RIZAL AND FATHER SANCHEZ

 Father Pastells, the superior of the Jesuits in the Philippines, instructed two Jesuits in Mindanao to try to
persuade Rizal to return to the Catholic faith. He also assigned Father Francisco de Paula Sanchez, Rizal's favorite
teacher at the Ateneo de Manila, to Dapitan.

 Father Sanchez was the only Spanish priest to defend Rizal's novel Noli Me Tangere in public.

 When Father Sanchez arrived in Dapitan, he and Rizal had friendly theological discussions almost daily. However,
Father Sanchez was unable to convince Rizal to change his views on religion.

 Despite their disagreement, Father Sanchez enjoyed Rizal's company and assisted him in beautifying the town
plaza. On his birthday, Rizal gave Father Sanchez a manuscript entitled Estudios sobre la lengua tagala (Studies
on the Tagalog Language), a Tagalog grammar that he had written.

 Father Sanchez was a native of Spain and was born in 1838. He came to the Philippines in 1865 and taught at the
Ateneo de Manila for many years. He was a well-respected scholar and was known for his kindness and
compassion.

 Rizal and Father Sanchez had a close relationship that lasted for many years. They shared a love of learning and
a deep commitment to social justice. Even though they disagreed on religious matters, they remained friends
and respected each other's views.

 The manuscript that Rizal gave to Father Sanchez is considered to be a valuable work of scholarship. It is a
comprehensive study of the Tagalog language and is still used by scholars today.
 Idyllic Life in Dapitan
 He woke up early in the morning (at 5am) and visited his plants and fed his chickens.
 He then treated his poor patients who came to his land.
 He went to town in his boat to treat other patients and returned home for lunch.
 In the afternoon, he taught his schoolboys until 4pm.
 He spent the rest of the day reading and studying.
 He built a school for boys and girls, where he taught them reading, writing, arithmetic, Spanish, and English.
 He also established a pharmacy and a public library.
 He was a skilled doctor and surgeon, and he treated patients from all over the region.
 He was a keen observer of nature and made many scientific observations.
 He also wrote several novels and essays during his time in Dapitan.

Rizal's Encounter with the Friar's Spy

 In November 1893, a man named Pablo Mercado visited Rizal in Dapitan and claimed to be a relative.
 Mercado offered to be a confidential courier for Rizal's letters and writings.
 Rizal became suspicious of Mercado and invited him to stay the night.
 The next day, Rizal went to the comandancia and denounced Mercado as an impostor.
 Mercado was arrested and investigated.
 It was revealed that Mercado's real name was Florencio Namanan and he was a spy for the friars.
 Commandant Sitges quashed the investigation and released Mercado.
 Rizal was surprised and requested for a copy of the investigation, but Sitges denied his request.
 The friars were opposed to Rizal's ideas about reform and independence for the Philippines.
 They sent Mercado to Dapitan to spy on Rizal and try to find evidence of his involvement in revolutionary
activities.
 Rizal was able to see through Mercado's lies and expose him as a spy.
 The friars were not happy with the outcome of the investigation and tried to keep it secret.

Rizal's letter to his brother-in-law, Manuel T. Hidalgo

 Rizal's letter to Manuel T. Hidalgo describes an encounter with a person named Pablo Mercado, who pretended
to be friendly but had ulterior motives involving Rizal's letters and writings. Mercado's true intentions were
discovered, leading to his arrest, and it was revealed that he had been sent by the Recollects on a mission to
obtain Rizal's Letters
 The value of 72 pesos in Rizal's era in 1893 is equivalent to 45,256.32 pesos in today's currency