CHAPTER 21: SECOND

HOMECOMING AND THE

LIGA FILIPINA
Fatima Ivan S.Ceniza
B.S Nursing 1C
 Arrival in Manila with Sister

June 26, 1892 : This was Rizal's second homecoming, with him was his
widowed sister Lucia (wife of the late Mariano Herbosa), they arrived in
Manila

Rizal, being a meticulous diarist, described his second homecoming in

Manila as follows:

I arrived at Manila on 26 June (1892), Sunday, at 12:00 noon. I was met by

many carabineers headed by a major. There were in addition one captain
and one sergeant of the Veteran Civil Guard. I cam down with my luggage
and they inspected me at the customhouse. From there I went to Hotel de
Oriente where I occupied room No. 22, facing the church of Binondo.
In the afternoon of the same day, at 4:00 o'clock, he went to
Malacañan Palace to seek audience with the Spanish governor
general, Gov. Gen. Eulogio Despujol, Conde de Caspe. But he was told
to come back at night at 7 o'clock. Promptly at 7 p.m., he returned to
Malacañan and was able to confer with Gov. Gen. Despujol, who
agreed to pardon jis father but not the rest of his family and told
him to return on Wednesday (June 29).

After the interview with the gov. gen., he visited his sisters in the
city;
Narcisa ( Sisa, wife of Antonio Lopez)
Neneng ( Saturnina, wife of Manuel T. Hidalgo)
Visiting Friends in Central Luzon

The following day, June 27, at 6 p.m., Rizal boar a train in Tutuban
Station and visited his friends in:
Malolos, Bulacan
San Fernando, Pampanga
Tarlac
Bacolor, Pampanga
These friends of his were good patriots, who were his supporters in
the reform crusade.
The next day, June 28, he returned to Manila at 5 p.m.
There were government spies who watched Rizal's every movement
carefully.
After his visit to his friend's homes, the Guardia Civil raided it, then
seized some copies of the Noli and Fili and some "subversive"
pamphlets.
 Other Interviews with Despujol

• After his visits to his friends in Central Luzon, he had other interviews with Gov.
Gen. Despujol. He recorded these interviews vividly in his diary. This goes as
follows:

On Wednesday (June 29) at 7:30, I saw His Excellency. I did not succeed to have the
penalty of exile lifted, but he gave me hope with regard to my sisters. As it was the
feast of St. Peter and St. Paul our interview ended at 9:15. I was to come again the
following day at 7:30.

The general was opposed to it, very much opposed.

He told me to come back Sunday.On Sunday (July 3) I returned. We talked about

sundry things and I thanked him for having lifted the exile of my sisters. I told him
that my father and brother would arrive on the first boat. He asked me if I would
like to go abroad to Hong Kong. I told him yes. He told me to return on Wednesday.
Founding of the Liga Filipina

July 3, 1892 - Rizal attended a meeting of patriots at the home of the

Chinese Mestizo, Doroteo Ongjunco, on Ylaya Street, Tondo, Manila.
- it is here where Rizal organized the Liga Filipina.

Among those who were in the meeting were:

• Pedro Serrano Laktaw (Panday Pira) - a Mason and school teacher

• Domingo Franco (Felipe Leal) - Mason and tobacco shopkeeper
• Jose A. Ramos (Socorro) - engraver, printer, owner of Bazar Gran
Bretaña, and first Worship Master of Nilad, first Filipino masonic
• Ambrosio Salvador - gobernadorcillo of Quiapo and Mason
• Bonifacio Arevalo (Harem) - dentist and Mason

• Deodato Arellano - brother-in-law of M.H. del Pilar and

civilian employee in the army

• Ambrosio Flores (Musa) - retired lieutenant of the infantry

• Agustin de la Rosa - bookkeeper and Mason

Moises Salvador (Araw) - contractor and Mason

• Luis Villareal - tailor and Mason

• Fustino Villarruel (Ilaw) - pharmacist and Mason

• Mariano Crisostomo - landlord

• Numeriano Adriano (Ipil) - notary public and Mason
• Estanislao Legaspi - artisan and Mason
• Teodoro Plata - court clerk and Mason
• Andres Bonifacio - warehouse employee
• Apolinario Mabini (Katabay) - lawyer and Mason
• Juan Zulueta - playwright, poet, and government employee
• In the meeting, Rizal explained the objectives of the the Liga Filipina
which was a civic league of Filipinos, which he desired to establish and its
role in the socio-economic life of the people.

Constitution of the Liga - Rizal wrote this in Hong Kong- he presented this
in the meeting and discussed its provisions.

Officers of the Liga are as follows:

• Ambrosio Salvador - President
• Deodato Arellano - Secretary
• Bonifacio Arevalo - Treasurer
• Agustin de la Rosa - Fiscal
Constitution of the Liga Filipina

The aims of the Liga Filipina, as embodied in the Constitution, were the
following:
• To unite the whole archipelago into one compact and homogenous body.
• Mutual protection in every want and necessity.
• Defense against all violence and injustice.
• Encouragement of education, agriculture, and commerce.
• Study and application of reforms.

The motto of the Liga Filipina was: Unus Instar Omnium ( One Like All).

• Supreme Council - the governing body of the league which had

jurisdiction over the whole country.
- is composed of a president, a secretary, a treasurer, and a fiscal.
• Qualification for membership - all Filipinos who have at heart the welfare of
their fatherland.

• Every member pays an entrance fee of 2 pesos and a monthly due of 10

centavos.

The duties of the Liga members are as follows:

• obey the orders of the Supreme Council.

• to help in recruiting new members.
• to keep in strictest secrecy the decisions of the Liga authorities
• to have a symbolic name which he cannot change until he becomes president
oh is council.
• to report to the fiscal anything that he may hear which affects the Liga.
• to behave well as a good Filipino.
• to help fellow members in all ways.
Rizal Arrested and Jailed in Fort Santiago

• July 6, 1892 - Rizal went to Malacañan Palace to resume his series of

interviews with the gov. gen.

During the interview Gov. Gen. Despujol showed him some printed
leaflets which were allegedly found in Lucia's pillow cases.

• Pobres Frailes ( Poor Friars) - the title of the leaflets under the
authorship of Fr. Jacinto which was printed by the Imprenta de los
Amigos del Pais, Manila.

- these were a satire against the rich Dominican friars who amassed
fabulous riches contrary to their monastic vow of poverty.
• Ramon Despujol - nephew and aide of Gov. Gen. Despujol
who escorted Rizal to Fort Santiago where he was put to jail.

In Fort Santiago, Rizal was kept incomunicado.

- incomunicado- not able, wanting, or allowed to
communicate with other people.

• July 7, 1892 - Gaceta de Manila published the story of Rizal's

arrest.

The arrest of Rizal produced indignant commotion among the

Filipino people, particularly the members of the newly
organized Liga Filipina.
Arbitrary Deportation to Dapitan

It was also in the same issue of the Gaceta dated July 7, 1892 that
contained Gov. Gen. Despujol's decree on deporting Rizal to "one of the
islands in the South"
Reasons for Rizal's deportation as follows:
• Rizal had published books and articles abroad which showed disloyalty to
Spain and which were " frankly anti-Catholic" and "imprudently anti-friar".

• A few hours after his arrival in Manila " there was found in one of the
packages … a bundle of handbills entitled Pobres Frailes in which the
patient and humble generosity of Filipinos is satirized, and which
accusations is published against the customs of the religious orders."
• His novel El Filibusterismo was dedicated to the memory of three
"traitors" ( Burgos, Gomez, and Zamora), and on the title page he
wrote that in view of the vices and errors of the Spanish
administration, " the only salvation for the Philippines was
separation from the mother country".

• " The end which he pursues in his efforts and writings is to tear
from the loyal Filipino breasts the treasures of our holy Catholic
Faith".
• midnight of July 14, 1892 - Rizal was brought under heavy
guard to the steamer Cebu which was sailing for Dapitan.

The steamer passed; Mindoro and Panay before reaching

Dapitan on a Sunday, the 17th of July, at 7 in the evening.

Captain Delgras - handed Rizal over to Captain Ricardo

Carnicero who was the Spanish commandant of Dapitan.

July 17, 1892 - Rizal began his exile in lonely Dapitan which
would last until July 31, 1896, a period of 4 years.
Thank you for Listening!
REFERENCE:

• José Rizal: Life, Works, and Writings of a Genius,

Writer, Scientist, and National Hero -- by Gregorio F.

Zaide, Sonia M. Zaide