'S TRIAL AND DE

ZAL AT
RI H
On August 30, 1896, the revolutionists
led by Andres Bonifacio attacked San
Juan but was repulsed by heavy
forces. On the same day, Governor
General Ramon Blanco declared a
State of War in 8 provinces believed to
be the hotbed of revolution: Manila,
Bulacan, Batangas, Laguna, Cavite,
Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac.
On September 1896, Jose Rizal left
Manila Bay on board the steamer Isla
de Panay. Rizal continued the voyage,
but he was unaware that since his
departure in Manila, Gov. Gen. Blanco
is plotting to arrest Rizal upon reaching
Barcelona.
For all his wonderful talents, Rizal was after
all a mortal man who commited mistakes.
And one of his greatest mistake was to
believe that Governor General Blanco was a
man of honor and a friend because he
allowed him to go as a free man to Spain to
become a physician surgeon of the Spanish
army in Cubs, where a bloody revolution
was raging and gave him two nice letters of
introduction addressed to the Spanish
Ministers of War and the Colonies.
Gov. Gen. Blanco, together with the
Ministers of Colonies and War were
exchanging telegrams and confidential
messages for the arrest of Rizal upon
reaching Barcelona and that he was a
deportee and was being secretly kept
under surveillance.
On September 28, a passenger told
Rizal the bad news that he would be
arrested by order of Gov. Gen. Blanco
and would be sent to prison in Ceuta
(Spanish Morocco), Gilbraltar. Rizal
realized that he was fooled by the
Spanish officials.
September 30, he was formally notified
by captain alemany that he should stay
in his cabin until further orders from
Manila.
When the Steamer Isla de Panay arrived
in Barcelona on October 3, 1896, His
jailor was the military Commander who
happened to be General Eulogio
Despujol, who ordered his banishment
to Dapitan. Rizal remained there for
three days and was transferred to the
prison Monjuich infamous fortress in
Madrid Castle on October 6, 1896.
After his stay at Monjuich, he was
transferred to a ship named Colon. Rizal
was aboard the Colon which was full of
soldiers and officers. 6, 8:00 p.m., the
ship left Barcelona.
On November 3, the Colon reached
Manila. Rizal was greeted by the
Spaniards and Rizal was then
transferred under heavy guards to Fort
Santiago.
November 29, Rizal underwent a 5-day
investigation where he was informed of
his charges and questions were asked
to him by the Judge Advocate, Colonel
Francisco Olive. He was not permitted
to confront those who testified against
him.
 CES AGAINST R
IDEN IZ
V AL
E
There are two kind of evidences that
were presented against Rizal:

1. Testimonial evidences
Many Filipino patriots were tortured to
implicate Rizal. Even his elder brother,
was
arrested and cruelly tortured but he
never signed any statement that would
incriminate Rizal.
2.Documentary evidences
Colonel Olive transmitted the records
of the case to Governor General
Ramon Blanco who, in turn, appointed
Captain Rafael Dominguez as the
Special Judge advocate to file the
action against Rizal.
Findings of Capt. Rafael Dominguez
1. Rizal was the principal organizer of
the Philippine revolution
2. Rizal is the founder of the societies
and newspaper
3. Rizal was the author of books
designed to propagate the ideas of
rebellion and sedition
4. Rizal was the principal leader of the
anti-government movement of the
country
1. A letter to Antonio Luna to Mariano
Ponce showing Rizal’s connection with
the Filipino reform campaign in Spain
2. A letter of Rizal to his family stating
that deportations would encourage the
people to hate tyranny.
3. A letter from Marcelo H. Del Pilar to
Deodato Arellano implicating Rizal in
the Propaganda campaign in spain
4. A poem entitled “Kundiman”
allegedly written by Rizal (actually by
Pedro Paterno)
5. A letter of Carlos Olive to
unidentified person describing Rizal as
the man to free the Philippines
6. A masonic document honoring Rizal
for his patriotic services
7. A speech of Pingkian (Emilio Jacinto) in a
reunion of the Katipunan where they shouted
“Long live the Philippines! Love live Liberty!
Long live Dr. Rizal”
8. Speech of Tik-Tik in the same Katipunan
reunion, wherein the katipuneros shouted;
“Long live the eminent Doctor Rizal”
9. A poem by Laong laan (Rizal) entitled a
Talisay, where the author makes the Dapitan
schoolboys sing that they know how to fight for
their own freedom.
10. A letter signed by Rizal to Zulueta stating his
preparation for safe refuge for Filipinos who
may be persecuted by the Spanish authorities.
11. A letter of Dimasalang to an unidentified
committee soliciting the aid of committee in
thepatriotic work.
12. Letter to the editor of Hong Kong telegraph
censuring the banishment of Rizal in Dapitan.
13. A letter of Ildefonso Laurel to Rizal saying
that the Filipino people should look up to Rizal
as their savior.
14. A letter of Del Pilar to Don Juan
recommending the establishment of a special
organization, independent of Masonry to help
the cause of Filipino people.
15. A letter of Ildefonso Laurel to Rizal informing
of unidentified correspondent of the arrest and
banishment of Doroteo Cortes and Ambrosio
Salvador.
CRIMES
Colonel Olive- transmitted the records of the
case.
Governor Ramon Blanco- who, in turn,
appointed Captain Rafael Dominguez as the
Judge Advocate to institute the corresponding
action against Rizal.
Don Nicolas de la Pena- Judge Advocate
General, whom General Blanco transmitted the
papers for an opinion
Pena’s submitted the following
recommendations:

1) The accused be immediately brought to trial.

2) He should be kept in prison. An order of
attachment be issued against his properties to
the amount of one million pesos as indemnity.
3) He should be defended in court by an army
officer, not by a civilian lawyer.
Don Luis Taviel de Andrade

1st Lieutenant of the Artillery, brother of Jose

Taviel de Andrade, the bodyguard of Rizal

Rizal’s Arraignment (Dec. 11, 1896)

Rizal was charged with the crime of rebellion,
and the formation of illegal associations.
December 13- the case was forwarded to
Governor General Camilo de Polavieja who had
just replaced Governor Blanco
Actual Trial (December 26, 1896)

Cuartel de Espana- military building.

Seven Members of the Military Court:
Lt. Col. Jose Togores Arjona (president)
Capt. Ricardo Munoz Arias
Capt. Manuel Reguera
Capt. Santiago Izquierdo Osorio
Capt. Braulio Rodriguez Nunez
Capt. Manuel Diaz Escribano
Capt. Fernando Perez Rodriguez
Also present in the courtroom were:
Dr. Jose Rizal (the accused)
Lt. Taviel de Andrade (his defense council)
Capt. Rafael Dominguez (Judge Advocate)
Lt. Enrique de Alcocer (prosecuting Attorney)
The Spectators:
-Josephine Bracken
-a sister of Rizal
-some newspapermen
Rizal was accused of three crimes:
Rebellion
Sedition
Illegal Association
Penalty:
Rebellion and Sedition- was from life
imprisonment to death.
Illegal Association- was correctional
imprisonment and a fine of 325 to 3,250
pesetas.
According to Rizal, there are twelve points to
prove his innocence:
1. As testified by Pio Valenzuela, Rizal was
against rebellion.
2. He had not written a letter addressed to the
Katipunan comprising revolutionary elements.
3. Without his knowledge, his name was used
by the Katipunan; if he really was guilty, he
could have escaped while he was in Singapore.
4. If he was guilty, he should have left the
country while in exile; he should not have built a
home, bought a parcel of land or established a
hospital in Dapitan.
5. If he was really the leader of the revolution,
the revolutionists should have consulted him.
6. 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.
7. After the first meeting of La Liga, the
association banished because of his exile in
Dapitan, thus, did not last long.
8. If the La Liga was reorganized nine months
later, he had no idea about it
9. If the La Liga had a revolutionary purpose,
then Katipunan should not have been
organized.
10. 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.
11. He lived an exemplary life in Dapitan – the
politico-military commanders and missionary
priests in the province could attest to that.
12. If according to witnesses, the speech he
delivered at Doroteo Ongjunco's house had
inspired the revolution, then he wants 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.
Fellow countrymen: I have given many proofs
that I desire as much as the next man
liberties for our country; I continue to desire
them. But I laid down as a prerequisite the
education of the people in order
that by means of such instruction, and by
hard work, they may acquire a personality of
their own and so become worthy of such
liberties.
- An Excerpt from Rizal’s Manifesto
References :
 EATH OF RIZAL
D
LAST HOURS OF RIZAL
December 29, 1896
6:00 AM  Captain Rafael Dominguez read
the sentence of Rizal
7:00 AM  Transferred to a prison chapel
 Visited by Fr. Miguel Saderra Mata (Rector
of Ateneo Municipal) and Fr. Luiz Viza (Jesuit
teacher)
7:15 AM  Fr. Viza gave him the Statuette of
the Sacred Heart of Jesus (carved by Rizal as
an Ateneo student)
8:00 AM  Fr. Antonio Rosell and Lt. Luis
Taviel de Andrade arrived
9:00 AM  Visited by Fr. Federico Faura
10:00 AM  Fr. Jose Villaclara (Rizal’s teacher
at Ateneo)  Fr. Vicente Balaguer (Jesuit
missionary)  Santiago Mataix (Spanish
journalist of El Heraldo de Madrid, for an
interview.)
12 noon to 3:00 PM  Rizal wrote “Mi Ultimo Adios” and
his last letter to Fedinand Blumentritt
4:00 PM  Dona Teodora arrived and Rizal knelt and
kissed her hands
 Trinidad- She was the one whom Rizal gave his alcohol
cooking lamp where he hid his last poem
 Narcisa- was given a wooden chair
 Mauricio- favorite nephew of Rizal
 Angelica- his niece
 Maria also visited
8:00 PM  Rizal ate his last supper
10:00 PM  Rizal received the draft of retraction
but he rejected it

December 30, 1896

3:00 AM  Rizal heard mass, confessed his sins
5:30 AM  Last breakfast
 Wrote two letters for his family and to
Paciano
 Josephine and his sister Josefa arrived, and
gave Josephine a last gift- imitation of Christ.
RIZAL’S DEATH MARCH
 At 6:30 am - Sound of the trumpet signaled
the start of the Death March
 Together with Rizal were: four soldiers, Luis
Taviel de Andrade, Fr. Estanislao March and
Fr. Jose Vilaclara
 Dr. Felipe Ruiz Castillo- Spanish military
physician who asked Rizal’s permission to
check his pulse rate
 “Consummatum est” or “It is finished” –
last words of Rizal
 At about 7:03 in the morning, Rizal was shot
and fell on the ground at the age of 35 years,
5 months, and 11 days
 Paco Park- where Rizal was buried
 His sister Narcisa made a gift to the
caretaker to mark the site "RPJ", Rizal's initials
in reverse.
August 17, 1898  Four days after the Mock
Battle of Manila when the Americans took over
the city, the remains of Rizal where exhumed
and brought to Narcisa’s house.
December 30, 1912  The urn began its last
journey to Rizal’s final resting place the base of
the soon-to-rise national monument to José
Rizal.
December 30, 1913 The Rizal National
Monument at the Luneta was inaugurated.