Jose Rizal’s Retraction

Abarquez, Jhonalyn
Cabaluna, Ma. Nenita
Camba, Jasmine Tanya
De Lara, Jean Clair
De Villa, Deserie
Domingo, Sharmane
Duran, Stephanie
Gonzales, Martin John
Katindig, Emmanuel
Katindig, Nico Miguel
Introduction of the Controversy

Throughout our history we have been always unsure of what really happened in
the past. There are issues that are still unsolved and debated upon by our
historians. The truth can be distorted by biased people that is why we must have
an open mind when it comes to reviewing our history because not all we see or
heard are real just like Jose Rizal’s Retraction.
Jose Rizal’s retraction is still an ongoing issue to our historians up to this day. Here
are some of the words that are included in the said Retraction of Dr. Jose Rizal,
“Me declaro catolica y en esta Religion en que naci y me eduque quiero vivir y
morir.” Which when translated in English means “I declare myself a catholic and
in this Religion which I was born and educated I wish to love and die.” There are
evidences submitted to support and verify the retraction but most of them are
questioned by the Masonry Rizalists.
The argument is about whether Dr. Jose Rizal’s retraction is forged, it’s said that
Fr. Manuel Garcia, in 1935 found the original text but it disappeared right after
the execution of our national hero and the original document was never shown in
the public only it’s reproduction. Both arguments have point but what really could
have happened on December 29, 1896, the day before the execution of Dr. Jose
Rizal is still a mystery.
Sides and/or Evidences of the Controversy

Pro-Retraction
The Catholic Church is on the side of pro-retraction. They believed that Dr. Jose
Rizal retracted all his criticism on the priests, friars, the Spanish government and
on the whole Catholic Church and also for him being a Mason.
Witnesses and Evidences

 Fr. Pio Pi – reported that in early 1907 the retraction of Jose Rizal was
copied in verbatim and was published in Spain.
 Fr. Manuel A. Garcia – found the original text on May 13, 1935 at the
Catholic Hierarchy’s Archive in Manila and also copied in verbatim.
 The original document was signed by Dr. Jose Rizal.
 Fr. Balguer – took an oath that he witnessed the Dr. Jose Rizal writing the
retraction.
 Fr. Antonio Obach – exchanged letters with his mission superior about the
conditions Dr. Jose Rizal’s asking to write the retraction.
Conditions on Retracting

 Forgiveness of the Catholic Church.

 His freedom.
 To marry Josephine Bracken.
 Return to his family what has been confiscated or give its equivalent.
 50,000 pesos to start a business to support himself.
 Images of the Evidences
The original document of the retraction and the signature of Dr. Jose Rizal.

(Source: Manalo, F. C., & Silao, J.R. (2017). Jose Rizal’s retraction controversy
[PowerPoint slide]. Manila: Lyceum of the Philippines University – Manila)
The letter he wrote in Josephine Bracken’s copy of The Imitation of Christ. (De La
Imitación De Cristo)

(Source: Manalo, F. C., & Silao, J.R. (2017). Jose Rizal’s retraction controversy
[PowerPoint slide]. Manila: Lyceum of the Philippines University – Manila)
Anti-Retraction/Opposed in the Retraction
The Masonry Rizalists and some historians are on the opposed side. They believed
that Dr. Jose Rizal’s Retraction is not real, just a thing the Catholic Church concoct
as an attempt to deceive and manipulate the nation. It is said that the
penmanship and signature is different when compared to his other writings.
Witnesses and Evidences

 Roman Roques - Forged the signature of Jose Rizal. He also forged the
signature of Urbano Lacuna, which was used to capture Emilio Aguinaldo.
 Lazaro Segovia – Believed to be the mastermind of the forgeries.
 Josephine Bracken remained unmarried. There is no marriage certificate
found.
 The original document only surfaced after 39 years.
 The original document kept on changing. Another original document
surfaced and instead of December 29, 1896, December 29, 189C was
written. There is also another version with the date December 29, 1890 and
it was also signed by Dr. Jose Rizal.
 The penmanship of Josephine Bracken on her autobiography is different
from the letters written by her to Rizal.
 The conditions on retraction are not met.
Images of the Evidences
Comparison of signature of Dr. Jose Rizal in different letters and on the
retraction

Rizal beyond the grave: A reiteration of the greatness of the martyr of

Bagumbayan.
 Comparison of the penmanship in his late works and letters to the
retraction

Rizal beyond the grave: A reiteration of the greatness of the martyr of

Bagumbayan.
Stands:
Positive Stand
There are some points that we agreed on the pro-retraction side. We agree that
Jose Rizal Retractions did this for the sole purpose of marrying his loved one and
settling all the conflicts in his life. He declared himself a Catholic and he said that
he was born and educated there and he wanted to live and die. The retraction of
Rizal harmed his image. But in my opinion, Rizal did not go back on his principles.
He retracted for the sake of his welfare. There were four well-known reasons
behind Rizal’s retraction. First, He wanted to marry Josephine Bracken and to
make her his wife legally. Second, He wanted to protect his family. Third, He
wanted reforms from the Spanish Government. Lastly, He wanted to heal the
sickness of the Catholic Church. From Rizal’s statement: “I retract with all my
heart whatever in my words, writings, publications, and conduct have been
contrary to my character as a son of the Catholic Church.”, He did these
Retractions for his reasons to settle everything before he dies.

Negative Stand
There some points that we agreed on the opposed side. We don’t agree that Jose
Rizal retract his anti-Catholic ideas. First of all, Jose Rizal knows the fact that even
if he signs the retraction paper, he would still be executed so it makes no sense if
he retracts everything he said against the catholic friars. It also cannot be proven
that there was a marriage between Jose Rizal and Josephine Bracken because in
order to marry Josephine, the Catholic authorities made a condition that Rizal
must sign a retraction. However, until now there’s still no marriage certificate of
Jose Rizal and Josephine Bracken has been shown or even a photo of the day they
were said to be married. Josephine never changed and used the last name Rizal
and in addition Rizal did not even call Josephine as his wife in his last letter of Mi
Ultimo Adios which was the last written text of him before his execution.
The friar which is Fr. Vicente Balaguer who led them to their wedding said that
their wedding happens between 6 to 6:15 am of Dec. 30, 1896, in the company of
one of the Rizal sisters but the Rizal family denied that any of the Rizal sisters
were there that significant morning. Jose Rizal was martyred at 7:03 am and
nobody had reported seeing Ms. Josephine in the vicinity of Fort Santiago in the
morning of the execution.

Moreover, if Jose Rizal had really retracted what he said, Catholics should have
been at least give a proper grave for Jose Rizal and not secretly buried in the Paco
Cemetery in Manila and there’s no masses happen for Jose Rizal soul or funeral
held by Catholics.

Also, the reproductions of the lost “original” were made through a copyist who
could imitate Rizal’s handwriting. This truth is discovered by Fr. Balaguer himself
who, in his letter to his former superior Fr. Pio Pi in 1910, stated that he had
received “a specific replica of the retraction written and signed by Rizal. Regarding
the “original” textual content, no person claimed to have seen it, besides the
publishers of La Voz Espanola. On May 18, 1935, the misplaced “authentic” file of
Rizal’s retraction become found via way of means of the archdiocesan archivist Fr.
Manuel Garcia, C.M. The discovery, rather than finishing doubts about Rizal’s
retraction, has in truth recommended it due to the fact the newly found text
retraction differs appreciably from the textual content determined in the Jesuits’
and the Archbishop’s copies. And the truth is that the texts of the retraction
which seemed in the Manila newspapers may be proven to be the precise copies
of the “original” but only imitations of it.
Final Stand
After analyzing the arguments and evidences presented in both sides. Our group
decided that we will stand on the opposed side. We chose this side because the
evidences presented by the pro-retraction side is questionable. The conditions on
the retraction were not met. There is still no evidence of Josephine Bracken being
married to Dr. Jose Rizal. The original document has many versions and the most
questionable ones is why is the original document can’t be shown in the public
and why is it found only after 39 years. If there are still no answer to these
questions, we will not change our side. We will stand that Dr. Jose Rizal died as a
Noble Hero and not as someone who changed side because of fear in the catholic
church.

References:
http://www.joserizal.ph/rt03.html
https://nhcp.gov.ph/the-rizal-retraction-and-other-cases/
Rizal beyond the grave: A reiteration of the greatness of the martyr of
Bagumbayan
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/artandculture/594027/retractio
n-ni-jose-rizal-mga-bagong-dokumento-at-pananaw/story/
https://englishkyoto-seas.org/2019/12/vol-8-no-3-rene-escalante/