RIZAL’S

RETRACTIONS
Truth or myth?
 TRODUCTION
IN

RETRACTION - An act of taking a statement or accusation back.

An outcome of a change of heart? Might be. It can even be a
solution from being pushed into a corner
 TRODUCTION
IN
Rizal has always been a symbol of patriotism to us ever since the end
of the colonialism the Spaniards had placed on our country. As we
examine the history of the Philippines, along with his nationalistic acts
for our nation, Rizal's famous writings developed from metaphorical
meanings and political deeds have gained significance. But the
ongoing argument over whether Rizal's Retraction Letter is a myth or
fact has been a contentious issue to dispel. The topic of this essay will
be Rizal's Retraction Letter: Fact or Myth?
 TRODUCTION
IN
José Protacio Rizal Y Mercado, the ‘Bayani’ of the Philippines, now being
bombarded with conspiracies and theories about his life and the legacy he made.
One of those said conspiracy is if he truly did write “The RETRACTION”. Whether
Rizal really did retract his statements or not, he should be and still is considered as
a hero. As Jose Victor Torres said “Whether or not he truly wrote the retraction
letter it still does not change the fact that his writings began the wheels of change
in Philippine colonial society during the Spanish period—a change that led to our
independence.”
 CLAIMS
Father Manuel Garcia, C.M. discovered the retraction letter of Rizal in 1935. The
document stated “I declare myself a catholic and in this religion in which I was
born and educated I wish to live and die”. Based on the readings “Rizal beyond
the grave” written by Ricardo R. Pascual, the document is a forgery. Pascual
shows out that the same man signed both of the witnesses signatures, and they
do in fact resemble one another.

Other evidence that proves Rizal didn’t retract is when Father Balaguer came to
terms that he wed Rizal and Josephine after Rizal signed the retraction paper,
however there were no public record or marriage certificate that will prove
Father Balaguer statement.
 CLAIMS
On December 30, 1896, Rizal was reported to have renounced his Masonic
ideals and returned to Catholicism after several hours of reconciliation by Jesuit
priests. Before Dr. Jose rizal shot, he signed a document stating that he was a
catholic and retracted all his writings against the church.

In addition to these claims, back when Rizal was still imprisoned in Dapitan, an
Atenean professor Rizal was fond of named Father Sanchez, was dispatched by
the Jesuits to refute the claims made by his former student (Rizal being his former
student) against the Catholic Church. Father Sanchez bargained with him by
offering money, and an estate in exchange of refuting his claims (Laubach, 1936).
This proposition was later dismissed by Rizal himself.
 CLAIMS
Lastly, Ricardo Pascual’s “Rizal beyond the Grave”, three copies of the retraction
existed but having different years and a forger named Roman Roque was one the
one tasked and was employed by the friars to make several copies of the
retraction document quoted by Antonio K. Abad. Also, Dr. Pascual, who looked
at the document, said that there were differences in the letter forms, slants,
writing habits, signature characteristics that were different between the real
writing and the retraction, and a close affinity between the writings, which meant
that they were written by different people and suggested forgery.
 CONCLUSION
Dr. Jose P. Rizal dedicated his life to his country by being a voice through his
books and articles attacking the wrongdoings of Spaniards. This information alone
is enough to tell you that Rizal is very anti-Catholic which makes it hard to believe
that he retracted his statements against the Catholic church.Though, that said, we
believe that Jose Rizal is a True believer of god, he believes that God is the Plus
supra, and that God is the origin of nature, though his faith might not have
wavered in the eyes of God, he could not just stand by watching the wrongful
and twisted ways the friars of that time are doing his country. The manipulation of
power and Spanish government, this is not only going against everything he
believed in and is fighting for, but also in the religion they themselves are
preaching.
 CONCLUSION

Nonetheless, as quoted by former senator Jose Diokno, : Surely whether Rizal

died as a Catholic or an apostate adds or detracts nothing from his greatness as a
Filipino… Catholic or Mason, Rizal is still Rizal - the hero who courted death to
prove to those who deny our patriotism that we know how to die for our duty and
our beliefs”
 REFERENCES
FILIPINAS HERITAGE LIBRARY. RIZAL THE MASON: On Philippine History and
Culture. Retrieved from https://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/articles/rizal-the-
mason/

Frank L. (1936). RIZAL: MAN AND MARTYR. Retrieved from

https://openlibrary.org/books/OL6360434M/Rizal_man_and_martyr

Tiara S. (October, 2019). THE RETRACTION OF JOSE RIZAL: WHAT IS THE

TRUTH? Retrieved from https://atarialonso.wordpress.com/2019/10/09/the-
retraction-of-jose-rizal-what-is-the-truth/

Tomas S. (October, 2011). Rizal’s retraction: Truth vs Myth. Retrieved from

https://varsitarian.net/news/20111004/rizals_retraction_truth_vs_myth
 SALAMAT
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!
Prepared and presented
By Group 3