The Trial of Rizal

Prepared by: Bensar Ali A. Karim

 Preliminary Investigation
(1896 November 20)

• Rizal was subjected to a grueling five-day investigation.

He was informed of charges against him, he answered the

questions asked by Judge Advocate, Colonel Francisco
Olive, but he was not permitted to confront those who
testified against him.

Two kinds of evidence were presented to him - documentary

and testimonial.
Documentary Evidences were:
1. A letter of Antonio Luna to Mariano Ponce, dated Madrid, October 16, 1888, showing
Rizal’s connection with the Filipino reform campaign in Spain.
2. A letter of Rizal to his family, dated Madrid, August 20, 1890, stating that the deportations
are good for they will encourage the people to hate tyranny.
3. A letter from Marcelo H. del Pilar to Deodato Arellano, dated Madrid, January 7, 1889,
implicating Rizal in the Propaganda campaign in Spain.
4. A poem entitled Kundiman, allegedly written by Rizal in Manila on September 12, 1891.
5. A letter of Carlos Oliver to an unidentified person, dated Barcelona, September 18, 1891,
describing Rizal as the man to free the Philippines from Spanish oppression.
6. A Masonic document , dated Manila, February 9, 1892 honoring Rizal for his patriotic
services.
7. A letter signed Dimasalang to Tenluz (Juan Zulueta’s pseudonym), dated Hongkong,
dated May 24, 1892, stating that he was preparing a safe refuge for Filipinos who may be
persecuted by the Spanish authorities.
8. A letter of Dimasalang to an unidentified committee, dated Hongkong, June 1, 1892,
solicitating the aid of committee in the “patriotic work”.
9. An anonymous and undated letter to the Editor of Hongkong Telegraph, censuring the
banishment of Rizal to Dapitan.
Documentary Evidences were:

10. A letter of Ildefonso Laurel to Rizal, dated Manila, September 3, 1892, saying that the
Filipino people look up to him (Rizal) as their savior.
11. A letter of Rizal Segundo, dated Manila, September 17, 1893, informing an
unidentified correspondent of the arrest and banishment of Doroteo Cortes and
Ambrosio Salvador.
12. A letter of Marcelo H. del Pilar to Don Juan Tenluz, dated Madrid, June 1, 1893
recommending the establishment of a special organization, independent of Masonry,
to help the cause of Filipino people.
13. Tranrscript of a speech of Pingkian (Emilio Jacinto), in a reunion of the Katipunan on
July 23, 1893, in which the following cry was uttered “Long live the Philippines! Long
live Liberty! Long live Doctor Rizal! Unity!
14. Transcript of a speech of Tik-Tik (Jose Turiano Santiago) in the same Katipunan
reunion, wherein the Katipuneros shouted: “Long live the eminent Doctor Rizal!
Death to the oppressor nation!”
15. A poem by LaongLaan, entitled A Talisay, in which the author makes the Dapitan
schoolboys sing that they know how to fight for their rights.
Testimonial Evidence
1. Martin Constantino
2. Aguedo del Rosario
3. Jose Reyes
4. Moises Salvador
5. Jose Dizon
6. Pio Valenzuela
7. Ambrosio Savador
8. Francisco Quison
9. Timoteo Paez
10.Deodato Arellano
11.Pedro Serrano Laktaw
12. Antonio Salazar
13.Domingo Franco
 Colonel Olive transmitted the
records of the case to
Governor-General Ramon
Blanco who, in turn,
appointed Captain Rafael
Dominguez as the Judge
Advocate to institute the
corresponding action against
Rizal.

Governor-General Ramon Blanco

Peña’s Recommendations:

1. Rizal must be immediately sent to trial

2. He must be held in prison under necessary security
3. His properties must be issued with order of
attachment, and as indemnity, Rizal had to pay one
million pesos
4. Instead of a civilian lawyer, only an army officer is
allowed to defend Rizal.
 • 1st Lieutenant of the
Artillery, brother of Jose Taviel
de Andrade, the bodyguard of
Rizal.

Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade

 Rizal’s Arraignment
(December 11, 1896)

Rizal was charged with the crime of rebellion, and the

formation of illegal associations.

• He did not question the jurisdiction of the court

• He had nothing to amend except that during his exile in
Dapitan in 1892, he had not dealt in political matters;
• He had nothing to admit on the charges against him
• He had nothing to admit on the declarations of the witnesses,
he had not met nor knew, against him.
On December 13, 1896 …
While in Detention…

Rizal released a manifesto that he denounces the

revolution and condemned Katipunan for using his name
without his permission.
 Actual Trial
(December 26, 1896)

 Hall of Banners of the Cuartel de España.

 He was accused of 3 crimes: rebellion, sedition, illegal
associations.
 Penalty: Life imprisonment-death for rebellion and sedition,
correctional imprisonment and a fine of 325 to 3250 pesetas for
illegal association.
Twelve-point Defense of Rizal:
 As testified by Pio Valenzuela, Rizal was against rebellion
 He had not written a letter addressed to the Katipunan comprising
revolutionary elements
 Without his knowledge, his name was used by the Katipunan; if he
really was guilty, he could have escaped while he was in Singapore
 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.
 If he was really the leader of the revolution, the revolutionists should
have consulted him.
 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.
Twelve-point Defense of Rizal:
 After the first meeting of La Liga, the association banished because of his exile in
Dapitan, thus, did not last long.
 If the La Liga was reorganized nine months later, he had no idea about it
 If the La Liga had a revolutionary purpose, then Katipunan should not have been
organized.
If the Spanish authorities found his letters having bitter atmosphere, it was because in
1890 his family was being persecuted resulting to their dispossession of properties and
deportation of all his brothers- in-law.
He lived an exemplary life in Dapitan – the politico-military commanders and
missionary priests in the province could attest to that.
If according to witnesses the speech he delivered at Doroteo Ongjunco's house had
inspired the revolution, then he want to confront these persons. If he really was for the
revolution, then why did the Katipunan sent an unfamiliar emissary to him in Dapitan? It
is so because all his friends were aware that he never advocated violence.
 Governor-General
Camilo de Polavieja

December 28, 1896 .He

approved the decision of the
court-martial and ordered Rizal
to be shot at 7:00 o’clock in the
morning of December 30 at
Bagumbayan Field .
The End