5.

Military Doctor in Cuba

On July 30, 1896, Rizal was given a go-signal to go to Cuba to serve as voluntary military
doctor during the Cuban Revolution and there was a yellow fever epidemic through the
letter of Governor General Ramon Blanco. After four years, thirteen days and a few hours,
Rizal bade goodbye to Dapitan as he rode the España, steamer which brought Rizal to
Manila. He was accompanied by Josephine, Narcisa, Angelica (Narcisa’s daughter), his three
nephews and six pupils.
 August 6, 1896 – The España arrived in Manila on a Thursday morning he failed to
catch the mail ship Isla de Luzon because it had earlier departed midnight of the
same day. Governor- General Blanco, on orders, transferred Rizal to the Spanish
cruiser Castilla. Captain Enriquegave Rizal a good accommodation because Rizal was
told that he was not a prisoner but a guest on board in order to avoid difficulties
from friends and enemies. Rizal stayed in the cruiser for about a month (August 6 to
September 3, 1896) pending in the availability of a Spain-bound ship.
 August 19, 1896 – The Katipunan’s plot to overthrow the Spanish rule means of
revolution was discovered by the Fray Mariano Gil, an Augustinian Cura of Tondo.
 August 26, 1896 – The Cry of Balintawak was raised by Bonifacio and hi9 valiant
Katipuneros.
 August 30, 1896 – Bonifacio and Iacinto attacked San Juan (Battles of San Juan). In
theafternoon, Governor-General Blanco proclaimed a state of war in the first eight
provinces Manila (as a province), Bulacan, Cavite, Batangasl Laguna, Pampanga,
Nueva Ejica, and Tarlac. Rizal learned of the eruption and the raging
battles in Manila through the newspapers he read while on board the steamer
Cutllla On this day also, mu] rewwed a letter absolvmg him all blame for raging
revolution.
 September 2, 1896 – At 6 00 p.m., Rizal was transferred to the steamer Isla de Panay
“huh was to sail for Barcelona, Spam. This was his last trip to Spam. Among his fellow
passengers on board were Don Pedro Roxas (rich Manila industrialist) and his son
Periquin.
 September 7, 1896 – Rizal arrived in Singapore in the evening of September 7.
Together with other passengers, he went sightseeing and shopping. He was,
however, placed under arrest by the ship skipper Captain Alimany, upon instruction
from Manila government. Rizal was unaware that since his departure from Manila
Bay on his way to Spain, Govemor-GeneralBlanco was secretly conspiring with the
Minister of War and the Colonies for his destruction. The two were exchanging coded
telegrams and confidential messages for his arrest. He was secretly being kept under
surveillance.
 September 30, 1896 - The steamer anchored in Malta at about 6:25 in the evening.
Being a prisoner, he was confined in his cabin. He was not able to visit the famous
island fortress of the Christian crusaders.
 October 3, 1896 - The steamer Isla de Panay arrived in Barcelona about 10:00 o’clock
in the evening. The trip from Manila to Barcelona lasted for 30 days. He was kept
under heavy guard in the cabin for three (3) days by General Eulogio Despujol and his
men. The General
 happened to be the same person who ordered his banishment to Dapitan in July
1892.
 October 6, 1896 – At 3:00 am. of October 6, he was awakened and escorted to the
infamous prison-fortress Monjuich. He spent the whole morning inside the cell. At
2:00 p.rn. he was taken out of the cell and brought to the headquarters of General
Despujol. He was told that he would be shipped back to Manila on board the ship
Colon. At 8:00 pm. Rizal was taken aboard the ship which was full of soldiers, officers,
and their families. The ship left Barcelona with Rizal on board.
 October 11, 1896 – Rizal’s diary was taken away before reaching Port Said. His diary
was critically scrutinized by the Spanish authorities but nothing dangerous was found
in its content. The cabin was also thoroughly searched but no subversive materials
were found.
 November 2, 1896 – Rizal’s diary was returned to him. Currently, news reports on
Rizal’s predicament reached his friends in Europe and Singapore. Dr. Antonio Ma.
Regidor and Sixto Lopez requested Atty. Fort, an English lawyer in Singapore to
institute a writ of habeas corpus to the Supreme Court for the removal of Rizal from
the steamer. Unfortunately, Chief Justice Lornel Cox denied the writ on the grounds
that the steamer Colon is a warship of a foreign power and was carrying Spanish
troops. Under International law, the Singapore authorities has no jurisdiction over
the steamer.
 November 3, 1896 – The steamer Colon reached Manila. Meanwhile, the Spanish
authorities who wanted to get evidence against Rizal arrested Deodato Arellano, Dr.
Pio Valenzuela, Moises Salvador, Jose Dizon, Domingo Franco, Temoteo. Rizal was
brought to Fort Santiago where other patriots were incarcerated including his
brother Paciano to implicate Rizal. But Paciano refused to sign anything despite being
his body broken and his left hand crushed.

6. The Proceedings and Trial

On November 20, 1896, Rizal’s investigation started before the Judge Advocate
Colonel Francisco Olive. Documentary and testimonial evidence were presented
against him.
The documentary evidence was:
1. Antonio Luna’s letter to Mariano Ponce on October 16, 1888 which showed Rizal
’s
connection with the Filipino reform campaign in Spain.
2. Rizal’s letter to his family on August 20, 1890in which he stated that the
deportations are
good for they will encourage the people to hate tyranny.
3. Marcelo H. Del Pilar’s letter to Deodato Arellano on January 7, 1889, implicating
Rizal in
the Propaganda campaign in Spain.
4. A poem “Kundiman” allegedly written by Rizal on September 12, 1891, which
mentioned
that “in a land of beauty, despot reigns and where the slaves are oppressed in the
tyrant’s grips”.
5. Carlos Oliver’s letter to an unidentified person on September 18, 1891, describing
Rizal as
the man to free the Philippines from Spanish oppression.
 6. A Masonic document dated February 9, 1892, which honoured Rizal for his
patriotic services.
7. Dimasalang's letter (Rizal’s pen name) to Tenluz (Juan Zulueta’s name) dated May
24, 1892 which stated that Rizal was preparing a safe refuge for Filipinos who may
be persecuted by the Spanish authorities.
8. Dimasalang’s (Rizal) letter to an unidentified committee on June 1, 1892, soliciting
the aid of the committee in his “Patriotic work”.
9. Anonymous undated letter to the editor of the Hong Kong Telegraph censoring the
banishment of Rizal to Dapitan.
10. Ildefonso Laurel’s letter to Rizal on mentioning that Filipinos look up to Rizal as
their saviour.
11. Ildefonso Laurel’s letter to Rizal dated September 3, 1893 informing an
unidentified correspondent of the arrest and banishment of Doroteo Cortes and
Ambrosio Salvador.
12. Marcelo H. Del Pilar’s letter to Don Juan A. Tenluz (Juan Zulueta) dated June 1,
1893, recommending the establishment of a special organization, independent of
masonry, to help the cause of the Filipino people.
13. Transcript of speech of Pingkian (Emilio Jacinto) in a reunion of Katipunan on July
23, 1893, in which the following cry was uttered “Long Live the Philippines! Long Live
Liberty! Long Live Doctor Rizal’s Unity!”
14. Transcript of speech of Tik-Tol (Jose Turiano Santiago), in the same Katipunan
reunion wherein the Katipuneros uttered; Long Live the Philippines! Long
Live the eminent Doctor Rizal! Death to the oppressor of nation!”
15. Laong Laan’s (Rizal) poem “Talisay” in which the author made the schoolboys of
Dapitan sing.
The restimonial evidence included the oral testimonies of Martin Constantino,
Aguedo del Rosario, Jose Reyes, Moises Sabado, Jose Dizon, Domingo Franco,
Deodato Arellano, Ambrosio Salvador, Pedro Laktaw, Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Antonio
Salazar, Francisco Quison, and Timoteo Paez. After the preliminary investigation, the
Judge Advocate General submitted the following recommendation.
1) The accused be in immediately brought to trial.
2) He should be kept in prison.
3) An order of attachment be issued against his property as an indemnity. 4) He
should be defended in court by an army officer.
Rizal chose Don Luis Taviel de Andrade as his defender, from the 100 names listed
and 1stLieutenant of the artillery. On December 11, 1896, Rizal was accused of three
(3) crimes: rebellion, sedition and illegal association. On December 13 new Governor
General was installed in the Philippines, Camilo Polavieja. On December 28, despite
all valid pleadings, the military court, vindicate as it was unanimously voted for the
sentence of death, Polavieja approved the decision of the court – martial and
ordered Rizal to be shot at the back by a firing squad on December 30 at 7:00 in the
morning in Bagumbayan Field (Luneta).

 7. Dimasalang's letter
(Rizal’s pen name) to Tenluz
 (Juan Zulueta’s name) dated
May 24,
 1892 which stated that
Rizal was preparing a safe
refuge for Filipinos who
may be
 persecuted by the Spanish
authorities.
 8. Dimasalang’s (Rizal)
letter to an unidentified
committee on June 1, 1892
soliciting the aid
 of the committee in his
“Patriotic work”.
 9. Anonymous undated
letter to the editor of the
Hong Kong Telegraph
censoring the
 banishment of Rizal to
Dapitan.
 10. Ildefonso Laurel’s letter
to Rizal on mentioning that
Filipinos look up to Rizal as
their
 savior.
 11. Ildefonso Laurel’s
letter to Rizal dated
September 3, 1893 informing
an unidentified
 correspondent of the arrest
and banishment of Doroteo
Cortes and Ambrosio
Salvador.
 12. Marcelo H. Del Pilar’s
letter to Don Juan A. Tenluz
 (Juan Zulueta) dated June 1,
1893
 recommending the
establishment of a special
organization, independent of
masonry, to
 help the cause of the
Filipino people.
 13. Transcript of speech of
Pingkian (Emilio Jacinto) in a
reunion of Katipunan on July
23,
 1893 in which the following
cry was uttered “Long Live the
Philippines! Long Live
Liberty!
 Long Live Doctor Rizal’s
Unity!”
 14. Transcript of speech of
Tik-Tol (Jose Turiano
Santiago), in the same
Katipunan reunion
 wherein the Katipuneros
uttered; Long Live the
Philippines! Long Live the
eminent
 Doctor Rizal! Death to the
oppressor of nation!”
 15. Laong Laan’s (Rizal)
poem “Talisay” in which the
author made the schoolboys of
Dapitan
 sing.
 The restimonial evidence
included the oral testimonies
of Martin Constantino, Aguedo
 del Rosario, Jose Reyes,
Moises Sabado, Jose Dizon,
Domingo Franco, Deodato
Arellano,
 Ambrosio Salvador, Pedro
Laktaw, Dr. Pio Valenzuela,
Antonio Salazar, Francisco
Quison, and
 Timoteo Paez.
 After the preliminary
investigation, the Judge
Advocate General submitted
the following
 recommendation.
 1) The accused be in
immediately brought to trial.
 2) He should be kept in
prison.
 3) An order of attachment
be issued against his property
as an indemnity. 4) He
 should be defended in court
by an army officer.
Rizal chose Don Luis Taviel
de Andrade as his defender,
from the 100 names listed and
1st
 Lieutenant of the artillery.
On December 11, 1896, Rizal
was accused of three (3)
crimes:
 rebellion, sedition and
illegal association. On
December 13 new Governor
General was
 installed in the Philippines,
Camilo Polavieja. On
December 28, despite all valid
pleadings, the
 military court, vindicate as
it was unanimously voted for
the sentence of death,
Polavieja
 approved the decision of the
court – martial and ordered
Rizal to be shot at the back by
a
firing squad on December 30
at 7:00 in the morning in
Bagumbayan Field (Luneta