounded at Fort Santiago, a signal to begin the death
march to Bagumbayan. The four (4) soldiers who acted as advanced guards with bayoneted rifles
moved first. A few meters behind, Rizal walked calmly with his defense counsel on one side and two
Jesuit priests on the other. Behind them were the soldiers. With the sounds of the drum, the
cavalcade marched slowly, passing the narrow Postigo Gate (one of the gates of the city wall), and
reached the Malecon (now Bonifacio drive). Rizal walked serenely to Bagumbayan field and was told
to stand on a grassy lawn by the shore of the Manila Bay, between two lamp posts.
Rizal bade farewell to Fathers March and Villaclara and to his defender Lt. Luis Taviel de
Andrade. One of the priests blessed him and offered him a crucifix to kiss. Rizal requested that he be
shot facing the firing squad but his request was denied because the orders was to shot him in the
back. Dr. Felipe Ruiz Castillo, the Spanish military physician who took his pulse was amazed to find it
normal.

Rizal's Death

 30 December, 7:03 AM: With the captain shouting "Fuego!" Shouts rang out om the guns of eight
indio soldiers. Rizal, being a convicted criminal was not facing the firing squad. As he was hit, he
resists and turns himself to face his executors. He falls down and dies facing the sky.
 But in two years after Rizal's death, the victorious Philippine revolutionaries will sealed the fate of
the Spanish Empire in the east. Three hundred thirty-three years of Spanish Colonialism ended in
1898.
 30 December 1896, afternoon: Narcisa, after a long search, discovered where her brother's body
was secretly buried, at the old unused Paco Cemetery. She asked the guards to place a marble
plaque designed by Doroteo Ongjungco containing Rizal's initials in reverse-"RPJ.”
 17 August 1898: Four days after the Mock Battle of Manila when the Americans took over the city,
the remains of Rizal were exhumed. They were brought to Narcisa’s house, washed and cleansed
and were placed in an ivory urn designed by Romualdo Teodoro de Jesus. The urn stayed there until
1912.
 29 December 1912: From Estraude Street in Binondo, Manila, the urn was transferred in a
procession headed by the masons and the Knights of Rizal to the marble hall of the Ayuntamiento de
Manila, where it stayed overnight with the Knights on guard.
 30 December 1912, morning: In a solemn procession, the urn began its last journey to Rizal's final
resting place the base of the soon-to-rise national monument to José Rizal.
 30 December 1913: The Rizal National Monument at the Luneta was inaugurated. Its original design
name was "Motto Stella" (Guiding Star) and was made by Swiss sculptor Dr. Richard Kissling who
earlier also made the National Monument to William Tell, the National Hero of Switzerland.
 30 December 2012: The transfer of the remains of Rizal from Binondo to the site of the Rizal
Monument was recreated one hundred years later by the Order of the Knights of Rizal and the
National Historical Commission of the Philippines in commemoration of Rizal's 116th Martyrdom
Anniversary.