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RIZAL WRITTEN REPORT

RIZAL’S EXILE, TRIAL, AND EXECUTION

DECEMBER 2021
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RIZAL’S EXILE

From 1892 until 1896, Rizal lived in exile at Dapitan, a rural village in Mindanao under

the missionary rule of the Jesuits. This four-year period in his life was tediously uninteresting,

yet it was abundantly fruitful, with a wide range of accomplishments (Zaide, 2008).

By the time the Spanish colonial authorities exiled Jose Rizal, he was 31 years old.

Jose Rizal arrived in Manila on June 26, 1892, and caused quite a stir among Filipinos. His

popularity shocked the Spaniards, who followed his every step closely, searched all the houses

he had visited, and suspected that they saw any Filipinos in his company.

There are four reasons why Rizal was exiled to Dapitan. He brought with him from Hongkong

leaflets entitled PROBRES FRAILES (“Poor Friars”), he was accused of dedicating his second

novel, El Filibusterismo, to the memory of the three priests who had been proven traitors to the

nation but whom he extolled as martyrs, he advocated the separation from Spain as the only

means of salvation for the Philippines. Charged for seeking to “De-catholicize, which is

equivalent to denationalize this Philippine land which will always be Spanish and as such,

always Catholic. Rizal took a Cebu ferry from Manila to Mindoro Island and Panay Island,

under close guard, until arriving at Big Bittan Island at 7 pm on June 17. From that day to July

31, 1896, Dapitan became the sole witness of one of Rizal's most fruitful periods. Rizal’s time

in the province was not just an exiled “him”, at that time, he was more focused on serving the

people and society through civic work, medical practice, land development, and educational

progress. Rizal spends his time in Dapitan by honing his creative and literary skills, engaging

in agricultural and civilian initiatives, doing business, and writing to European friends,

especially Ferdinand Blumentrit and Reinhold Rostt. His achievements and work in several

areas like Rizal as a doctor provided free medicine to the poor, the majority of patients. But he

had a wealthy patient who generously paid him for his excellent medical skills. Among them

were Don Ignacio Tumaron, Acranon Haciendero and other wealthy people. However, Rizal's
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dream is to set up his own school so he decided to establish it in Dapitan and 16 boys were

enrolled from a prominent family. The subjects he taught included reading, writing in English

and Spanish, geography, history, mathematics, industry, nature studies, morals, and

gymnastics. Rizal has always missed his family and their happy time in Kalamba. To his

surprise, an Irish girl lit his melancholy heart. This girl is Josephine Bracken, 18 years old. In

February 1895, she and her blind adoptive father George Taufer and a Filipino named Manuela

Orlac came to Tabitan from Hong Kong. Rizal's reputation as an eye surgeon spread overseas,

and a friend of Rizal, Julio Llorente, introduced the group to Rizal. Rizal and Bracken fell in

love immediately, and after only a month, they agreed to get married. A month before the

revolution broke out, Katipunan leader Andres Bonifacio sought the advice of Jose Rizal. At a

secret meeting held on the Bitukang Manok River in Pasig on May 2, 1896, the organization

agreed to send Dr. Pio Valenzuela as a representative to Dapitan, who would inform Rizal of

their plans to launch an anti-Spanish revolution. Valenzuela also told Rizal about plans to

rescue him in Dapitan. Unfortunately, Rizal objected because he had no plans to break the word

of honor to the Spanish authorities.

On December 17, 1895, Rizal sent a letter to the governor of Cuba, Ramon Blanco.

After his friend Ferdinand Blumentritt, informed him of the situation in Cuba and suggested

that he volunteer as a military doctor. On July 30, 1896, Rizal received a letter from Governor

Blanco on July 2, 1896, accepting his proposal. The letter also stated that Rizal will be given a

pass so that he can travel to Manila and then to Spain, where its Minister of War will be

assigned to Cuban combat troops. On the morning of July 31, 1896, his last day in Dapitta.

Almost all Dapitan people, young and old, watched their beloved doctor leave on the shore.

The brass band in the town played the farewell ceremony music as a symbol of gratefulness to

Rizal.
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RIZAL’S TRIAL

According to Reymart Pecpec, Ellysa Soriano, Wilson Guzman, John Aldrin Cabute

(July 22, 2014) Rizal was used to spending the holiday season with his family, friends, and

relatives, thus the 1896 Christmas was his saddest. Rizal, imprisoned in a dark, dreary cell, was

despondent and unsure of his fate. Under the influence of this illusion, he wrote Lt. Taviel de

Andrade a letter demanding that he meet him before his trial to address a very important topic.

Rizal wished the lieutenant a happy Christmas as well. Rizal's court-martial began the next day,

December 26, about 8 a.m. The hearing was actually a moro-moro — a pre-planned trial in

which Rizal was already prejudged before hearing his verdict. Unlike the other defendants,

Rizal was denied access to the people who testified against him. The trial took place at the

Cuartel de Espaa, a military building, and was presided over by Lt. Col. Jose Togores Arjona,

who presided over a court of seven military officials. The trial was opened by Judge Advocate

Dominguez, who was followed by Atty. Alcocer's reiteration of the charges against Rizal,

pleading with the court to sentence the latter to death. As a result, he was charged with three

crimes: rebellion, sedition, and illegal association, the first two of which carry a sentence of

life imprisonment to death, while the third carries a sentence of correctional incarceration and

a fine of 325 to 3,250 pesetas. After that Taviel de Andrade took the floor by reading the by

reading his speech in Rizal’s defense. Rizal gave a reading of his own defense, which he had

written in his Fort Santiago cell. Rizal claims that he has twelve points to prove his innocence.

Rizal was anti-rebellion, as Pio Valenzuela attested. He hadn't drafted a letter to the Katipunan

with revolutionary elements in it. His name was utilized by the Katipunan without his

knowledge; if he was truly guilty, he could have escaped while in Singapore. If he was guilty,

he should have fled the country while in exile and not built a house, buy a plot of land, or open

a hospital in Dapitan. If the speech he gave at Doroteo Ongjunco's residence fueled the revolt,

he wants to confront these people, according to witnesses. Why would the Katipunan send an
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unfamiliar emissary to him in Dapitan if he was truly for the revolution? It's because all of his

pals knew he never advocated for violence.

According to Miguel A. Bernad, S.J. (June 27, 2008), The trial of Jose Rizal was led to

his execution. A definitive incongruity in this very quick flurry to have Rizal executed was the

way that a portion of the records that had been thought of important for his preliminary had not

yet been gotten. On 28 June 1897, a half year after Rizal had been executed, it was noticed that

the reports and tributes that had been needed from his local area of Laguna had not yet been

gotten. Some of them were not prepared until the Manning of August 1897. The last papers

were gotten in April 1898, when Rizal had been one year and four months in his grave.

In spite of this accelerated flurry, there was fastidious consistency with legitimate

conventions. For instance, in the two-day starter examination, toward the finish of every day,

a record of the inquiries and answers was displayed to Rizal for his adjustments and his mark.

During the preliminary investigation, Rizal was shown a long list of names containing 106

names from which he was free to choose his defense counsel. On the day of his trial, he was

allowed to read his additional notes to defend himself. There was an additional extraordinary

explanation why.it was important for Rizal to go up against his informers or for his direction

to interrogate them. As his guard counsel called attention to, these observers were Rizal's co-

accused. In any good preliminary of criminal cases, the “onus probandi” rests with the

indictment. The State should demonstrate, without question, which the respondent is indeed at

real fault for the violations of which he is denounced. Rizal was arrested, convicted of sedition,

rebellion and conspiracy. At the preliminary investigation, Rizal had been asked what this was

all about. He answered that the compass had, been given to him by Father Sanchez in Dapitan,

and the note was from Father Cirera.

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By uncertain proof we mean the material that may be interpreted as showing the

presence both of disobedience or if nothing else of defiant goal, however which doesn't

demonstrate convincingly Rizal's own and dynamic association in it. Having a place with this

class were three sorts of material accessible to the arraignment: letters, the declarations of

witnesses, the authority dossier on Rizal outfitted by the workplace of the lead representative

and chief general. A piece of proof considered significant by the arraignment was the report on

Rizal given by the lead representative general's office, depicting the person, foundation, and

exercises of Rizal.
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RIZAL’S EXECUTION

Rizal’s execution brings a great contribution to Philippine freedom, His life and works

are now widely published in all parts of our country which was given a lot of Filipino

inspiration. Imagining the Philippines without Dr. Jose Rizal is not complete and unclear. He

did a lot of contributions to our country. He opened our eyes to what the Spaniards did to us.

He just did not use his strength in fighting but also his knowledge and intelligence, but because

of that Dr. Jose Rizal was being killed by the Spaniards for exposing the truth behind their dirty

works. Dr. Jose Rizal has a great love for his country as well as the people that he defends his

country no matter what he died, just for us. The court-martial of Rizal commenced on Dec. 26,

1896. Even before the death verdict was handed down, Rizal knew he was a dead man since

his trial had been a Moro-Moro (sham).

By 6:30 of the morning of Dec. 30, Rizal, dressed in a black suit with a white vest,

began his march to the field of his execution in Bagumbayan, now the Luneta, from his prison

cell in Fort Santiago. Rizal was accompanied by his military-appointed counsel Lt. Taviel de

Andrade, and Fathers Estanislao March and Jose Villaclara. Holding a rosary in his right hand,

Rizal was tied at the elbows as his group walked behind four advance guards armed with

bayonets. Historical accounts showed that six to eight Filipino volunteer troops composed the

firing squad designated by Spanish authorities to execute Rizal. A descendant of one of the

executioners, Adolfo Pastor Quetcuti, related that only one of the rifles was loaded with a live

bullet while the rest were blanks. This is to ease the guilt of Rizal’s executioners who knew he

was innocent, he explained. Another group of peninsular troops also stood behind them as an

additional measure just in case the Filipino troops decided to back out. Rizal refused to be

blindfolded and insisted on facing his executioners, but this was denied. Rizal wanted to show

he was no traitor and that he was willing to die for his country. Dr. Felipe Ruiz Castillo, who
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took Rizal’s vital signs and pulse rate before the execution, was amazed to find that the national

hero was calm and unafraid. (Katindig, December 29, 2010)

Rizal spent his last 24 hours in his death cell where he received members of his family

and writes his letter of farewell, the first one to his "second brother ' Ferdinand Blumentritt. He

gave his sister, Trinidad, an old petroleum lamp and whispered to her in English that there is

something inside the lamp. Thus is Rizal's famous farewell poem "Ultimo Adios", (Last

Farewell) was found, Rizal was said to have married his Irish girlfriend according to Catholic

rites in the very last hours of his life, after living with her for some time in Dapitan. They were

previously married civilly. On the morning of December 30, 1896, Rizal set on his walk from

Fort Santiago to the Bagumbayan square, the same place where the three priests had been killed

in 1872, now Luneta Park, in the center of Manila at 6:30 o'clock. Many details were told about

this walk; how Rizal, on this walk, told the priest accompanying him of his earlier strolls in

that place; how the military doctor admired the normal pulse rate of Rizal shortly before his

execution; how Rizal requested that he be shot in the chest, which was denied him; how he

forgave all those involved in his execution. The Spanish authority set up the ceremony like a

fair. Hundreds of men and women of the Spanish colony appeared in their best clothes in order

to celebrate the death of their enemy. Troop units were paraded; a musical band celebrated the

death of Rizal by playing the national anthem continuously. The firing squad was composed of

Filipino soldiers of the colonial army, but behind them stood a detachment of Spanish soldiers

with muskets leveled at their "brown comrades" in case they should refuse to shoot their

countryman. The execution of Rizal stirred emotions all over the world. The newspapers, which

otherwise hardly took notice of this distant country reported about the execution. The

international prestige of Spanish colonialism, already discredited, suffered a heavy blow.

Indeed, In the Philippines itself, the death of the man, who for millions of people had been the

embodiment of uprightness, of tolerance, of kindness and helpfulness, but above all of

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liberalism, of freedom and independence, had the effect of a beacon. Thousands of those who

hesitated, who were undecided, who were afraid perceived the death of Rizal as a mute call to

join up with the revolutionaries whose ranks swelled in the weeks and months that followed.
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REFERENCES

Jose Rizal Trial and Execution. (2006, August 30). In WriteWork.com. Retrieved 23:51,

December 08, 2021, from https://www.writework.com/essay/jose-rizal-trial-and-executio

Katindig, R., (2010,) Rizal's execution: Little known facts | Philstar.com

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2010/12/29/643170/rizals-execution-little-known-facts

Investigation on Rizal’s on his trial. (2014, July 22)JOSE RIZAL: TRIAL, EXECUTION, AND

MARTYRDOM - Blog (weebly.com)

(2014, July 07) JOSE P. RIZAL'S EXILE IN DAPITAN (1892-1896) Weebly.com Retrieved

from https://bshmjoserizal.weebly.com/our-hero-jose-rizal/chapter-eight-jose-p-rizals-exile-

in-dapitan-1892-1896