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There seems to be no end to the debate whether Rizal retracted his writings
against the Catholic Church on the very last day of his life. Will a new
independent testimony settle the debate finally?
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Ngunit, ilang oras bago siya barilin, pinirmahan daw ni Rizal ang isang
dokumento na nagsasabing siya raw ay isang Katoliko at binabawi niya lahat
ng kanyang mga sinulat laban sa simbahan. Nakilala ang dokumento bilang
ang retraktasyon, “The Retraction.” Dahil sa kanyang pagbabalik-loob sa
simbahan, ikinasal sila ni Josephine Bracken, ang kanyang huling pag-ibig.
Ang sinasabing retraktasyon ni Rizal. Courtesy Ambeth R. Ocampo
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“Most Illustrious Sir, the agent of the Cuerpo de Vigilancia stationed in Fort
Santiago to report on the events during the [illegible] day in prison of the
accused Jose Rizal, informs me on this date of the following:
“At 7:50 yesterday morning, Jose Rizal entered death row accompanied by
his counsel, Señor Taviel de Andrade, and the Jesuit priest Vilaclara. At the
urgings of the former and moments after entering, he was served a light
breakfast. At approximately 9, the Assistant of the Plaza, Señor Maure, asked
Rizal if he wanted anything. He replied that at the moment he only wanted a
prayer book which was brought to him shortly by Father March.
“Señor Andrade left death row at 10 and Rizal spoke for a long while with the
Jesuit fathers, March and Vilaclara, regarding religious matters, it seems. It
appears that these two presented him with a prepared retraction on his life
and deeds that he refused to sign. They argued about the matter until 12:30
when Rizal ate some poached egg and a little chicken. Afterwards he asked
to leave to write and wrote for a long time by himself.
“At 3 in the afternoon, Father March entered the chapel and Rizal handed him
what he had written. Immediately the chief of the firing squad, Señor del
Fresno and the Assistant of the Plaza, Señor Maure, were informed. They
entered death row and together with Rizal signed the document that the
accused had written. It seems this was the retraction.”
Makikita na ang dalawang binanggit na opisyal, sina Juan del Fresno at Eloy
Moure, ay ang mga nakapirma mismo sa dokumento ng retraktasyon na
tumayong mga saksi. Gayundin binanggit ng guwardiya na bago dalhin sa
Luneta si Rizal, ikinasal siya kay Josephine Bracken:
“At 5 this morning of the 30th, the lover of Rizal arrived at the prison …
dressed in mourning. Only the former entered the chapel, followed by a
military chaplain whose name I cannot ascertain. Donning his formal clothes
and aided by a soldier of the artillery, the nuptials of Rizal and the woman
who had been his lover were performed at the point of death (in articulo
mortis). After embracing him she left, flooded with tears.”
“Ilibing niyo ako sa lupa. Lagyan ninyo ng panandang bato at KRUS. Ang
aking pangalan, araw ng kapanganakan at ng kamatayan. Wala nang iba.
Kung pagkatapos ay nais niyong bakuran ang aking puntod, maaari niyong
gawin. Wala nang anibersaryo. Mas mabuti kung sa Paang Bundok. Kaawaan
ninyo si Josephine.”
Sa kanyang huling tula, binaggit din ni Rizal ang panandang krus sa kanyang
libingan ng dalawang beses.
“Suffer the moon to keep watch, tranquil and suave, over me:
Suffer the dawn its flying lights to release:
Suffer the wind to lament in murmurous and grave manner:
And should a bird drift down and alight on my CROSS,
Suffer the bird to intone its canticle of peace.