UNITS 6 Some patients gave him vegetables,

fruits, chickens, etc. If the patient is

RIZAL’S FIRST HOMECOMING rich, he would charge in the
2ND TRAVEL ABROAD European way. The people called
JAPAN INTERLUDE him Dr. Uleman having arrived from
SIDE TRIP TO THE USA Germany.

Rizal shared his blessings to his

A. THE 1st HOMECOMING townmates. He built a gymnasium
for the youth to discourage them
August 1886, Rizal decided to return
from engaging in different forms of
to the Philippines. He left Rome by
gambling. He wanted them to spend
train for Marseilles, boarded the
time on productive activities.
Djemnah bound to Saigon.
Unfortunately, Rizal failed to see
On July 30, 1886, Rizal arrived in
Leonor in his six months’ vacation
Saigon, where he transferred to the
due to the conflicts of his parents
steamer Haifong.
and Leonor’s.
On August 6, 1886, Rizal arrived in
Noli Me Tangere Controversy
Manila. He noticed that Manila has
not changed that much. Rizal received an invitation, a
summons, a writ commanding the
On August 7, 1886, he reached
sheriff, or other authorized officer, to
Calamba, where there was a
notify a party to appear in court to
dramatic meeting. After a few days,
answer a complaint made against
Rizal turned the ground floor of their
him and in the said writ specified, on
house into a medical clinic. His first
a day therein mentioned from
patient was his mother who could
Governor-General Emilio Terrero
hardly see. He successfully restored
regarding the novel which has
the eyesight of his mother which had
become a hot issue. He went to
double cataracts.
Malacañang to answer any question
The good news spread like wildfire surrounding his novel. He denied
as many sick people flock to seek that he was a spy from Germany. He
medical help. His professional fee explained that he was only
was very simple: If the patient is expressing the truth of what is going
poor, a simple “thank you” is enough. on in the society in his novel. The
Governor was satisfied with his
answer and asked for a copy of the
novel, since he had not read the
novel himself.
Rizal’s enemies kept doing
everything to persecute him. They
accused the novel to have
subversive ideas against the church
and the Spanish government.
The kind Governor assigned a
bodyguard for Rizal, to protect him
from danger. His bodyguard was a
young Spanish Lieutenant, Don Jose
Taviel de Andrade. The two became
true friends in no time at all because
they have common interests.
The powerful friars put the novel
under strict scrutiny headed by
Manila Archbishop Msgr. Pedro
Payo. He sent a copy to the UST Fr.
Rector Gregorio Echevarria for
examination. The latter found the
novel heretical, impious, and
scandalous.
The Governor sent the novel for
further assessment to the
Permanent Commission on
Censorship composed of priests and
laymen headed by Fr. Salvador Font,
Tondo parish priest. The body found
the novel with subversive ideas
against the Church and the Spanish
government. The Commission
recommended that the book be
banned and have its circulation in
the islands be totally stopped. The
move boomeranged because it only
made the Filipinos more curious in
reading the novel. Thus, the novel’s
price was exorbitantly priced. No
arrests were made, thanks to the
liberal-minded governor.
Rizal’s Enemies from the Church
Among Rizal’s enemies were Manila
Archbishop Msgr. Pedro Payo, UST
Rector Fr. Gregorio Echevarria, Fr.
Salvador Font- head of the
Permanent Commission on
Censorship.
Fr. Jose Rodriguez published an
anti-Noli pamphlet entitled “Caiingat
Cayo.” The pamphlet stated that
“whoever reads the novel commits a
mortal sin.”
Another attacker of the Noli was
Vicente Barrantes, a Spanish writer
who openly criticized the novel in the
Spanish newspaper La Esperanza
Moderna.
Allies of Dr. Jose Rizal
Meanwhile, Rizal also had allies like
Marcelo H. Del Pilar- using the pen
name Dolores Manapat, who
published a pamphlet entitled
“Caiigat Cayo” that refuted and
ridiculed Fr. Rodriguez’ “Caiingat The Dominicans put pressure on
Cayo.” Malacañang to eliminate Rizal.
Governor-general Terrero advised
The other one was Fr. Francisco Rizal to leave the Philippines for his
Sanchez, Rizal’s beloved Ateneo own good.
teacher.
The friars were furious because they
Calamba Agrarian Problem were attacked on their most
On 6 September 1890, general sensitive point: money! The report
Weyler began enforcing the will of never reached the desk of the
the Dominicans by sending artillery governor-general. The Dominicans
and military forces to Calamba which responded by filing an action for
started to demolish the house of eviction against the Calamba
Rizal’s parents. Rizal’s brother, tenants. However, when the justice
brothers in law were arrested and of the Peace of Calamba ruled in
exiled to different places of the favor of the tenants, the Dominicans
archipelago. On the first day 60 immediately brought the case to the
families were thrown out of their Supreme Court in Manila, which
houses and the sugar mills and all immediately decided in the
other buildings they had erected Dominican’s favor. The tenants and
were destroyed. The Dominicans the Rizal family had no recourse but
forbade the rest of the townspeople to appeal their case to the Supreme
to give the unfortunates lodging and Court in Madrid.
hospitality. By the end of September Rizal advised his family to stop
400 tenants had been evicted. paying the rent. The rest of the
The liberal governor-general Terrerro Calamba tenants followed suit and
was at that time replaced by the with Rizal’s encouragement,
conservative general Valeriano petitioned the government to
Weyler in 1888. He was completely intervene by authorizing and
on the side of the Dominicans. One supervising the drawing up of a new
of his first acts was to enforce the contract between the people of
court ruling for the eviction of the Calamba and the Dominican
tenants. The first to be evicted was landowners.
the Rizal family. Dominican Corruption and Financial
Deceit on a Massive Scale
The original hacienda owned by the
Jesuits consisted of only a small part
of land and included only a part of
the town, but the Dominicans had
claimed a much more extensive
area, no less than the whole town
and its surrounding fields. The
Dominicans were paying the
government only the income tax due
on the original smaller hacienda.
Rizal wrote down his findings, which
were signed by the tenants in
January 1888, and he submitted the
report to the government.
The friars wanted to withhold the
tenants to tell the truth. The Rizal
family as well as the other Calamba
tenants wanted to tell the truth. The
tenants asked Rizal to draft a report
for the town council. Rizal asked his
town mates to supply him with all the
relevant facts about the estate from
the very beginning. Rizal had not
anticipated but he soon became the
center of the tenant’s struggle
against the Dominicans.
It started innocently. On 30th
December 1887, when the
government, wondering why the
revenue paid by the Dominicans
Order had remained constant
despite the ever-increasing size of
cultivated lands, formally asked the
Calamba town council to determine
whether there had been any
increase in the products and the size
of the Dominican estate over the
past three years.
What came out was a horror story of
Dominican corruption and financial
deceit on a massive scale. The
original hacienda owned by the
Jesuits consisted of only a small part
of land and included only a part of
the town, but the Dominicans had
claimed a much more extensive
area, no less than the whole town
and its surrounding fields. The
Dominicans were paying the
government only the income tax due
on the original smaller hacienda.
Ownership of the Calamba hacienda
passed on to the Dominicans after
the Jesuits, who originally owned it,
were expelled in 1768. The
Dominicans owned practically all the
lands around Calamba. The tenants
suffered since many years due to the
unjustified taxes they had to pay.
Even if there was an economic crisis
or the harvest was bad, the rent and
taxes still went up. The tenants
suffered under the friars.
B. RIZAL’S 2ND TRAVEL
ABROAD
Hounded by powerful enemies, Rizal
was forced to leave his country for
the second time in 1888. He was 27
years old, a practicing physician, and
a recognized man of letters.
Rizal in Hong Kong and Macau
Amoy, in Hong Kong was the first
stop over of the ship. After six
months of staying in the Philippines
Rizal left via the steamer Zafiro
bound for Hong Kong.
Rizal did not get off the ship for the
following reasons: (a) He was not
feeling well. (b) It was raining hard.
(c) He heard that the city is dirty.
Hong Kong is a British colony by that
time. Rizal stayed in the Victoria
Hotel. There he met Jose Maria
Basa, Balbino Mauricio, and Manuel
Yriarte (son of the alcalde mayor in
Calamba)
Jose Sainz de Varanda, a Spaniard
and former secretary of
Governor-General Terrero shadowed
Rizal’s movement in Hong Kong. It is
believed that he was commissioned
by the Spanish authorities to spy on
Rizal.
According to Rizal in his letter to
Blumentritt, Hong Kong is a small,
but very clean city. Many
Portuguese, Hindus, English,
Chinese and Jews live here. There
are some Filipinos exiled in
Marianas Islands since 1872. They
were former financiers and rich but
now are poor, gentle and timid.
Rizal also Visited Macau, a
Portuguese colony near Hong Kong.
Rizal together with Basa boarded a
ferry named Kiu-Kiang going to
Macau. Curiously, Jose Sainz de
Varanda is among the passengers.
Rizal and Basa visited Don Juan
Francisco Lecaros, a Filipino
gentleman who is married to a
Portuguese lady. Rizal and Basa
stayed in his house for two days
while they were in Macau.
During Rizal’s two week vacation in
Hong Kong, he studied Chinese life,
language, drama and customs and
found out the following which he
wrote in his diary:
● The celebration of the
Chinese New Year was quite
very noisy due to the
continuous explosion of
firecrackers on the streets.
● The Lauriat party, wherein the
guests were served a variety
of dishes, shows lavishness
and hospitality among the
Chinese.
● The Dominican Order, the
richest religious order in Hong
Kong, had millions of dollars
 deposited in various banks
earning very high interests.
● The graveyards for Catholics,
Protestants and Muslims were
well maintained.
C. RIZAL in JAPAN, the Land of
the Cherry Blossoms
Rizal left Hong Kong on board of the
Oceanic, an American steamer on
his way to Japan. He arrived in
Yokohama, Japan and stayed for
one day in the Grand Hotel.
After spending a day in Yokohama,
Rizal went to Tokyo and stayed in
Tokyo Hotel for five days. Juan
Perez Caballero – secretary of the
Spanish legation visited him in the
hotel inviting him to stay in the
Spanish legation. Knowing that it is a
plot to monitor him, Rizal accepted
the offer for the following reasons:
● He could economize his living
expenses
● He had nothing to hide from
the prying eyes of the
Spanish authorities.
● He and Caballero became
good friends.
In Japan, Rizal was embarrassed
because he did not know how to
speak Nihonggo (Japanese
Language) He was mistakenly
considered as a Europeanized
Japanese because he looks like a
Japanese and yet speaks in different
tongues.
Rizal’s Impression of Japan
● The scenic beauty of the
country
● The cleanliness, politeness
and industry of the Japanese
people.
● The picturesque dress and
simple charm of the Japanese
women.
● There were few thieves in
Japan.
● Beggars are rarely seen in the
city streets.
● Rickshaw, a popular mode of
transportation which he did
not like in Japan.
Rizal and O-Sei-San
Seiko Usui, or more fondly called
O-Sei-San, is a former samurai’s
daughter of 23 years old who had
never experienced true love. She is
a woman of beauty, charm, modesty
and intelligence. She speaks French
and English fluently.
When Rizal first introduced himself
to her, he took off his hat as a sign of
respect (A German custom).
O-Sei-San was more than Rizal’s
girlfriend, for she was his guide,
interpreter and tutor. She improved
his knowledge of the Japanese
language. She eases the pain left by
Leonor Rivera.
Rizal fell greatly in-love with
O-Sei-San that he was tempted to
leave the Philippines and settle
down in Japan. He was offered a job
in the Spanish Legation but his
brother Paciano wrote to him
reminding him of his duty and why
he left the Philippines in the first
place.
Rizal left Japan via the ship Belgic,
an English steamer in Yokohama
bound for United States. It ended 45
days of his unforgettable stay in
Japan and his relationship with
O-Sei-San.
O-Sei-San after Rizal’s Departure
Alfred Charlton became the husband
of O-Sei-San in 1897, one year after
Rizal was executed. He was a British
teacher of chemistry in Peers’
School in Tokyo. They had a
daughter named Yuriko, who married
a son of a Japanese senator.
Seiko-Usui died in 1947 at age 80
and was buried beside her husband.
D. RIZAL in the UNITED STATES
Rizal in steamer Belgic met a
semi-Filipino family, Mr. Reinaldo
Turner and his wife Emma Jackson,
their children and maid from
Pangasinan. He also met Tetcho
Suehiro, a fighting Japanese
journalist, novelist, champion of
human rights, who was forced by the
government to leave Japan.
Tetcho Suehiro became a member of
the Japanese Imperial Diet
(Parliament). He wrote to novels:
Nankai-no-Daiharan (Storm over the
South Sea) in 1891 resembling Noli
Me Tangere and O-unabara (The Big
Ocean) in 1894, resembling El
Filibusterismo. He died in 1896 at
age 49 due to heart attack.
Via the steamer Belgic, Rizal arrived
in San Francisco, USA on April 28,
1888.
According to the Americans, Cholera
was an epidemic raging in the Far
East. Thus, all passengers are
quarantined for safety. But, Rizal
was surprised because there is no
outbreak of the disease in the Far
East, thus he joined other
passengers in protest. In actuality,
there were 643 Chinese coolies who
boarded the ship from China who
came as illegal migrants wanting to
displace the White laborers in
railroad construction camp. But Rizal
was questioning how come 700 bolts
of silk were unloaded without
fumigation.
After a week Rizal together with
other first class passengers were
permitted to land. But the Japanese
and the Chinese and passengers
belonging to the second and thirds
class remained aboard.
Rizal stayed in the Palace Hotel
(then a first class hotel) in San
Francisco. He stayed there for two
days. Grover Cleveland was the
president when Rizal visited the
United States. There he met Leland
Stanford, the founder and benefactor
of the Stanford University who was
then a senator representing
California.
Rizal Toured the United States
● Oakland, California was the
first stop via ferryboat.
● Via train Sacramento, where
he ate his supper 75cents and
slept at his couch.
● Reno, Nevada, where he had
his breakfast
● Utah, where he saw
Mormons, thickly populated
● Colorado, a lot of snow and
pine trees
● Nebraska, Omaha City, as
big as San Francisco
● Missouri River, twice as big as
Pasig River
● Chicago, a lot of Indians in
cigar stores
● Albany, where he saw the
Hudson River
● New York, which he considers
a big city, where he stayed for
three days.
He left the United States for
Liverpool, London on board the City
of Rome, and the second largest
ship in the world. Great Eastern was
the largest ship in the world during
his time.
RIZAL’S IMPRESSIONS OF
AMERICA
● Material progress of the
country as shown in its cities,
farms, and industries
● The drive and energy of the
Americans
● The natural beauty of the land
● The high standard of living
● The opportunities for better
life offered to poor
immigrants.
● America for Rizal was the
land par excellence of
freedom but only for the
Whites.
● Non-existence of true civil
liberty, as Negro cannot marry
an American and vice versa.
 ● The existence of racial
prejudice as shown in their
hatred of the Chinese,
Japanese and Negroes.
● The valuing of money over
human life
FIRST HOMECOMING TO
DEFENSE OF 1ST NOVEL
THE HOMECOMING
❖ August 1887- Rizal decided to
return to the Philippines.
❖ Left Rome by train for
Marseilles
❖ Boarded the Djemmah bound
to Saigon.
❖ July 30, 1888- arrived in
Saigon, where he transferred
to the steamer Haifong.
❖ August 6, 1888- Rizal arrived
in Manila
❖ Noticed that Manila has not
changed that much.
❖ August 1888- he reached
Calamba, where there was a
dramatic meeting
❖ He turned the ground floor of
their house as a medical clinic
❖ His first patient was his
mother who could hardly see
❖ He successfully restored the
eyesight of his mother which
had double cataracts.
❖ The good news spread like
wildfire as many sick people
flock to seek medical help.
❖ His professional fee was very
simple:
● If the patient is poor, a
simple “thank you” is
enough. Some patients
gave him vegetables,
fruits, chickens, etc.
● If the patient is rich, he
would charge in the
European way.
❖ The people called him Dr.
Uleman having arrived from
Germany.
❖ Rizal shared his blessings to
his townmates:
● He built a gymnasium
for the youth to
discourage them from
engaging in different
forms of gambling.
● He wanted them to
spend time on
productive activities.
❖ But he failed to see Leonor in
his six months vacation due to
the conflicts of his parents
and Leonor’s.
NOLI ME TANGER
CONTROVERSY
⮚ Rizal received a summon
from Governor-General Emilio
Terrero regarding the novel
which has become a hot
issue.
 ⮚ He went to Malacañang to
answer any question
surrounding his novel.
⮚ He denied that he was a spy
from Germany.
⮚ He explained that he was only
expressing the truth of what is
going on in the society in his
novel.
⮚ The Governor was satisfied
with his answer and asked for
a copy of the novel, since he
had not read the novel
himself.
⮚ Rizal’s enemies kept doing
everything to persecute him
⮚ They accused the novel to
have subversive ideas against
the church and the Spanish
government
⮚ The kind Governor assigned a
bodyguard for Rizal, to protect
him from danger.
⮚ His bodyguard was a young
Spanish Lieutenant, Don
Jose Taviel de Andrade.
⮚ The two became true friends
in no time at all because they
have common interests.
NOLI ME TANGERE GOT BANNED
⮚ The powerful friars put the
novel under strict scrutiny
headed by Manila
Archbishop Msgr. Pedro
Payo.
⮚ He sent a copy to the UST Fr.
Rector Gregorio Echevarria
for examination.
⮚ The latter found the novel
heretical, impious, and
scandalous.
⮚ The Governor sent the novel
for further assessment to the
Permanent Commission on
Censorship composed of
priests and laymen headed by
Fr. Salvador Font, Tondo
parish priest.
⮚ The body found the novel with
subversive ideas against the
Church and the Spanish
government.
⮚ The Commission
recommended that the book
be banned and have its
circulation in the islands be
totally stopped.
⮚ The move boomeranged
because it only made the
Filipinos more curious in
reading the novel.
⮚ Thus, the novel’s price was
exorbitantly priced.
⮚ No arrests were made, thanks
to the liberal-minded
governor.
RIZAL’S ENEMIES FROM THE
CHURCH
1. Manila Archbishop Msgr.
Pedro Payo
 2. UST Rector Fr. Domingo
Echevarria
3. Fr. Salvador Font- head of
the Permanent Commission
on Censorship
4. Fr. Jose Rodriguez- who
published an anti-Noli
pamphlet entitled “Caiingat
Cayo.”
◼ The pamphlet stated that
“whoever reads the novel
commits a mortal sin.”
◼ Another attacker of the Noli
was Vicente Barrantes, a
Spanish writer who openly
criticized the novel in the
Spanish newspaper La
Esperanza Moderna.
ALLIES OF DR. JOSE RIZAL
1. Marcelo H. Del Pilar- using
the pen name Dolores
Manapat, published a
pamphlet entitled “Caiigat
Cayo” that refuted and
ridiculed Fr. Rodriguez’
“Caiingat Cayo.”
2. Fr. Francisco Sanchez, Rizal’s
beloved Ateneo teacher
RIZAL’S SECOND TRAVEL
ABROAD
A GLANCE OF EAST ASIA
• On February 3, 1888, for the
second time, Rizal sailed to
Hongkong as a frustrated
being who wanted the utmost
reform in his native land. 
• He left on board the
steamship Zafiro.
• He registered at the Victoria
Hotel.
A HONGKONG VISIT
• In Hongkong, he was
accompanied by Jose Maria
Basa to Macau.
• They had a short trip to
Macau, a former Portuguese
colony on board the ferry
Kiu-Kiang.
• The two visited Don Juan
Francisco Lecaros, former
Filipino delegate to the
Spanish Cortes.
• Terrero’s former
secretary, Jose Sainz de
Varanda, spied on Rizal in the
said colonies.
IMPRESSIONS ABOUT
HONGKONG
• Noisy celebration of New Year
• Noisy audience in a theatre
and boisterous music
• Marathon lauriat meal
• Dominican friars are the
richest investors and estate
owners
 • Catholics owned the most
extravagant cemeteries
UNFORGETTABLE JAPAN
• After almost three weeks, on
board the American
steamer, Oceanic, he left
Hongkong and sailed to
Japan where he was invited
by Secretary Juan Perez
Caballero to live at
the Spanish Legation.
• His instinct told him that it was
a bait – a way for the Spanish
officials to keep track of his
activities.
• And since it was economical
to stay at the legation and he
believed that he had nothing
to hide, he accepted it.
FILIPINO ENTERTAINERS IN
JAPAN
• While strolling around at a
park in Tokyo, Rizal went to
listen to a group of performers
playing the Western Strauss
music, a rare occasion in this
Oriental country.
• To his surprise, the musicians
started to talk in Tagalog.
• They were Filipinos and Rizal
introduced himself.
AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER
• Rizal was impressed by the
scenic Japan and had keenly
observed the life, customs
and culture of the people.
• He had fallen in love not only
with the view but more to its
women, particularly with the
23-year old O-Sei-San (a.k.a.
Seiko Usui).
• The friendship bloomed to
become a romance.
• The relationship became so
intimate that Rizal believed
that it was the best affair he
had so far.
• Rizal was tempted to settle
down in Japan and stay with
O-Sei-San but his love for his
country was more important
than self.
• O-Sei-San understood the
feeling of Rizal, and so he let
him leave her.
• O-Sei-San could have
probably waited for Rizal,
because since his departure
in 1888, she only decided to
marry in 1897 after she
learned that Rizal had been
executed in 1896.
Excerpts of Rizal’s Diary:
● “…O-Sei-San, Sayonara,
Sayonara! I have spent a
lovely golden month; I do not
 know if I can have another
one like that in all my life.
● “…Love, money, friendship,
appreciation, honor… these
have not been wanting.
● “…Your image lives in my
memory; and that I am always
thinking of you… your name
lives in the sighs of my lips,
your image accompanies and
animates all my thoughts…”
A TOMODACHI
• Tomodachi (友達; ともだち; or
トモダチ) is a Japanese word
meaning "friend(s)".
• Rizal boarded the ship Belgic
going to the United States
• He met a Japanese journalist
who was sent to exile for his
anti-government articles
• His name was Tetcho
Suehiro.
• They became friends, having
many things in common.
• Suehiro wrote a book entitled
“The Deaf Traveler” wherein
he mentioned his travel with
Rizal.
• His novel “Storm Over The
Southern Seas” had a similar
plot like the Noli.
ACROSS THE UNITED STATES
• April 28, 1888 – the Belgic
docked at San Francisco,
California
• The passengers were not
allowed to disembark
• They were put under
quarantine
• They learned later that there
were 600 potential illegal
Chinese immigrants to the
United States
• Rizal registered himself at the
Palace Hotel where he met
the founder of the Stanford
University, Mr. Leland
Stanford.
IMPRESSIONS OF AMERICA
• The United States have
maintained its natural beauty
in spite of the industrial and
technological advancements
• The energy and diligence of
the people
• America is truly a land of
great opportunities
• Racial discrimination between
the Whites and the Blacks
STUDIES IN LONDON
• May 24, 1888 – Rizal arrived
at Liverpool, England from a
tiring trip across the Atlantic
Ocean
• He moved to London the next
day
• He stayed in the house of Dr.
Antonio Ma. Regidor, an 1872
exile and lawyer in London
 • He boarded at the home of
the Beckett’s at Primrose Hill.
• The Beckett family had three
daughters, the eldest was
Gertrude or Gettie who had
an affection for Rizal.
• The Beckett home was
conveniently located a Tangere against the attacks
walking distance to the British
Museum where he intended
to have some studies.
• He met Dr. Reinhold Rost, the
librarian of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs at the British
Museum.
• He was a notable authority on
Malayan culture.
• They became friends as they
shared common sentiments
on the Malayan race.
A LETTER FROM HOME
BAD NEWS
• Persecution of Filipino
farmers who signed the
Anti-Friar Petition of 1888 led
by Doroteo Cortez
• The Calamba tenants being
persecuted by the Dominican
management, including the
Rizal family
• Manuel Hidalgo (Saturnina’s
husband) was exiled to Bohol
• Laureano Viado, a UST
medical student and friend of
Rizal was jailed for having a
copy of the Noli
GOOD NEWS
• Rev. Vicente Garcia, an
authority of Theology from the
Manila Cathedral came to the
defense of the Noli Me
of the friars.
SUCESOS DE LAS ISLAS
FILIPINAS
• Knowledge of the country’s
history was an essential tool
needed by Rizal to effectively
campaign for people’s honor
and pride.
• He engaged in extensive
research about the
Philippines at the British
Museum
• He copied and annotated the
1609 edition of Antonio de
Morga’s “Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas.”
ANTONIO DE MORGA
• Antonio de Morga was a 17th
century Spanish official and
historian in the Philippines
• His historical accounts were
considered as one of the most
objective during the Spanish
period.
 • His book contained accounts
of two of the earliest writings
of pre-colonial Philippines.
HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS
Antonio Pigafetta
Chronicler of Ferdinand Magellan’s
Expedition
Gaspar de San Agustin
Served during Governor Miguel
Lopez de Legaspi’s Administration
Their writings described the early
life and industry of the Filipinos
that proved the following points:
1. That the early Filipinos were
engaged in trade with other
Asian neighbors.
2. That the dominant religion in
Manila, the Visayas and
Mindanao was Islam; and
3. That there was already an
organized political
government in the country
called barangay headed by a
rajah or a datu.
Rizal also noted that a Chinese
chronicle of the 12th century
mentioned that the people of Luzon
were honest and hardworking.
Annotation of Morga’s “Sucesos
de las Islas Filipinas” and
others…
• Rizal wanted to write a history
to disprove the allegation of
the friars that our ancestors
were savage and uncivilized
people.
• He knew that such statements
were a product of bigot views
of a race who are proud of
their heritage.
• He also wrote many articles
for the La Solidaridad to
counter the attacks of Fr.
Rodriguez on the Noli,
generally entitled “Cuestiones
de Sumo Interes.”
• Wrote a pamphlet entitled “La
Vision del Fray Rodriguez,”
using the penname
“Dimasalang.”
• Also wrote “To the Women of
Malolos” in which he
encouraged the women to
pursue their education and
not merely blind followers of
the friars.
• He contributed articles to the
Trubners Record, related to
Asian Studies such as the
“Two Eastern Fables,” and
“Specimens of Tagala
Folklore.”
AN UNSOLICITED ATTENTION
 • Gettie Beckett came to fall in
love with Rizal.
• Rizal decided to leave London
to avoid her, having no feeling
for her.
• He left for Paris to finally
forget her.
THE PARIS EXPOSITION OF 1889
• Paris was bursting with
excitement in preparation for
the Universal Exposition of
1889.
• Tourists from all parts of the
world moved to the city.
• Rizal arrived here via train
together with other
passengers speaking various
languages.
• Inns, hotels and boarding
houses were all filled and fully
booked for the event.
• Their rates grew sky high.
• In Paris, he continued his
research at the Biblioteque
Nationale to check on Morga’s
book.
• He also spent time with his
friends; and visited the
Boustead family at Rue de
Bassins.
THE KIDLAT CLUB
• Rizal organized a social group
with his fellow Filipinos in
Paris by the end of March
1889, called the Kidlat Club.
• It was a temporary society to
simply unite the Filipinos here
in Paris during the
International Exposition.
INDIOS BRAVOS
• Rizal and his Kidlat Club
members were inspired by the
Buffalo Bills troupe, a group of
tall, dignified , proud and
powerful Indians.
• They decided to change their
group’s name to “Indios
Bravos” since they also don’t
have anything to be ashamed
of about their race.
WHITE CHRISTMAS IN PARIS
• December 25, 1889 was a
cold winter in Paris.
• Rizal and Jose Albert planned
to have a delightful Yuletide
dinner.
• They had fried chicken, rice,
and vegetables
• Shortly after New Year, Rizal
went to London, then back to
Paris again.
• On January 28, he went to
Brussels, Belgium

UNIT 7
STUDIES IN LONDON
PARIS EXPOSITION
LIFE IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
A. STUDIES IN LONDON
(1888-1889)
Trip across the Atlantic
After visiting the United States, Rizal
boarded the S.S. City Of Rome en
route to London. While on board, he
entertained the American and
European passengers with his skill
of the yoyo.
He was to stay in London from May
1888 to March 1889
Why did he choose to stay in
London?
● To improve his knowledge of
the English language
● To study and annotate
Antonio de Morga’s Sucesos
de Las Islas Filipinas
● London was a safe place for
him to carry out his fight
against Spanish tyranny
He reached Queenstown in Ireland
on May 24, 1888. From there, he
embarked on a ferry boat going to
Liverpool, England and stayed at
Adelphi Hotel.
By train he arrived at London on May
25, 1888. Upon his arrival, he
stopped at Grand Hotel Midland.
He stayed, as a guest, at the home
of Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor an 1872
exile and a practicing lawyer. He
transferred to a private home in No.
37 Chalcot Crescent, Primrose Hill.
This is owned by the Beckett Family.
Mr. Beckett, an organist of St. Paul’s
Church and Mrs. Beckett had 4
daughters (Gertrude, Blanche, Flory
and Grace) and 2 sons.
Rizal came to know Dr. Reinhold
Rost through a letter from Dr.
Ferdinand Blumentritt. He was the
Librarian of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. Dr. Rost was an Authority on
Malayan language and customs. He
called Rizal “a pearl of a man” as he
was impressed by his learning and
character
Bad News from Home
After Rizal left the country, the
persecution of the Filipino patriots
who signed the Anti-Friar Petition
1888 escalated. The Calamba
Agrarian Conflict of 1888 in which
the tenants, including Rizal’s family,
were being persecuted by the
Dominicans.
Manuel T. Hidalgo (husband of
Saturnina) was exiled to Bohol while
Mariano Herbosa (husband of Lucia)
was denied of Christian burial
because of the malicious rumor that
he had not confessed since
marriage.
Laureano Viado, a medical student
at UST and a friend of Rizal, was
imprisoned because of owning a
copy of Noli Me Tangere.
Good News from Home
Rev. Vicente Garcia defended the
Noli Me Tangere against the attack
of the friars. He heard this news
from Mariano Ponce. On January 7,
1891, Rizal wrote to Father Garcia
expressing his personal gratitude.
Short Visit to Paris and Spain
Early in September 1888, Rizal
visited Paris for a week in order to
search for more historical materials
in the Bibliotheque Nationale. On
December 11, 1888, Rizal went to
Madrid and Barcelona in Spain to
meet with Marcelo H. Del Pilar and
Mariano Ponce
Christmas in London
Rizal returned to London on
December 24, 1888 and spent
Christmas and New Year’s Eve with
the Becketts. He was extremely
delighted to experience the holiday
season. He reflected on the meaning
of the holiday as it reminded him of
memorable days not just from his
childhood but also from history. “How
it shocks me to see some people
misuse His name to commit many
crimes.”
Rizal sent to Blumentritt as a
Christmas gift a bust of Emperor
Augustus which he had made. As
another present, he sent to Dr.
Carlos Czepelak a bust of Julius
Caesar. Mrs. Beckett, knowing of
his interest in magic, gave Rizal a
book entitled “The Life and
Adventures of Valentine Vox, the
Ventriloquist.”
Annotating Morga’s Book
Annotating and studying the
Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (1609)
was the main goal of Rizal in the
English capital. Antonio De Morga.
Annotate means to supply with
critical or explanatory notes;
comment upon in notes.
● Antonio Pigafetta Chronicler
of the Magellan expedition
● Gaspar De San Agustin
Conquista de Las islas
Filipinas
● Other Historical Accounts. All
three mentioned about early
Filipino Life and Industry
o Early Filipinos already
engaged in trade with other
Asian nations
o The dominant religion of
Manila and Visayan town was
Islam.
o There was already a articles.
government
Aims of La Solidaridad
1. To establish reform for our
country
2. To show the unfortunate
conditions in the Philippines
committed by the Spaniards
3. To promote free and progressive
ideas
4. To implement the patriotic vision
of the Filipinos
Rizal published his work Los
Agricultores Filipinos (The Filipino
Farmers) on March 25, 1889, 6 days
after he left London for Paris. This
was his first article in La Solidaridad.
Rizal received news on Fray
Rodriguez’s attack on his novel Noli
Me Tangere. He wrote a pamphlet
entitled La Vision del Fray Rodriguez
which was published in Barcelona
under his pen name Dimas-Alang.
Letter to the Young Women of
Malolos
In this article, Rizal addressed
Filipino women to work for their
education and not to merely be
influenced by the friars.
Dr. Rost, editor of Trubners’ Record,
a journal devoted to Asian studies,
requested Rizal to contribute some
Rizal submitted (1)
Specimen of Tagala Folklore and (2)
Two Eastern Fables.
By unanimous vote of all the
members, Rizal was chosen to be
the president of society called
Asociacion La Solidaridad.
Goodbye, London
Rizal was forced to leave London
because Gertrude’s love for him has
become serious. He could not take
advantage of her affection and she
would not be happy because Rizal
was still in love with Leonor Rivera.
He decided to move to Paris so she
would forget about her.
Before leaving London, Rizal
finished four sculptural works:
 ● Prometheus Bond
● The Triumph of Death over
Life
● A composite carving of the
heads of the Beckett sisters
(gave as farewell gift to the
Beckett sisters)
● The Triumph of Science over
Death
On March 19, 1889, Rizal departed
for Paris. He was sad as he crossed
the English Channel for he had
many beautiful memories of London.
B. THE PARIS UNIVERSAL
EXPOSITION (1889)
The Exposition Universale Held in
Paris, France from May 6 to October
31, 1889. The fair attracted exhibits
from Europe, South America, United
States, and French colonies, yet it
really was a celebration of French
achievements on the centennial of
French Revolution. Because of the
thousands of tourists, almost all
hotel accommodations were taken.
But he finally lived together with
other Filipinos, Justo Trinidad and
Jose Albert. In the exposition, there
was this International Art
Competition where Felix Hidalgo
won the 3rd prize, Pardo de Tavera
and Juan Luna won the 2nd prize,
and, unfortunately, Rizal got nothing.
He spent his time in Bibliotheque
Nationale, reading and checking with
his historical annotations of Morga’s
book. He visited his friends like the
Boustead’s, Luna’s, Tavera’s, etc. He
also organized societies with his
fellow Filipinos.
Kidlat Club
The Kidlat Club was founded on
March 19, 1889. The purpose was to
enjoy their journey in the exposition.
It was called Kidlat because this was
only a temporary group. The
members include Antonio and Juan
Luna, Gregorio Aguilera, Fernando
Canon, Lauro Dimayuga, Julio
Llorente, Guillermo Puatu, and
Baldomero Roxas. Later, the group’s
name was changed to Indios Bravos
which purpose was to stand and not
be ashamed of being called Indios.
William Frederick Cody a.k.a. Buffalo
Bill, founder and performer of Wild
West shows Buffalo Bill’s Wild West
show in 1890 which presented the
skills and life of American Indians
became the inspiration of Rizal in
naming his one societal club as
Indios Bravos.
Another group known only as
R.D.L.M. which stands for
Redencion de Los Malayos was also
formed. Its purposes were: (a) to
propagate useful knowledge, in any
forms, in the Philippines; and (2) to
promote the redemption of Malayan
race. This group’s members don’t
know each other, and Rizal doesn’t
know them as well. It’s still a
mystery. * Mentioned in the letters of
Rizal to Jose Maria Basa on Sept.
21, 1889, and to Marcelo H. del Pilar
on November 4, 1889
Annotated Edition of Morga’s
book
Although this was an outstanding
achievement of Rizal, there were still
some errors:
1. Commits the error in
appraising the history of the
past in the light of the present
standard
2. Rizal’s attacks of the church
were unfair and unjustified
because the abuses should
not be construed to mean the
Catholic is bad.
Plan to Establish Filipino College
in Hong Kong
Rizal planned to establish a Filipino
College in Hong Kong. The purpose
was to educate men of good family
and financial means.
Mariano Cunanan promised to raise
P40, 000 as initial payment for this
college.
Its curriculum consists of: Ethics,
Study of Religion, Natural Law, Civil
law, Deportment, Hygiene,
Mathematics, Physics and
Chemistry, Natural History,
Geography, Political Economy,
Universal History, Philippine History,
Logic, Rhetoric, Poetics Spanish,
English, French, German, Chinese,
Tagalog Gymnastics, Equitation,
Fencing, Swimming, Music, Drawing
and Dancing.
Rizal had been coming back and
forth from Paris to London, then
Paris at last, with his aim to check up
or compare on his annotation of
Morga’s book to its original copy
found in British museum. (January
1890)
C. LIFE IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
On January 28, 1890, Rizal left Paris
for Brussels, Belgium. Two reasons
why Rizal left Paris:
● The cost of living in Paris was
very high because of the
Universal Exposition.
 ● The gay social life of the city
hampered his literary works,
especially the writing of his
second novel El
Filibusterismo.
While in Brussels, he lived in Rue
Philippe run by 2 Jacoby sisters
(Suzanne and Marie). He was busy
writing El Fili and articles for the La
Solidaridad. Despite of his European
education and his knowledge of
foreign languages, Rizal loved his
own native language. He was the 1st
to advocate to the Filipinization of
our letters c and o and use instead K
and w.
Rizal received news from Juan Luna
and Valentin Ventura, that there are
some Filipinos who were destroying
the reputation of Filipinos by
gambling too much. Thus, he wrote
a letter address to Del Pilar, to
remind the Filipinos in Madrid that
they did not come to Europe to
gamble, but to work for their
Fatherland’s freedom. The gambling
Filipinos were angry when they
learned or Rizal’s moralizing. They
called him “PAPA” instead of Pepe.
Rizal received bad news from home
as follows:
● Paciano and his
brother-in-law were deported
to Mindoro
● M. Hidalgo were vanished for
the 2nd time to Bohol
In his moment of despair Rizal had
bad dreams. And although he was
not superstitious, he feared that he
would not live long. But he wanted to
finish his 2nd novel El Fili before he
went to his grave.
In his letter to MH Del Pilar he said:
In my childhood I had a strange
belief that I would not reach 30 years
of age In the face of sufferings, Rizal
planned to go home. All his friends
objected to his plan and warned him
of the danger that awaited him at
home. Something happened that
changed his decision and he
informed MH Del Pilar that he was
going to Madrid to supervise the
handling of the case of his family in
Calamba.
While in Brussels, he wrote a poem
entitled “A Mi Musa” (to My Muse) a
pathetic poem, lack of exquisiteness.
While he was preparing for his trip to
Madrid, two things brought some
measure of cheers. The summertime
festival of Belgium, which was
celebrated in carnival style, with
colourful costumes, fantastic floats.
His romance with Petite Jacoby, the
pretty niece of his landladies Rizal
was so charming and dignified
gentleman that Suzanne was
attracted to him. He was lonely in a
strange country and Leonor Rivera
was so far away. He found certain
bliss in the company of a pretty
Belgian girl.

Like all the other girls in Rizal's life,

Suzanne fell in love with Rizal. And
she cried when he left for Madrid.

Articles Published in La
Solidaridad:
● La Defensa
● La Verdad Para Todos
● Vicente Barrantes
● Profanacion
● Verdades
● Nuevas
● Crueldad
● Diferencias
● Inconsequencias
● Llanto y Risas
● Ingratitudes
 UNIT 8
SAD EXPERIENCES IN EUROPE
RIZAL’S 2ND HOME COMING
HONGKONG MEDICAL PRACTICE
BORNEO COLONIZATION
PROJECT
A. SAD EXPERIENCES IN
EUROPE
Misfortunes in Madrid
August, 1890, Rizal arrived in
Madrid. He immediately secured the
help of the Filipino colony and the
association of the Hispano-Filipino
and the liberal Spanish newspaper.
In securing justice for the oppressed
Calamba tenants including his family.
Together with MH Del Pilar (acted as
his lawyer) and Dr. Dominador
Gomez (secretary of the association)
called on the Minister of Colonies to
protest the injustices committed
against the Calamba tenants.
Nothing came out of Rizal's
interview. More terrible news
reached Rizal as he was waging a
futile war for justice. He learned that
there was already an ejectment
order against Rizal's family and the
other Calamba tenants. He further
learned that their parents were
forcibly ejected from their homes and
were then living in the house of
Narcisa. He even sought the help of
liberal Spanish statesmen but he
was again disappointed. They just
gave him honeyed words of
sympathy and nothing else.
Blumentritt urged him to talk with
Queen Regent Maria Cristina (the
ruler of Spain). But he could not
because he had neither powerful
friends to bring him to the queen nor
gold to grease the palms of
influential courtiers. Another
disappointment happened when his
friend Jose Ma. Panganiban died in
Barcelona after lingering illness.
Towards the end of August, Rizal
attended a social reunion. At that
time Antonio Luna was bitter
because of his frustrated romance
with Nellie Boustead. He was
blaming Rizal for his failure to win
her. In a fit of jealousy, caused by his
alcohol be-fogged mind, he uttered
unsavoury remarks about Nellie.
Rizal overheard him and due to his
high regards to women. Angrily he
challenged Luna to a duel. The
Filipinos was shocked and tried to
pacify Rizal and Luna pointing that it
could damage their cause in Spain.
Luna when he became sober
realized that he made afoul of
himself and apologized to Rizal.
On another occasion, he challenged
another man to a duel -Wenceslao
Retaña, his bitter enemy of the pen.
He wrote in his article that the
friends of Rizal had not paid their
rents so that they were ejected from
their lands in Calamba. Such insult
stirred Rizal to action, he challenged
Retaña to a duel and he said that
Retaña's blood or his apology could
vindicate the good blame of Rizal's
family and friends.
Retaña to save his own skin, he
published a retraction and an
apology in the newspaper after being
warned of Rizal's superior skills in
both pistol and sword.
End of 11-Year Engagement
Amidst Rizal’s frustrations in Madrid,
he received a letter from Leonor
Rivera, his girlfriend for 11 years
informing him that she was getting
married. It pained his heart greatly.
He still loved Leonor despite having
courted girls before. He grew pale
and sickly having been jilted by
Leonor.
In his letter to Blumentritt, he
accused Leonor of infidelity. His love
turned to hatred.
Galicano Apacible, a UST friend,
consoled him by saying there are
many girls in the world. He informed
Rizal that the daughter of Pi y
Margall, was deeply in love with him,
ready to marry him.
On Leonor’s side, she was mad at
Rizal having been very quiet. She
said that she still loved Rizal, that
her decision to marry was not
because she no longer loved him.
She did it because she thought Rizal
no longer loved her. 11 years of
waiting was too long. Leonor wasn’t
getting younger and lamented the
fact that Rizal didn’t bother to see
her. Rizal could have misunderstood
her. Leonor married Henry Kipping,
an Englishman in Manila.
The Leader of All Filipinos
(Responsible)
In a banquet at Calle de Atocha
some Filipinos proposed for the
creation of a movement to bind the
colony together. A leader called
“Responsible” would be the official
representative of all Filipinos abroad.
Rizal felt he would be the rightful
person.
Others thought otherwise. They
endorsed MH del Pilar’s candidacy.
In the 1st meeting, Eduardo de Lete
presided. Rizal was in favor of the
creation of a new movement. Del
Pilar objected because to him they
already have the La Solidaridad and
the AHP to take care of the said
objectives. His argument lost was
overruled. A committee was formed
to draw the statutes.
Rizal and Del Pilar became the two
candidates. They both wanted to
withdraw. The rule of the election:
the winner must garner 2/3 majority
vote.
1st Balloting- Rizal was ahead but
not enough. 2nd and 3rd Balloting
gave the same results. The meeting
adjourned
The next day, del Pilar was absent.
The results didn’t change. Rizal grew
impatient. He announced his
withdrawal from the race. He bade
farewell. But Ponce quickly asked
Lete, Sandiko, Luna and others to
shift their votes to Rizal. Dominador
Gomez spoke in behalf of the
Pilaristas saying they changed their
votes for the sake of unity. Thus,
Rizal was voted unanimously.
Rizal gave his admonitions to the
group in his acceptance speech.
Rizal blamed Eduardo de Lete for
the election fiasco. Expressed
disappointment with del Pilar He said
it would have been a disappointing
news to the nationalist movement in
Manila to know that Rizal was
defeated because he was the
acknowledged leader back home.
A Biarritz Interlude
Rizal went to see Nelly in Biarritz. He
finally decided to marry Nelly
Boustead. Conditions made by
Nelly’s father:
1. Abort all travels abroad and
stay with Nelly
2. Practice medicine and stay
away from politics
3. Become a Protestant before
marriage
Rizal, however, decided to back
down from his proposal thinking he
wasn’t ready yet to answer the given
conditions set by Nelly’s father.
Printing of the El Filibusterismo
In February 1891, Rizal went back to
Brussels to edit and revise the novel.
By end of May 1891, the novel was
ready for printing. He brought the
novel to Ghent because printing was
cheaper there. There was no
financial aid sent by the Centro de
Propaganda. He had spent all his
money for the printing cost.
He only received P100 from his
countrymen as part of his allowance.
He was abandoned by the society
after just a month. He was consoled
by the financial help given by
Valentin Ventura.
The novel was printed at F. Meyer
van Loo Press. Rizal gave the
original manuscripts to Ventura.
Rizal Resigns
Before leaving for Manila, He sent a
letter of resignation as a contributor
of the La Solidaridad. He also sent a
message to his compatriots his
decision to give up his political
leadership and fight in his own. This
news saddened many Propaganda
members.
He quickly visited Nelly to bid
goodbye. He will go back to the
Philippines to take care of his
family’s problems. He boarded the
SS Melbourne, a ship from
Marseilles bound to Hong Kong. He
was with the company of many friars
including Fr. Volunteri, less like Fr.
Damaso.
B. DR. JOSE RIZALMEDICAL
PRACTICE IN HONG KONG
Rizal and the German Ladies
Rizal was alone, having dinner; he
overheard the German ladies which
were gossiping loudly about him,
being lonely. The door in the dining
room was blown open when the
steamer encountered a heavy squall
(a gust of wind). One of the ladies
said “if this man in front of us were a
gentleman, he would close the door”.
Rizal heard this, and, without saying
a word, closed the door. This
incident made the ladies
embarrassed and treated Rizal with
respect and admiration.
Arrival in Hong Kong
On Nov. 20, 1891, Dr. Jose Rizal
was welcomed by old friends,
especially Jose Ma. Basa. He
established his residence in No.5 D’
Aguilar St., No.2 Rednaxela Terrace
where he also opened his medical
clinic.
On Dec. 1, 1891, Rizal wrote to his
parents to ask their permission for
him to come home.
His brother-in-law (Manuel T.
Hidalgo) wrote him a letter
regarding: “deportation of 25
persons from Calamba including his
father, Neneng, Sisa, Lucia, Paciano
and the rest of us.” He also stated in
his letter that he’s preparing a letter
to the Queen Regent of Spain
explaining the Calamba situation in
order to secure justice. “If the Queen
will not listen, we will write to Queen
Victoria of England to appeal for
protection in the name of humanity.”
Family Reunion in Hong Kong
Before Christmas of 1891, Rizal’s
father, brother and Silvestre Ubaldo
(brother-in-law) arrived in Hong
Kong. Not long afterwards his
mother (who was then 65 years old
and almost blind) and sisters, Lucia,
Josefa and Trinidad arrived. The
Christmas of 1891 in Hong Kong
was one of the happiest Yuletide
celebrations in Rizal’s life. He even
wrote to Blumentritt on Jan. 31, 1892
about the pleasant life they’re living
in Hong Kong.
Ophthalmic Surgeon in Hong
Kong
Rizal practiced medicine in order to
earn a living for his family. Dr.
Lorenzo P. Marques, his friend and
admirer, turned over to him many of
his patients with eye diseases; truly,
he helped Rizal to build a wide
clientele (customers/clients).
Rizal successfully operated on his
mother’s left eye so that she was
able to read and write again. Some
of his friends gave him moral and
substantial aid in his medical
practice, from Biarritz, Mr. Boustead,
Nellie’s father, wrote to him in March
21, 1892, praising him for practising
his medical profession.
Dr. Ariston Baustista Lin, from Paris,
sent him a congratulatory letter and
a book, on Diagnostic Pathology by
Dr. H. Virchow and another book,
Traite Diagnostique by Mesnichock.
Don Antonio Vergel de Dios, also
from Paris, offered his services for
the purchase of medical books and
instruments which he might need in
his profession.
C. BORNEO COLONIZATION
PROJECT
Rizal conceived the establishment of
a Filipino colony in North Borneo
(Sabah. He planned to move the
landless Filipino families to that rich
British-owned island. He also
planned to carve out of its virgin
wildness a “New Calamba”• March 7,
1892. He went to Sandakan on
board the ship Menon to negotiate
with the British authorities for the
establishment of a Filipino colony
On May 26, 1892, Lopez-Jaena
wrote to Rizal expressing his support
and great desire in the project along
with their other friends: Juan and
Antonio Luna, Blumentritt, Dr.
Bautista Lin, etc.
Manuel Hidalgo, the brave
Batangueño, one of Rizal’s
brothers-in-law, objected to his
project
Letter to Governor Eulogio
Despujol
In hope of the Governor-General’s
sincerity in his promises of a better
government, Rizal wrote to him
offering him his cooperation. But
governor-general did not
acknowledge Rizal’s letter, violating
the simple rule of Spanish courtesy.
On March 21, 1892 , after waiting for
3 months for a reply for his first
letter, Rizal wrote another letter
which asked for permission for the
landless Filipinos to establish
themselves in Borneo.
Borneo Colonization Project
Instead of performing the simple
“courtesy of a reply”, Despujol
notified the Spanish consul general
in Hong Kong. He did not approve
the Filipino immigration to Borneo,
alleging that: “the Philippines lacked
laborers” and “it was not very
patriotic to go off and cultivate
foreign soil.”
Writings in Hong Kong
o Ang Mga Karapatan Nang Tao.
The translation of “The Rights of
Man” which was proclaimed in
the French Revolution 1789.
o A la Nacion Española (To the
Spanish Nation) An appeal to
Spain to right the wrongs done
to the Calamba tenants.
o Sa Mga Kababayan was written
on December 1891, explaining
the Calamba agrarian situation.
In The Hong Kong Telegraph Rizal
contributed articles to this British
daily newspaper. The editor was Mr.
Frazier Smith, who was his friend.
On March 2, 1892 Rizal wrote “Una
Visita a la Victoria Gaol” A Visit to
Victoria Gaol, an account of his visit
to the colonial prison of Hong Kong.
To elucidate his pet Borneo
colonization project he wrote:
● “Colonisation du British North
Borneo, par de Familles de
Iles Philippines”
● “Proyecto de Colonization del
Vritish North Borneo por los
Filipinos
● June 1892, He wrote “La
Mano Roja” (The Red Hand)
D. DECISION TO RETURN TO
MANILA
In May 1892, Rizal made up his
mind to return to Manila. This
decision was spurred by the
following:
1. To confer with Governor
Despujol regarding his
Borneo colonization project
2. To establish the Liga Filipina
in Manila
3. To prove that Eduardo de
Lete was wrong in attacking
him in Madrid
Last Hong Kong Letters
Relatives and friends of Rizal
opposed his decision to return home
because it was like bearding the
lions in their den.
On June 19, 1892, he spent his
birthday in Hong Kong. Evidently, he
had a premonition of his death, for
the following day, June 20, he wrote
two letters which he sealed,
inscribed on each envelop “to be
opened after my death” and gave
them to his friend Dr. Marquez for
safekeeping. His first letter
addressed To My Parents, Brethren
and Friends. The second letter
addressed to The Filipinos.
On June 21, 1892, Rizal penned
another letter in Hong Kong for
General Despujol. He informed the
governor-general of his coming to
Manila and placed himself under the
protection of the Spanish
government.
consul-general, who issued the
government guarantee of safety,
sent a cablegram to Gov. Despujol
that the victim “is in the trap” On the
same day, a secret case was filed in
Manila against Rizal and his
followers “for anti-religious and
anti-patriotic agitation”
Arrival in Manila with Sister
On June 26, 1892, Sunday at 12:00
noon, Rizal and his widowed sister
Lucia arrived in Manila. At 4:00PM,
he went to Malacañang Palace to
seek audience with the Spanish
governor-general. On June 27, 1892,
at 6:00pm, Rizal boarded a train in
Tutuban Station and visited his
friends in Malolos, San Fernando,
Tarlac, and Bacolor.

On June 21, 1892, Rizal and his

sister Lucia, widow of Herbosa, left
Hong Kong for Manila. They carried
a special passport or “safe-conduct”
issued by the Spanish
consul-general in Hong Kong.

Rizal Fell into Spanish Trap

Immediately after Rizal’s departure
from Hong Kong: the Spanish

UNIT 9
FOUNDING OF THE LA LIGA
FILIPINA DAPITAN EXILE
A. FOUNDING OF THE LIGA
FILIPINA
On July 3, 1892, on the evening of
Sunday, following his morning
interview with Governor General
Despujol, Rizal attended a meeting
with patriots at the home of the
Chinese-Filipino mestizo, Doroteo
Ongjunco, on Ylaya Street, Tondo,
Manila.
Rizal explained the objectives of the
Liga Filipina, a civic league of
Filipinos, which he desired to
establish and its role in the
socio-economic life of the people.
The officers of the new league were
elected, as follows:
o Ambrosio Salvador (President)
o Deodato Arellano (Secretary)
o Bonifacio Arevalo (Treasurer)
o Agustin de la Rosa (Fiscal)
The motto of the Liga Filipina: Onus
Instar Omnium (One Like All)
The governing body of the league
was the Supreme Council which had
jurisdiction over the whole country. It
was composed of a president, a
secretary, a treasurer, and a fiscal.
There was a Provincial Council in
every province and a Popular
Council in every town.
The duties of the Liga members are
as follows (1) obey the orders of the
Supreme Council (2) to help in
recruiting new members (3) to keep
in strictest secrecy the decisions of
the Liga authorities (4) to have
symbolic name which he cannot
change until he becomes president
of his council (5) to report to the
fiscal anything that he may hear
which affect the Liga (6) to behave
well as befits a good Filipino (7) to
help fellow members in all ways.
Rizal Arrested and Jailed in Fort
Santiago
On July 6, 1892, Wednesday, Rizal
went to Malacañang Palace to
resume his series of interviews with
the governor-general. He was asked
about the Pobres Frailes (Poor
Friars) incriminatory leaflets which
allegedly found in Lucia’s pillow
cases. it is under the authorship of
Fr. Jacinto and printed by the
Imprenta de los Amigos del Pais,
Manila.
Rizal was placed under arrest and
escorted to Fort Santiago by Ramon
Despujol, nephew and aide of
Governor General Despujol
On July 7, 1892, the Gaceta de
Manila published the story of Rizal’s
arrest which produced indignant
commotion among the Filipino
people, particularly the members of
the newly organized Liga Filipina.
The same issue of the Gaceta (july
7, 1892) contained Governor
General Despujol’s decree deporting
Rizal to “one of the islands in the
South.”
On July 14, 1892, shortly after
midnight (that is 12:30AM of July 15,
1892), Rizal was brought under
heavy guard to the steamer Cebu
which was sailing for Dapitan. This
steamer under Captain Delgras
departed at 1:00AM, July 15, sailing
south, passing Mindoro and Panay
and reaching Dapitan on Sunday,
the 17th of July at 7:00PM. Captain
Delgras handed Rizal to Captain
Ricardo Carnicero, Spanish
commandant of Dapitan. So, July 17,
1892, Rizal began his exile in lonely
Dapitan, until July 31, 2896, for a
period of four years.
B. JOSE RIZAL’S PERSECUTION
AND EXILE IN DAPITAN
Jose Rizal's arrival in Manila on June
26, 1892 had become very
sensational among the Filipinos. His
popularity feared the Spaniards, and
as such, paid careful attention to his
every move – all houses where he
had been searched and the Filipinos
seen in his company were
suspected. As he had planned, on
July 3, 1892 he founded the La Liga
Filipina in the house of Doroteo
Ongjunco in Tondo, Manila.
Four days after the civic
organization's foundation, Jose Rizal
was arrested by the Spanish
authorities on four grounds:
1. for publishing anti-Catholic and
anti-friar books and articles;
2. for having in possession a bundle
of handbills, the Pobres Frailes,
in which advocacies were in
violation of the Spanish orders;
3. for dedicating his novel, El
Filibusterismo to the three
“traitors” (Gomez, Burgos and
Zamora) and for emphasizing on
the novel's title page that “the
 only salvation for the Philippines
was separation from the mother
country (referring to Spain)”; and
4. for simply criticizing the religion
and aiming for its exclusion from
the Filipino culture.
Aboard the steamer Cebu and under
heavy guard, Rizal left Manila,
sailing to Mindoro and Panay, until
he reached Dapitan at seven o'clock
in the evening of July 17.
From that day until July 31, 1896,
Dapitan became the bear witness to
one of the most fruitful periods in
Rizal's life. His stay in the province
was more than “he” living in exile – it
was the period when Rizal had been
more focused on serving the people
and the society through his civic
works, medical practices, land
development and promotion of
education.
In Dapitan, Rizal had a scholarly
debate with Father Pablo Pastells
regarding religion. This exchange of
heated arguments revealed the
anti-Christian Rizal – his bitterness
on the abuses performed by friars,
doing such under the name of the
sacred religion. Father Pastells tried
his best to win Rizal back to the faith
but fortunately or unfortunately, in
vain. These series of debate ended
inconclusively in which neither of
them convinced the other of his
judgments/arguments.
Rizal had maximized his stay in
Dapitan by devoting much of his time
in improving his artistic and literary
skills; doing agricultural and civic
projects; engaging in business
activities, and writing letters to his
friends in Europe, particularly to
Ferdinand Blumentritt and Reinhold
Rost. His careers and achievements
in different fields were as follows:
As a Physician
Rizal provided free medicine to his
patients, most of them were
underprivileged. However, he also
had wealthy patients who paid him
well enough for his excellent surgical
skill. Among them were Don Ignacio
Tumarong who gave Rizal 3000
pesos for restoring his sight, an
Englishman who gave him 500
pesos, and Aklanon haciendero, Don
Francisco Azcarraga, who paid him
a cargo of sugar. His skill was put
into test in August 1893 when his
mother, Doña Teodora Alonzo, was
placed under ophthalmic surgery for
the third time. The operation was a
success, however, Alonzo, ignored
her son's instructions and removed
the bandages in her eyes which lead
to irritation and infection.
As an Engineer
Rizal applied his knowledge through
the waterworks system he
constructed in Dapitan. Going back
to his academic life, Rizal obtained
the title of expert surveyor (perito
agrimensor) from the Ateneo
Municipal. From his practical
knowledge as agrimensor, he
widened his knowledge by reading
engineering-related books. As a
result, despite the inadequacy of
tools at hand, he successfully
provided a good water system in the
province.
As an Educator
Rizal established a school in Dapitan
which was attended by 16 young
boys from prominent families.
Instead of charging them for the
matriculation, he made the students
do community projects for him like
maintaining his garden and field. He
taught them reading, writing in
English and Spanish, geography,
history, mathematics, industrial work,
nature study, morals and
gymnastics. He encouraged his
students to engage in sports
activities to strengthen their bodies
as well. There was no formal room,
like the typical classroom nowadays.
Classes were conducted from 2 pm
to 4 p.m. with the teacher sitting on a
hammock while the students sat on
a long bamboo bench.
As an Agriculturist
Rizal devoted time in planting
important crops and fruit-bearing
trees in his 16-hectare land (later,
reaching as large as 70 hectares).
He planted cacao, coffee,
sugarcane, and coconuts, among
many others. He even invested part
of his earnings from being a medical
practitioner and his 6000-peso
winnings from a lottery on lands.
From the United States, he imported
agricultural machinery and
introduced to the native farmers of
Dapitan the modern agricultural
methods. Rizal also visualized of
having an agricultural colony in Sitio
Ponot, within the Sindañgan Bay. He
believed that the area was suitable
for cattle-raising and for cash-crops
as the area had abundant water.
Unfortunately, this plan did not
materialize.
As a Businessman
The adventurous Rizal, with his
partner, Ramon Carreon, tried his
luck in the fishing, hemp and copra
industries. In a letter to his
brother-in-law, Manuel T. Hidalgo, he
pointed out the potential of the
fishing industry in the province (as
the area was abundant with fish and
good beach). He also requested that
two good Calamba fishermen be
sent to Dapitan to teach the fisher
folks of the new fishing methods, “The Mother's Revenge” which
using a big net called pukutan. But represented his dog, Syria, avenging
the industry in which Rizal became her puppy to a crocodile which killed
more successful was in hemp, it.
shipping the said product to a foreign
firm in Manila. As A Linguist
Rizal was interested in the
As An Inventor languages used in Dapitan, thus,
Little was known of Rizal as an studied and made comparisons of
inventor. In 1887, during his medical the Bisayan and Malayan languages
practice in Calamba, he invented a existing in the region. In fact, Rizal
special type of lighter called had knowledge in 22 languages:
sulpukan which he sent to Tagalog, Ilocano, Bisayan, Subanun,
Blumentritt as a gift. According to Spanish, Latin, Greek, English,
Rizal, the wooden lighter's French, German, Arabic, Malayan,
mechanism was based on the Hebrew, Sanskrit, Dutch, Catalan,
principle of compressed air. Another Italian, Chinese, Japanese,
of his inventions was the wooden Portuguese, Swedish and Russian.
brick-maker can manufacture about
6,000 bricks a day. As A Scientist
Rizal shared his interest with nature
As An Artist to his students. With his boys, they
Rizal had contributed his talent in the explored the jungles and searched
Sisters of Charity who were for specimens which he sent to
preparing for the arrival of the image museums in Europe, particularly in
of the Holy Virgin. Rizal was actually Dressed Museum. In return,
the person who modeled the image's scientific books and surgical
right foot and other details. He also instruments were delivered to him
conceptualized its curtain, which was from the European scientists. He
oil-painted by a Sister under his also made a bulk of other
instruction. He also made sketches researches and studies in the fields
of anything which attracted him in of ethnography, archaeology,
Dapitan. Among his collections were geology, anthropology and
the three rare fauna species that he geography. However, Rizal's most
discovered (dragon/lizard, frog and significant contribution in the
beetle) and the fishes he caught. He scientific world was his discovery of
also sculptured the statuette called three species:
 1. Draco rizali – flying dragon
2. Apogonia rizali – small beetle
3. Rhacophorus rizali – rare frog
Rizal also partakes in civic works in
Dapitan. Upon arriving in the
province, he noticed its poor
condition. He drained the marshes of
Dapitan to get rid of malaria-carrying
mosquitoes. He also provided
lighting system – coconut oil lamps
posted in dark streets – in the
province out of what he earned from
being a physician. He beautified
Dapitan by remodeling the town
plaza, with the aid of his Jesuit
teacher, Fr. Francisco Sanchez, and
created a relief map of Mindanao
(footnote: using stones, soil and
grass) right in front the church.
Rizal had always been missing his
family and their happy moments
together in Calamba and his despair
doubled upon the announcement of
Leonor Rivera's death. Not soon, to
his surprise, an Irish girl enlightened
his rather gloomy heart. This girl was
the 18-year old Josephine Bracken
who, to Wenceslao Retaña’s words,
was “slender, a chestnut blond, with
blue eyes, dressed with elegant
simplicity, with an atmosphere of
light (gaiety).”
From Hong Kong, she arrived in
Dapitan in February, 1895 with his
blind foster father, George Taufer,
and a Filipina named Manuela Orlac.
Rizal's fame as an ophthalmic
surgeon reached overseas, and one
of Rizal's friends, Julio Llorente
referred the group to Rizal. Rizal and
Bracken instantly fell in love with
each and in just one month, they
agreed to marry which appalled and
disturbed Taufer. However, the
parish priest of Dapitan, Father
Pedro Obach, refused to do so
unless they be permitted by the
Bishop of Cebu.
On the other hand, Taufer returned
to Hong Kong uncured. Because no
priest was willing to marry the two,
the couple exchanged their vows
before God in their own way, which
scandalized Fr. Obach. In 1896, their
love bears its fruit – Josephine was
pregnant. Unfortunately, Bracken
gave birth to a one-month premature
baby boy who lived only for three
hours. The child was buried in
Dapitan, bearing the name
Francisco, after Rizal's father.
Prior to the outbreak of the
revolution, the Katipunan leader,
Andres Bonifacio, seek the advice of
Jose Rizal. In a secret meeting on
May 2, 1896 at Bitukang Manok near
Pasig River, the group agreed to
send Dr. Pio Valenzuela as a
representative to Dapitan who will
inform Rizal of their plan to launch a
revolution against the Spaniards. On
board the steamer Venus,
Valenzuala left Manila on June 15,
1892 and in 6 days, arrived at
Dapitan with a blind companion,
Raymundo Mata. At night, Rizal and
Valenzuela had a talk in the former's
garden. There, Valenzuela told him
of the Katipunan's plan. Regarding
this, Rizal outspokenly objected
Bonifacio's “premature” idea for two
reasons:
1. The Filipinos were still unready
for such bloody revolution; and
2. The Katipunan lacked
machinery – before plotting a
revolution, there must be
sufficient arms and funds
collected.
Valenzuela also told Rizal of their
plan to rescue him in Dapitan. Again,
the exiled hero disagreed because
he had no plan of breaking his word
of honor to the Spanish authorities.
During the peak of the Cuban
revolution, Rizal offered his services
as a military doctor to compromise
with the shortage of physicians in the
said country. It was his friend
Ferdinand Blumentritt who informed
him of the situation in Cuba and
suggested that he volunteer himself
as army doctor. On December 17,
1895, Rizal sent a letter to Governor
General Ramon Blanco rendering
his service for Cuba. But for months
Rizal waited in vain for the
governor's reply, and loss hope that
his request will be granted. It was
only on July 30, 1896 when Rizal
received a letter from Governor
Blanco, dated July 2, 1896,
accepting his offer. The letter also
stated that Rizal will be given a pass
so that he can go to Manila, then to
Spain where its Minister of War will
assign him to the Army of
Operations in Cuba.
At midnight of July 31, 1896, Jose
Rizal left Dapitan on board the
steamer España, together with
Narcisa, Josephine, Angelica
(Narcisa's daughter), three nephews
and six of his students. Many were
saddened as the adopted son of
Dapitan left.
In Cebu, on their way to Manila,
Rizal successfully performed an
ophthalmic operation to a merchant
who paid him fifty silver pesos. After
almost a week, on August 6, 1896,
España arrived in Manila. Rizal was
supposedly to board the Isla de
Luzon for Spain, but unfortunately,
left ahead of time. Instead, he was
transferred to the Spanish cruiser
Castilla to stay and wait for the next
sail boat that would sail for Spain
next month. He was prohibited from
leaving the vicinity but was allowed
to accept visitors so long as they
were his immediate family. Of
course, all these delays were part of
the drama – Rizal has now fallen to
the critical/deadly Spanish trap.
UNIT 10
THE 1896 REVOLUTION END OF
DAPITAN EXILE ARREST, TRIAL
AND MARTYRDOM
A. THE 1896 REVOLUTION
In 1895, the Cubans revolted against
the Spaniards.In 1896, the Filipinos
also staged their revolt against
Spain. The Filipinos thought that it
would be advantageous for them
because Spain would have divided
attention and strength.
NOTE: Prior to the execution of Jose
P. Rizal on Dec. 30, 1896, there was
the so-called "First Cry of Philippine
Independence" on April 10, 1895, in
Montalban, Rizal. The more famous
Cry of Balintawak was on Aug. 26,
1896. The Filipino rebels fired the
first shots of the revolution on the
same day.
May 2, 1896 – Dr. Pio Valenzuela
was sent by the KKK Supreme
Council to convince Rizal in Dapitan
to join and lead the Katipunan, he
being the recognized leader and
savior of the Filipinos.
Rizal did not adhere to the idea of
the KKK. He believed the KKK would
fail to defeat the powerful Spanish
army because of several reasons…
Reasons why Filipinos would fail
according to Dr. Jose Rizal:
● The KKK does not have
enough weapons to fight
against the fully equipped
Spaniards
● The KKK members do not
have enough skills and
training to fight a professional
army tested in war
● The KKK hierarchy lacks
credibility which would result
to confusion in the chain of
command
 ● The enemy has allies which
necessitates that the
revolutionaries must have
foreign aid to ensure sufficient
funds
● Naval ships are needed,
especially in an archipelago
like the Philippines for
communication purposes
Rizal believed that it was not yet
time for a revolution. It must not be
held solely on the basis of sentiment
and burning passion. It must be
launched on the context of the ability
to succeed in the end. If the
revolution is the last resort, it must
be prepared for another five to ten
years to ensure victory.
He advised Valenzuela to seek the
leadership of Antonio Luna, a man of
military expertise. The KKK must
also seek the financial support of the
Japanese
B. END OF RIZAL’S EXILE
Rizal applied as a volunteer war
physician to the Cuban revolution
hoping to end his Dapitan exile. His
letter was finally approved after
months of waiting.
On July 31, 1896, he left Dapitan
together with Josephine, Narcisa,
three nephews and a niece on board
the steamer España. This ended his
Dapitan exile.
The Arrival of España in Manila was
delayed. The Isla de Luzon had left.
Rizal was told to wait for the Isla de
Panay which will arrive in 28 days.
Rizal was transferred to the Castilla,
manned by Enrique Santalo, where
he would wait for another 26 days.
Aboard a launch Caridad, some KKK
members sneaked in and made a
last ditch attempt to rescue Rizal.
Jacinto introduced himself and told
Rizal he would be rescued. Rizal
politely refused the offer saying he
knew what he was doing.
Inside the Castilla, while waiting for
the arrival of the Isla de Panay, the
Katipunan was discovered.
On the 26 of August, Bonifacio and
the rest of the KKK raised the “Cry of
Pugadlawin,” which marked the start
of the Philippine Revolution.
Rizal expected this to happen.
On August 30, 1896, Rizal finally
received the letter of Gov. Blanco,
expressing his congratulations and
recommendation.
On September 3, aboard the Isla de
Panay, he left for Spain. The ship
proceeded to Singapore. His
co-passengers Pedro and Periquin
Roxas escaped and he was
encouraged to do the same. Rizal
refused because he didn’t want to
become a fugitive.
The discovery of the KKK led to the
uncovering of its secrets. Bulks of
documents were uncovered. Many of
these documents implicated Rizal to
the KKK. Pictures, copies of the Noli
and Fili were also found. Documents
declaring Rizal as the KKK honorary
president were likewise discovered.
Spanish authorities learned that
Rizal was used as a rally cry of the
members. He was regarded as their
true leader and hero. These
documents, together with many
letters and testimonies from those
arrested led to the conclusion that
Rizal was part of the revolutionary
group.
C. DR. JOSE RIZAL ORDERED TO
BE ARRESTED
As per instruction of Gov. Blanco and
the prodding of Manila Archbishop
Bernardino Nozaleda, Rizal was
ordered to be arrested and detained
inside the ship
On September 30, 1896, Capt. A.
Alemany followed the order and kept
Rizal in his cabin during the
remainder of the trip
On October 6, the ship reached
Barcelona. Rizal was imprisoned at
the Montjuich detention cell. Eulogio
Despujol, the former Philippine
governor who banished him to
Dapitan visited later that day.
On October 7, Rizal was transferred
to a new ship the SS Colon bound
for Manila. Rizal kept records of the
Philippines since he left for
Barcelona
He was implicated by the Madrid
newspapers to the bloody revolution.
He thought of coming home to
confront his accusers and vindicate
his name.
Few friends from Europe and
Singapore tried to help Rizal escape
his present predicament. Ma.
Regidor and Lopez sent a telegram
to Atty. Hugh Fort asking him to file a
writ of habeas corpus in Rizal’s
behalf. Chief Justice Lionel Cox,
however, denied the writ for lack of
jurisdiction by the Singaporean
government.
On November 20, 1896, the
preliminary investigation
(arraignment) on Rizal began.
During the five-day investigation,
Rizal was informed of the charges
against him before Judge Advocate
Colonel Francisco Olive. He was put
under interrogation without the
benefit of knowing who testified
against him. Presented before him
were two kinds of evidences –
documentary and testimonial.
● Martin Constantino
● Aguedo del Rosario
● Jose Reyes
● Moises Salvador
● Jose Dizon  Rizal chose Lt. Don Luis Taviel de
● Domingo Franco
● Deodato Arellano
● Pio Valenzuela  Rizal discovered that the said
● Antonio Salazar
● Francisco Quison
● Timoteo Paez
These evidences were endorsed by
Colonel Olive to Governor Ramon
Blanco. Blanco designated Capt.
 Rafael Dominguez as the Judge
Advocate assigned with the task of
deciding what corresponding action
should be done. Dominguez, after a
brief review, transmitted the records
to Don Nicolas de la Peña, the
Judge Advocate General. Judge
Advocate General Peña's
recommendations were as follows:
● Rizal must be immediately
sent to trial
● He must be held in prison
under necessary security
● His properties must be issued
with order of attachment, and
as indemnity, Rizal had to pay
one million pesos
There were a total of fifteen exhibits
for the documentary evidence.
Testimonial evidences, on the other
hand, were comprised of oral proofs
provided by:
● Instead of a civilian lawyer,
only an army officer is allowed
to defend Rizal
Andrade, 1st Lt. of the Spanish
Artillery to be his defense lawyer.
lieutenant was the brother of Lt. Jose
Taviel de Andrade who worked as
Rizal's personal body guard
in Calamba in 1887.
On the 11th of December 1896, in
the presence of his Spanish counsel,
charges against Rizal were read:
● Rebellion – punishable by
death
● Sedition – also punishable
with death
● Illegal Association –
punishable with reclusion
perpetua or lower
He was accused of being the
principal organizer and the living
soul of Filipino insurrection. The
founder of societies, periodicals and
books dedicated to fomenting and
propagating ideas of rebellion.
When asked regarding his
sentiments or reaction on the
charges, Rizal replied that:
● He does not question the
jurisdiction of the court
● He has nothing to amend
except that during his exile in
Dapitan in 1892, he had not
dealt in political matters;
● He has nothing to admit on
the charges against him
● He had nothing to admit on
the declarations of the
witnesses, he had not met nor
knew, against him.
Two days after, Rizal's case was
endorsed to Blanco's successor,
Governor Camilo de Polavieja, who
had the authority to command that
the case be court martialed.
On December 15, inside his cell at
Fort Santiago, Rizal wrote a
controversial letter, The
Manifesto addressed to his
countrymen. The Manifesto was a
letter denouncing bloody struggle,
and promoting education and
industry as the best means to
acquire independence.  El Filibusterismo was dedicated
Judge Advocate General Nicolas de
la Peña requested to Gov. Polavieja
that the publication of the manifesto
be prohibited.
D. THE TRIAL OF DR. JOSE
RIZAL
The Spanish colonial government
accused Rizal of three crimes:
a. The founding of La Liga
Filipina, an “illegal
organization,” whose single
aim was to “Perpetrate the
crime of rebellion”.
b. Rebellion which he promoted
through his previous activities.
c. Illegal association. The
penalty for those accusations
is life imprisonment to death.
The prosecution drew information
from the dossier on Rizal which
detailed his “subversive activities”
some of which are the following:
● The writing and publication of
“Noli me Tangere”, the
Annotations to Morga’s History of
the Philippines, “El
Filibusterismo”, and the various
articles which criticized the friars
and suggested their expulsion in
order to win independence. The
to the three martyr priests who
were executed as traitors to the
Fatherland in 1872 because they
were the moving spirit of the
uprising of that year.
● The establishment of masonic
lodges which became the
propaganda and fund raising
center to support subversive
activities and the establishment
of centers in Madrid, Hong Kong
and Manila to propagate his
ideas.
After finishing as much evidence as
possible on November 20, 1896 the
preliminary on Rizal began. During
the five-day investigation, Rizal was
informed of the charges against him
before Judge advocate Colonel
Francisco Olive.
Two kinds of evidences were
endorsed by Colonel Olive to
Governor Ramon Blanco:
● Documentary
evidences-fifteen exhibits
● Testimonial
evidences-provided by Martin
Constantino, Aguedo del
Rosario, Jose Reyes, Moises
Salvador, Jose Dizon,
Domingo Franco, Deodato
Arellano, Pio Valenzuela,
Antonio Salazar, Francisco
Quison, and Timoteo Paez.
The Judge Advocate Rafael
Dominguez was assigned with the
task of deciding what corresponding
action should be done. After a brief
review, he transmitted the records to
Don Nicolas de la Pena.
Pena’s recommendations were as
follows:
● Rizal must be immediately
sent to trial
● He must be held in prison
under necessary security
● His properties must be issued
with order of attachment
● And as indemnity, Rizal had to
pay one million pesos
● Instead of a civilian lawyer,
only an army officer is allowed
to defend Rizal.
E. THE EXECUTION OF DR. JOSE
RIZAL
Despite all valid pleadings, the
military court, vindictive as it was,
unanimously voted for the sentence
of death. Governor Polavieja
affirmed the decision of the court
martial and ordered Rizal to be shot
at 7:00 in the morning of December
30, 1896 at Bagumbayan field.
A Jesuit priest now came running
and asked Rizal to kiss the crucifix
that he held. Rizal turned his back
on the crucifix and thus, against the
firing squad. He was ready for the
execution.
Dr. Jose Rizal’s Last Hours
Rizal spent his 24 hours in his death
cell where he received members of
his family and writes his letter, the
first one to his “second brother”
Ferdinand Blumentritt. He gave his
sister Trinidad and old petroleum
lamp and whispered to her in English
that there is something inside the
lamp. Thus is Rizal’s famous
Farewell poem, “Mi Ultimo Adios”,
(“My Last Farewell”) was found.
On December 29, 1896, 6 AM: Capt.
Rafael Rodriguez was assigned by
Gov. Gen. Camilo Polavieja to read
Rizal’s death sentence, - to be shot
at Bagumbayan by a firing squad at
7am the next day.
At 7AM: Rizal moved to the prison
chapel, where he spent his last
moments
At 7:15AM: Rizal reminded Fr. Luis
Viza the statuette of the Sacred
Heart of Jesus whom he carved as a
student in Ateneo.
By 9AM: Fr. Federico Faura arrived.
Rizal reminded him that he said that
(Rizal) would someday lose his head
for writing the Noli. “Father, you are
indeed a prophet.”
At 10AM: Fr. Jose Villaclara and Fr.
Vicente Balaguer visited Rizal then
discussed with him his retraction
letter. Santiago Mataix, a Spanish
journalist, followed for the
newspaper, El Heraldo de Madrid.
From 11AM- 3PM: Rizal stayed in his
cell. He was busy writing poems and
letters. He hid his farewell poem in
an alcohol cooking stove. He also
wrote his last letter to Professor
Blumentritt.
At 4PM: Teodora Alonzo visited him.
They had a very emotional
encounter. Rizal gave the alcohol
cooking stove to Trinidad which
contains his farewell poem. Several
priests have visited him afterwards.
At 6PM: Don Silvino Tuňon, the
Dean of the Manila Cathedral visited
Rizal.
At 8PM: Rizal had his last supper.
He told Captain Dominguez that he
forgave his enemies including the
military judges.
At 9:30PM: Rizal was visited by Don
Gaspar Cestaňo, fiscal of the Royal
Audience de Manila.
At 10PM: The draft of the retraction
letter sent by the anti- Filipino
Archbishop Bernardo Nozaleda was
given by Fr. Balaguer to Rizal for his
signature. He had rejected It.
Upon Rizal’s death, his supposedly
Retraction Letter became of one of
the most controversial documents in
our history. This Retraction Letter
allegedly contains his renunciation of
the Masonry and his ‘anti-Catholic
Religious Ideas’ Depending on
whose side you are on, some
Rizalists claim that it is fake while
some believe it to be genuine. There
had been some evidences but so far
these had only heated up the debate
between two factions.
On December 30, 1896, 3AM: Rizal
heard Mass, confessed his sins and
took Holy Communion.
By 5:30AM: He took his last
breakfast. After which he wrote his
last letters for his family and his
brother, Paciano.
Rizal said, “Now I am about to die,
and it is to you I dedicate my last
lines, to tell you how sad I am to
leave you alone in life, burdened
with the weight of the family and our
old parents.”
At 5:30AM: Josephine Bracken
arrived together with Rizal’s sisters,
Josefa, with tears in her eyes, bade
him farewell. Rizal embraced her for
the last time, and before she left,
Rizal gave her a last gift, a religious
book, “Imitation of Christ” by Father
Thomas Kempis.
By 6AM: As the soldiers were getting
ready for the death march to
Bagumbayan, Rizal wrote his last
letter to his beloved parents.
“My beloved Father, pardon me for
the pain with which I repay you, for
sorrows and sacrifices for my
education. I did not want it nor did I
prefer it. Goodbye, Father, goodbye!”
At 6:30 AM: a trumpet sounded at
Fort Santiago to signal the death
march to Bagumbayan. Rizal walked
calmly with his defense counsel and
two Jesuit priest at his sides. He was
dressed elegantly in a black suit,
black derby hat, black shoes, white
shirt and black tie. His arms were
tied behind from elbow to elbow.
There’s a lot of spectators lining the
street from Fort Santiago to
Bagumbayan. As he was going
through the narrow Postigo Gate,
Rizal looked at the sky and said to
one of the priests: “How beautiful it is
today, Father. What morning could
be more serene! How clear is
Corregidor and the mountains of
Cavite! On mornings like this, I used
to take a walk with my sweetheart.”
While he was passing in front of
Ateneo, he saw the college towers
above the walls. He asked: “Is that
Ateneo, Father?” Yes”, replied the
priest.
Rizal bade farewell to his Fathers
March and Villaclara and to his
defender, Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade.
Although his arms were tied, he had
firmly clasped their hands in parting.
One of the priests blessed him and
offered him a crucifix to kiss.
He requested the commander of
firing squad that he be shot facing
them. His request was denied for the
captain had implicit orders to shoot
him at his back.
A Spanish military physician, Dr.
Felipe Ruiz Castillo, asked his
permission to feel his pulse. He was
amazed to find it normal, showing
that Jose Rizal was not afraid to die.
The death ruffles of the drums filled
the air. Above the drum beats, the
sharp command “fire” was heard,
and the guns of the firing squad
barked. Rizal, with supreme effort,
turned his bullet- riddled body to the
right, and fell on the ground dead,
with face upward facing the morning
sun. At exactly 7:03 am, Rizal
shouted “consummatum es” before
the shot rang out. The hero’s life
ended. In the background could be
heard, “Viva Espaňa!”; “Morir es
traidores!” On that fateful day, Rizal
was 35 years, 5 months and 11 days
old.
“I die just when I see the dawn
break, through the gloom of night,
the herald the day; and if color is
lacking my blood thou shalt take,
poured out at need for thy sake, to
dye with its crimson the waking
ray…”
It is interesting to note that 14 years
before his execution, Rizal predicted
that he would die on December 30th.
He was then a medical student in
Madrid, Spain.
Martyrs are rare stars in the vast
firmament of humanity. Every
instance of martyrdom is distinct in
magnitude and direction. Indeed,
martyrs are the meteors of history,
they flash across the sky and light
the world and in the process
consume themselves.
They are the person who is put to
death or made suffer greatly or other
beliefs because of religion. Other
elements of martyrdom are
usefulness of life and dedication to a
high purpose. Rizal’s death was an
emotional event in our history as it
produced
A “martyr” and resulted in some form
of social change or transformation in
our lives as a people. Rizal was put
to death for “subversion” by the
dominant political forces. He
presented a sector of society which
had begun to trouble and therefore
constituted a real threat to the
existing social order.