What is Retraction?

 Retraction is defined as formally taking back something which was said or done. When a
newspaper prints something incorrect and later takes back what they said and publishes
an article saying they were wrong, this is an example of a retraction. noun.
Jose Rizal Background:
 His real full name Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda.
 Nickname: Pepe
 Born on 19th day of July, year 1861 in Calamba, Laguna and died on 30 th day of
December, year 1896, at the age of 35
 He was a Physician, Poet, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist, Historian, Architect, Painter,
Sculptor, Educator, Linguist, Musician, Naturalist, Ethnologist, Surveyor, Engineer,
Farmer, Businessman, Economist, Geographer, Cartographer, Bibliophile, Philologist,
Grammarian, Folklorist, Philosopher, Translator, Inventor, Magician, Humorist, Satirist,
Polemicist, Sports man, Traveler, Prophet.
 Most notably, he is one of the few people who has been referred to as a Filipino National
Hero.
Rizal Retraction Analysis: (Sequence)
 On the day of Rizal's execution, Dec. 30, 1896, the first text was published in La Voz
Espaola and Diaro de Manila. The second text was published in the fortnightly magazine
La Juventud in Barcelona, Spain, on February 14, 1897; it was written by an unknown
writer who would subsequently be identified as Fr. Balaguer. The original text was
recovered in the archdiocesan archives on May 18, 1935, after it had been missing for 39
years, since Rizal was shot in the afternoon.

 I declare myself Catholic and in this religion in which I was

born and educated I wish to live and die.

I retract from all that in my words, texts, publications and

conduct I have done contrary to my quality as a son of the
Catholic Church. I believe and profess all that she teaches
and all that she demands. I abhor free masonry as enemy it
is of the Church, and as a society banned by the Church.
May the Diocesan Prelate as Superior Ecclesiastic Authority
make public this spontaneous manifestation of mine to
repair the scandal my acts might have caused, and so that
God and men can forgive me.

Manila 29th of December of 1896

 We have no way of knowing if copies of the lost original were made by a copyist who
could mimic Rizal's handwriting. Fr. Balaguer reveals this information. In a letter to his
former superior, Fr. Pio.
 Balaguer wrote: In 1910, Pio Pi stated that he had received "an exact copy of the
retraction written and signed by Rizal. The handwriting of this copy I don't know nor
do I remember whose it is...”
 He went on to say, "I even suspect that it might have been written by Rizal himself. I
am sending it to you so that you may... verify whether it might be of Rizal himself.”
In his sworn affidavit, Fr Pi was unable to confirm it.
 The text of Fr Pi's copy of Rizal's retraction is identical to that of Fr. Balaguer's "precise"
copy, on the other hand, follows the paragraphing of Rizal's retraction texts in Manila
newspapers.
 The archdeocean archivist Fr. On May 18, 1935, the lost "original" paper of Rizal's
retraction was discovered. Instead of dispelling questions regarding Rizal's retraction, the
discovery has fueled them, because the newly discovered text retraction differs greatly
from that found in the Jesuits' and Archbishop's versions. Furthermore, the retraction
sentences that appeared in Manila newspapers may be demonstrated to be precise copies
of the "original" rather than just imitations of it. This indicates that the friars who
controlled the press in Manila held the "original," but the Jesuits merely had the "copies."
 As a result, according to Fr. Balaguer, The "identical copy" came from the Archbishop.
He labeled it "precise" because, despite the fact that he had never seen the original, he
was persuaded to assume that it was the one that faithfully duplicated it in comparison to
Fr. Pi with "changes" In fact, the disparity between the Archbishop's copy ("precise"
copy) and Fr. Pi (with "changes") is that the later was "shorter" since it eliminated some
sentences that were present in the former, resulting in, as Fr. Pi had hoped that Rizal
would sign it.
 The "identical" duplicate was handed to the Fort Santiago military guards to persuade
them that Rizal had retracted. Someone read it out in the presence of Capt. Dominguez,
who claimed in his "Notes" that Rizal read aloud his retraction; however, his copy of the
retraction proves him false because it has the same language as Fr. Balaguer's copy but
lacks the phrase "Catolica," which is not the case in the original.
 The truth is that, almost two years before his execution, Rizal had written a retraction in
Dapitan. Rizal fell in love with Josephine and wanted to marry her canonically but he was
required to sign a profession of faith and to write a retraction, which had to be approved
by the Bishop of Cebu.
 In order to marry Josephine, Rizal drafted a form of retraction with the help of a priest,
which had to be approved by the Bishop of Cebu. Fr Antonio Obach to his friend Prof.
Austin Craig who wrote down in 1912 what the priest had told him; "The retraction,
inclosed with the priest’s letter, was ready for the mail when Rizal came hurrying I to
reclaim it."
 Fr Pi acted innocently because they did not distinguish between the genuine and the
imitation of Rizal’s handwriting.
Did Rizal Retracted? (Another POV: did not retracted)
 The first was a copy of Rizal's reportedly signed retraction paper, which was kept secret
and only published in newspapers. The original copy was alleged to be lost when Rizal's
relatives requested it.
 The original copy was discovered in the archdiocesan archives 39 years later. Ricardo
Pascual, Ph. D., who was granted access by Archbishop Nozaleda to examine the paper,
eventually concluded in his book "Rizal Beyond the Grave" that the document was a
fake. The most prevalent objection to this claim is that either Father Balaguer or Father Pi
made mistakes when manufacturing a duplicate of the original.
 Another piece of proof that Rizal did not retract is that when Father Balaguer agreed to
marry Rizal and Josephine after Rizal signed the retraction document, there was no
marriage certificate or official record to back up Father Balaguer's claims.
 Rizal was focused on the idea of dying for the sake of his country; he had long desired
death. Even Rizal's friends do not believe he has penned a retraction since his character
speaks so loudly.
Did Rizal Retracted? (Another POV: retracted)
 He retract. because he really wanted to have a peace and to stop the chaos during that
time, he abjured everything due to the pressure to his family and became a catholic.
 He retract. For the sake of his family's persecution and wanted a reform for our country
against the Spanish Government

REFERENCES:
https://www.slideshare.net/pmbantuas/the-retraction-of-rizal
https://englishkyoto-seas.org/2019/12/vol-8-no-3-rene-escalante/
https://puchikamalucho.wordpress.com/2012/04/08/did-jose-rizal-retract/
https://noedyb.wordpress.com/2020/07/21/understanding-the-impossibility-of-a-retraction-by-
rizal/
https://www.slideshare.net/homeworkping6/93181507-analysisrizal
https://studymoose.com/jose-rizals-retraction-controversy-essay