of QZ Ci ( Morning cians ) ob qdlakh 1460 L2Y. (Ye - 39, THE TRIALS OF THE RIZAL BILL By Dr. J. B. LAUREL, Je Few legislative measures have elicited as much interest or provoked as much discussion ay Republic Act No. 1425, otherwise ““Jenown as the Rizal law. The heated disputes that raged around his legislation, the bitterness and recrimination that attended enactment, are almest-unparalieled in the annals of Congress. Wher. it was filed by the Committee on Education on April 3, 1956, Senate Bill No. 498 was supported by all but 3 of the © gpembers of the Upper House and seemed, to all appearances, a : controversial measure But when on April 17, 1956, Sen- P, Laurel, ag Chairman of the Committee on Education, sponsorship of the mieasure, the rumbles of the gather- ‘nous warning, This was to mark the spetations, both enlightened and a divide the nation for three soy nal version of Senate’ Bill No. 448 read as follows: TO MAKE. NOLI ME TANGERE AND EL FILIBUS- ISMO COMPULSORY BEADING MATTER IN ALL AND) PRIVATE COLLEGES AND UNIVER: OTHER PURPOSES. Ce Re Re er nN Aa Ente ee ta ects inital:Laurel—TH2 TRIALS OF THE RIZAL BILL 181 . The werks mentioned in Section 1 of this Act shall ‘pein ‘the original editions or in their unexpurgated Eng- lish. and: National Language. versions. - ‘SEC. 2: The Department of Rducation shall take steps to ‘jpiomuigate rules and regulations for the immediate im- ‘plemeritation of the provisions of this Act. ‘SEC. 4, No provision of this Act shall be construed as prohibiting or limiting the study of the works of other Fili- -pino heroes. SEC. 5. Any. public or private college or university _ “found violating, failing to comply with, or circumventing x the provisions of this Act shall be punished accordingly: _ (a) The Head of any public college or university charged ‘with implementing the. provisions of this Act, who shall have B beensfouind guilty. of violating, failing to comply with, or cir- “ cumventing the-provisions thereof, shall be dismissed imme- diately. from:-the-service and shall be disqualified from teach- any public. or. government recognized. private school, nege: or university. .(b) Government recognition of any baivate college or university found violating or circumventing the provisions this Act shall be immediately withdrawn, dnd the respon- le;Head and professcr or professors concerned shall be disqualified from: véaching in any Covernment-recognized iege-or university. C.,6. This Act shal! take effect upon its approval cording: to ‘Senator Laurel, the object of the measure eminate the ideas and "ideals of the great, Filipino ‘ough the reading of his works, particularly Noli Me and EL Filibusterismo. Jn the, course of his three-day ship speech; He said. Me, ae and. El 5 Pilibusterismo mast be read ‘or in: their2 : HISTORICAL BULLETIN Vou. Iv, 0.2 “The Catholic elements in and outside Congress, however, “were quick to assail the measure as an attempt to discredit their yéligion. Claiming that the two novels contained views inimical to the tenets of their faith, they particularly challenged the corn- _ pulsory nature of the bill as‘wiclative of religious freedom. Principal basis of their opposition was an alleged Pastoral Letter which, while praising Rizal, practically branded his novels ag ~ heretical and impious. The authenticity of this letter was much suspected and never definitely established, but there is no ques- tion that/it added fuel to. the fires of discord that had already inflamed the passions of the people. i Dehates:on, Senate Bill No. 438 began on April 23, 1956. ' Senator Laurel was. supported by. a prestigious colleague and ardent’ nationalist, the formidable Senator Claro M. Recto. In the other camp were Senators Mariano J. Cuenco, Francisco Ro- .» digo. and: Decoroso: Rosales, all of them identified as rabid Ca- tho! Although the rest cf the’ senators also participated at | times in the discussion, interest was focused on the principal protagonists of the controversy whose masterly exchange of logic and law held the nation spellbound, “ Senator Recto proved his‘usual brilliance as a parliamenta- rian and his vast erudition: in history and law, including Canon Law. There: was no Goubt also that he. was an authority on the — life and works of Rizal. The.gist of his arguments was that, ~ under. the’ police: power and Art. XIV (5). of the Constitution, it as competent, for the State equire the reading of Noli Me ere ‘EF ferisrad in our public and private schools. ject of the bill, he Said, was to foster the better appre- yn. of Rizal’s times and. of the role he played in combatting Spanish tyranny’in this country. Denying that the novels had jous motivation, he declared: id not pretend to teach religion or theology when os ; Be ‘at inculeating’ civic -con-KIBTORIcAL BULAN Vol, IV, No, 2 inthe Senate that drew more public attention. Notable de.’ fenders’ of ‘the bill.in the House, besides the author, were Con. * gréssmen: Emilio Cortez, Mario Bengzon, Joaquin R. Roces, and. W.Rancap: Lagumbay. Among the outspoken opponents were “ Congressmen Ramon Dvurano, Jose Nuguid, Marciano Lim, Manuel é Zosa, Lucas Paredes, Gedofredo Ramos, Miguel-Cuenco, and Con- “ gresswomen Carmen D. Consing and Tecia San Andres Ziga, : JAS the® daily debates were on in Congress and throughout the-country, it became more arid-more apparent that no agreement eould be reached.on the original version of the bill, Already, than tive weeks had elapsed since the measure was called mn the. floor, and. the, conflict. was becoming increasingly bitter. n May 9, 1956, however, the controversy took a new though nite: unexpected turn that stirred new hope for a final re- n ofthe issue, “This. came about. when Senator Laurel,. @ futility of further strife on the matter, rose to pro- ame an amendment by substitution which read as follows: “ An Act to.include inthe curricula of all public and private. Schoois, colleges: and. universities courses on the life, works “ Jose Rizal, particularily his novels Noli Me ‘El Fitibusterisiao, authorizing the printing and. on thereof,,and jor other purposes. . “mioré than in any other period of ourhis- re-dedication to the ideals of free- tiich our heroes lived and. died; ero: and patriot, « cial fondness are: devotion. their’ lives and: works. that: the national charac hereas,'the life, works'and writings of Jose Rizal, par towlarly his ‘novels: Noli me Tangere and El: Filibusterismo, piring source of patriotism with which especially during their fort ative and foul *:eISTHE TRALS OF SH RIZAL BIEL ‘43 inci by the Senate and House of Rey hacte presentatives. ‘Of the Philippines in Congress assembled: i ‘Courses: on thé. life, works. arid writings articularly his novels. Noli Me ‘fangere and. busterismd, shall be. meluded in thé curricula, of all ; iversitiés, public or’ private: Pro- giate courses, the original or unex. the Noli. Me Tangere and. El Filibuste- ‘ sine or their English translation shall be used as basic texts. Og ne’ Board..of National Education, is hereby. authorized. adopt, forthwith measures to implement and. ons of this Section, including the writing nin Boelis as..well.as. other ' tof approvedHISTORICAL BULLETIN Vol. IV, No. 2 free of: ‘charge, to porsons desiring to read them, “through the “Purok organizations.and Barrio Councils throughout the country. SEC. 4: Nothing in this Act shall be construed as amending or repealing Section 927 of the Administrative Code, prohibiting the discussion of religious doctrines by public ‘sctool teachers. and other persons ‘engaged in any - public school. SEC. 5. The swm of three hundred thousand pesos is hereby. authorized: to be appropriated in the National Treas- ury to. carry out the purposes of this Act. SEC. 6. This Af shall take effect upon its approval. Explaining this amendivent, Seaator Laurel said tersely: “In my subsiitute pill, I have included not only the Noli and the Fili but all the works and writings of Rizal and even ‘those written: by other people about him, 1 elimineted the compulsion idea, although deep in myself, considering. my own’ information.my own knowledge’ of the history of » Mankind, howey ver poor ari however incomplete, notwith- “standing my own personal conviction that the stete can pro- petly require, in the case of Filipinos, the compulsory read- ing of the Fili and the Noli. After consulting my own reli: ‘gious conscience ds ore belonging to my own. church, I re- smoved' the’idea of compulsion: You will no longer find the ‘compulsory’ 6 ‘cotripulston’ in the substitute bill that ave filed. “But, there. is, one thing, ‘on which there couldTHE TRIAL OR THE RUZAL Bip, ird'of National Education. Several membr bill, among them Senators Locsin, Pelaez, Briones, vat and Cuenco. Still vigorously opposed, Senator. uggested the deletion of the proviso in Section 1, but, ange Was Tejected, by the sponsor. “Senator Lim then the exemption of students from the requirements of the: nf certain conditions, and the Senate seemed headed again, f ‘hy dispttation,’ ‘Then, quite abruptly; the fol- ° ig proceedings’ took place: ‘ageinst will please say. noy. is, unanimously approved.MIGTORIOAL BULLETIN Spirited-resistance from several dichar . Mi tel. Cuenco, who insisted ina eagle ea ercoman asaxe. was’ unconstitutional, and Congressman Bengzon, one i the strongest supporters of the original version, who clatmed: that the substitute bill represented a “complete triumph of the Chiitch, hierarchy" Nevertheless, with no Jess than 31 con eressmen Sppearing as its co-authors, including the matority \d-minority leadership in the Chamber, the measure was ap- proved on second reading the same day. VAY, Mog The. anti-climax was dramatic. Congress was to adjourn, sine die in a few days and, since the President had declined uit0, Certify to the necessity of the immediate enactment of the _ Measure, there was need of coraplying with the constitutional requirement that printed. copies thereof be distributed arnong the. Congressmen’ at Jeast three calendar days prior to its final approval-by the. House. ‘The opponents of the measure sought oO: take advantage of this. technicality, to. defeat the measure, essed for. tims, ‘the Speaker, with the help mainly of Congress-; mah Gonzales, requdsted the Bureau of Printing which handled“ ‘he-printing of the Laurel substitute bill not to destroy the print- gmolds of said bill and ordered enough copies for the mem-* sof the House: changing ovly the number of the bill and- the amber of origin. Copies of the measure were distributed in. - ¢ House. even before the Senate bill was approved on third’ ding. While’ the House bill was being discussed on second: «Mouse Bill No, 5561 was also approved 01 71 votes in favor (6. were. against, 2 ab- . ) and sent, to. the Senate the same by the-Tatter i 58, providedsso that they: may jealously guard their: Gnd their native land, and do their duty. that, tis better:to. die. with honor then,