Trial and Execution of Dr.

Jose Rizal

Introduction
Dec. 1985 – Rizal sent a letter to Gov. Gen. Blanco to be a volunteer in Cuba
July 30, 1896 – Rizal received a letter from Blanco, accepting his offer
Sept. 2, 1896 – He left Manila for Barcelona, Spain
Oct. 3, 1896 – Rizal was arrested. It was an order from Gov. Gen. Blanco
Oct. 6, 1896 – He aboard the steamer Colon going back to Manila
There was an attempt to rescue Rizal by means of a writ of habeas corpus but it did
not materialize and he was still held as a prisoner.
Nov. 3, 1896 – Colon reached Manila and Rizal was transferred to Fort Santiago. His
brother (Paciano) was tortured to go against his brother but he refused to.

Preliminary Investigation
Nov. 20, 1896 – Nov. 26, 1896

 Preliminary investigation
 Judge Advocate Colonel Francisco Olive
 Documentary and testimonial evidences were presented

After the preliminary investigation, Judge Advocate General Don Nicolas de la Pena
recommended that:

 The accused be immediately put to trial

 The accused must be kept in prison
 An order of attachment be issued against his property as an indemnity
 The accused should be defended in court by an army officer

Trial
Dec. 8, 1896 – From a list given to Rizal, he chose Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade to
defend him in court. He was the brother of Jose Taviel de Andrade who was
the bodyguard of Rizal in Calamba.
Dec. 11, 1896 – Rizal was read the charges against him. He was accused of being
the principal figure behind the revolution.
Dec. 13, 1896 – Governor General Ramon Blanco was replaced by Camilo de
Polavieja
Dec. 15, 1896 – Rizal wrote a manifesto calling to end the rebellion.
The government suppressed it.
Dec. 26, 2896 - Rizal was tried by a military court at the Cuartel de Espana. He
was found guilty of rebellion, sedition, and conspiracy. The court ordered that Rizal
be executed by firing squad at 7:00 in the morning of Dec. 30, 1896 at Bagumbayan
(Luneta).

Execution
Dec. 28, 1896 –Gov. Gen. Polavieja signed the death verdict.
Dec. 29, 1896

 Rizal was read his verdict by Captain Rafael Dominguez.

 Fr. Miguel Saddera and Fr. Luis Viza visited him. Rizal asked for the Sacred
Heart statuette that he carved when he was in Ateneo.
 Fr. Federico Faura, who once said that Rizal would lose his head for writing
the Noli Me Tangere, arrived. Rizal told him, “Father you are indeed a prophet.”
 Rizal wrote an untitled poem. It was later known as Mi Ultimo Adios (My Last
Farewell)
 In the afternoon, Rizal’s family visited him and gave an alcohol stove saying
“There is something inside”.

Dec. 30, 1896

 Rizal gave Josephine Bracken the book Imitations of Christ in which he wrote
“To my dear and unhappy wife, Josephine, December 30th, 1896, Jose Rizal”.
 The walk from Fort Santiago to Bagumbayan started at 6:30 am.
 The firing squad was composed of Filipino soliders of the Spanish army.
 At exactly 7:00, they arrived on the site and Rizal’s pulse was checked by Dr.
Felipe Ruiz Castillo. Surprisingly, it was normal.
 Before he was shot, Rizal shouted his last words, “Consummatum est” (It is
finished)
 Rizal died at exactly 7:03 in the morning.
 The family did not get the body. Narcisa searched for it and found it in the
Paco Cemetery. She asked to place a marble plaque containing Rizal’s intials
in revers ‘RPJ’.
After 1896
Aug. 17, 1898 – Rizal’s remains were exhumed and were brought to Narcisa’s
house. It stayed there until 1912.
Dec. 29, 1912- The urn containing Rizal’s remains was transferred from Binondo to
the marble hall of the Ayuntamiento de Manila where it was gurarded by the Knights
of Rizal.
Dec. 30, 1912 – In a solemn procession, Rizal’s remains were brought to its resting
place, the soon-to-rise monument of him in Luneta.
Dec. 30, 1913 – The Motto Stella (Guiding Star) was inaugurated. It was made by
Swiss sculptor, Dr. Richard Keisling.

References:
http://bshmjoserizal.weebly.com/our-hero-jose-rizal/chapter-nine-the-trial-and-
execution-of-dr-jose-rizal
https://prezi.com/_qdwytrutwuw/rizals-trial-execution/
http://xiaochua.net/2012/12/25/the-last-days-of-jose-rizal-a-timeline-of-his-last-
arrest-incarceration-execution-and-the-journey-of-his-remains/