REFLECTION PAPER ON THE TRIAL AND EXECUTION OF RIZAL

The injustice and misrule of the Spanish authorities during the trial of Rizal was
evident. To describe it simply, it was clearly a mistrial. I personally think that the Spanish
authorities were waiting for this to happen to Rizal. They wanted him to be imprisoned and
executed for a very long time ever since he wrote the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
As the Spanish authorities were gathering evidence against Rizal, they also searched for the
Filipino patriots who were recognized to be on his side including his brother, Paciano and
they were tortured to implicate Rizal.

Before the preliminary investigation of Rizal, many of his friends tried to help him.
They even sent a telegram to Atty. Hugh Fort asked him to file a writ of habeas corpus on
Rizal's behalf but was rejected by the judge immediately. Rizal was put on a five-day
interrogation and investigation not knowing who testified against him which was
suspicious. They didn’t also let Rizal get a civilian lawyer, instead they only allowed an
army officer to defend him. This was unfair as the charges against him were serious and he
needs a lawyer to properly defend him.

When the court-martial of Rizal commenced, it was revealed that the hearing was
planned wherein Rizal, before hearing his verdict, had already been prejudged. They just
went through this trial just to put on a show, to make it show that they were following the
due process of the law. In addition, it was unfair because unlike the other accused people,
Rizal had not been allowed to know the people who witnessed against him. It was very
suspicious because why not let him know or talk to those people witnessed against him?
Unless the Spanish authorities threatened and even brutally tortured them just to implicate
Rizal.

During the trial, Rizal listened to the accusations carefully but he pleaded that he
was not guilty of the crime of rebellion. He even provided 12 points to prove his innocence
but despite his valid pleadings, the military court, vindictive as it was, remained indifferent
to the pleas of Rizal and unanimously sentenced him to death. Polavieja affirmed the
decision of the trial and ordered Rizal to be shot at 7:00 in the morning on the 30th of
December, 1896 at Bagumbayan. As he set on a walk from Fort Santiago to Bagumbayan, he
was calm because he knew it was the end of his journey and he accepted his fate.
Regardless of the unlawful and unfair trial against him and even during his execution, he
still remained calm. This was his way to show that he was not a traitor and he was willing
to sacrifice his life for the sake of this country.