Republic of the Philippines

NORTHERN ILOILO POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE

VICTORINO SALCEDO CAMPUS
Sara, Iloilo
Reg. No. 97Q19783

Course Code : GE 12/Soc. Sci. 105

Descriptive Title : LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL
Term and Academic Year : 1st Semester, AY 2020-2021
Department and Year Level : BSCRIM III
Professor : PROF. RIC C. MILLADO

Module I0, Lesson 1

The Trial and Execution of Rizal

I. Introduction
In this lesson, we shall be discussing the injustices actions against Rizal, the mock trial, the execution and the
events after the execution.

In order to gain a thorough understanding of this lesson, you have to read the discussion. At the end of this
module, you are also tasked to answer the assessment and the enrichment activity found in the “assessment” section.

Time Frame: 6 hours Date of Submission

II. Learning Outcomes:

1. discussed the evidences presented by Colonel Olive against Rizal;
2. described the reason for Rizal’s arrest and imprisonment.
3. evaluated the different issues surrounding Rizal’s martyrdom.

III. Learning Contents

Injustices to Rizal
It was an established fact that every case brought to Spanish Cortes was ruled in favor of the Spaniards. The
Filipino’s advocacy of equal justice was denied by the Spanish authorities because the latter’s justice system was self-
serving and biased. Rizal himself experienced injustices when he was charged with crimes and imprisoned without due
process. While in jail, he stood firm on his innocence. Since the colonial justice system remained one-sided. Filipinos
always fell prey to the interests of the Spaniards.
After four years of exile in Dapitan, Rizal was imprisoned Fort Santiago on November 3, 1896. While
incarcerated, he was placed under maximum security and was made incommunicado. As a prisoner, he was treated like
a criminal waiting to be executed. Rizal’s contact with the Katipunereos was prohibited by the Spanish authorities for
they feared that the rebel group might attempt to rescue their inspirational leader. While under the custody of the
alferez, Rizal was subject to strict rules and all his activities were monitored. The trial (Bernard, 1998) that led to Rizal’s
execution was marked by three qualities. The first was haste; the second, a meticulous observance of legal formalities;
and the third, in contrast to the observance of legal forms, and utter disregard for the demands of a real and substantive
administration of justice.

Rizal: The Accused

The investigation of Rizal can be treated as the microcosm of Philippine colonial society—mired with
contradictions and conflicts. Of the legal court procedures, the following were implemented during Rizal’s trial: giving
of legal counsel, investigation, and presentation of evidence in the court. However, there were glaring irregularities. For
instance, he was brought to a military court and defended by lieutenant. These legal impediments were considered by
the Filipinos as grounds for a mistrial because Rizal’s case was manipulated by the Spanish government and military.

Pretrial Investigation
The investigation conducted by the military was actually a preparation for a court trial. This kind of initial
investigation was more thorough than any case investigated by the Spanish, court (Reines, 1971). The lead investigator
of Rizal case was Colonel Francisco Olive, the commander of the special forces sent to Calamba. He doubled his efforts
to gather evidence that would implicate Rizal in the revolutionary activities of Katipunan. Colonel Olive was successful in
his attempt to find witnesses that would testify against Rizal. These witnesses were forced to betray Rizal because they
were threatened that their houses would be burned if they did not cooperate. As the lead investigating officer, Olive
exercised the functions akin to those of the district attorney, grand jury, and of a trial judge. His findings and
recommendations were considered almost final by the Spanish court. Hence, the actual trial was a mere formality.

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 Republic of the Philippines
NORTHERN ILOILO POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE
VICTORINO SALCEDO CAMPUS
Sara, Iloilo
Reg. No. 97Q19783

The Evidence
The initial gathering of evidence was first conducted by Colonel Francisco Olive. The procedure lasted for five
days. It was accomplished through a series of interviews. All possible sources of relevant information were sought by
the judge for the purpose of collecting incriminating evidence against Rizal. The pieces of evidence gathered by the
Spanish authorities were presented during the pretrial investigation on November 20, 1896. The evidence consisted of
various documents and testimonials. The documentary evidence included published and unpublished writings (e.g.
letters) of Rizal. Colonel Olive even prepared fifteen exhibits of documentary evidence (Palma, 1949).
1. A letter of Antonio Luna to Mariano Ponce in Madrid dated October 16, 1888 which detailed Rizal’s activities in
the campaign for reforms in Spain.
2. A letter of Rizal to Segundo dated September 17, 1893 which mentioned that Doroteo Cortes and Ambrosio
Salador, both exiles, were friends of Rizal.
3. Letter of Ildefonso Laurel to Rizal dated September 3, 1892 expressing his sympathy and saying: “The people
await you as their redeemer and savior. Have no doubt on the loyalty of your fellow countrymen. They all
lament the way you have been betrayed, and all stand ready to shed their blood for your salvation and that of
our country.”
4. Kundiman (Verse), a poem written by Rizal dated September 12, 1891 (Palma, 1949). The poem reads as follows:

KUNDIMAN
In the beautiful Oriental
Where the sun is born
In a land of beauty
Full of enchantments
But bound in chains

Where the despot reigns

The land dearest to me
Ah! That is my country
She is a slave oppressed
Groaning in the tyrant’s grips:
Lucky shall he be
Who can give her liberty!

5. Unsigned essay entitled “A Gross injustice” addressed to the editor of Hong Kong Telegraph deploring Rizal’s
banishment.
6. Letter of Dimasalang (Rizal) dated May 24, 1892 written to Tenluz (Juan Zuleta) saying that he was busy preparing
a safe refuge for Filipinos who may be persecuted by the authorities and writing a number of propaganda pieces
which he thought were very important and “extremely damaging to the Philippines.”
7. Another letter of Dimasalang dated June 1, 1892 addressed to his countrymen which explained Rizla’s plan for a
Filipino settlement in Borneo
8. A letter of Rizal from Madrid dated August 20, 1890 addressed to his parents and brother stating that deporting
prominent people to distant places “will serve to keep alive the spirit of the people and will not allow them to
slumber in a lethargic peace. They will serve to spread ideas, accustom the people to despise dangers, and hate
tyranny.”
9. A letter of Marcelo H. del Pilar to Don Deodato Arellano dated January 7, 1889 stating Rizal’s desire to involve
La Solidaridad in the projected Filipino colony.
10. Another letter of Marcelo H. del Pilar to Juan Zulueta dated June 1, 1893 advocating a special organization
independent of Masonry to champion the cause of the Filipinos.
11. A copy of Emilio Jacinto’s speech (Pinkian) dated July 23, 1893 urging his compatriots to keep up their spirits
with the following battle cries: “Long live the Philippines! Long live liberty! Long live Dr. Rizal! Unity!
12. A copy of Joe Turiano Santiago’s speech (Tik-Tik).

On the other hand, the testimonials also served as strong evidence against Rizal. The sources of these
testimonies were Rizal’s former compatriots and allies in various associations during the propaganda days. The
testimonial evidence consisted of statements which implicated Rizal in the destabilization plot against the Spanish
government. Some witnesses testified on Rizal’s involvement in the Katipunan or insurrection. Some of them even gave
material testimonies against Rizal (Palma, 1949).
1. Aguedo del Rosario Llamas, a native of Mindoro and a bookbinder by trade stated among other things that
Rizal was the honorary president of the Katipunan and his portrait was hung in the session hall of the
Katipunan’s Supreme Council.
2. Martin Constantino stated that the end objective of the association was to massacre the Spaniards, declare
independence, and proclaim Rizal as the Supreme head of state.
3. Joyce Reyes said that Rizal was one of the many masons engaged in securing the independence of the islands
and that Moises Salvador returned from Spain with instructions from Rizal to establish La Liga Filipina.
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 Republic of the Philippines
NORTHERN ILOILO POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE
VICTORINO SALCEDO CAMPUS
Sara, Iloilo
Reg. No. 97Q19783

4. Moises Salvador confirmed that Jose Rizal organized in Madrid a Filipino association to supervise the
formation of lodges in the Philippines and direct revolutionary activities; that Rizal was elected as the
organization’s president; that while Rizal was in Hong Kong, he sent Salvador the statutes of la Liga Filipina;
that the purpose of the Liga was to secure the independence for the Philippines; that when Rizal arrived in
Manila in June, he called a meeting in the house of Doroteo Ongjungo where he explained the necessity of
the Liga to bring about the separation of the Philippines from Spain.
5. Jose Dizon declared that the aim of the Liga was to gather funds for the armed uprising, and that the
Katipunan and Liga were one and the same society.
6. Domingo Franco stated that Rizal called a meeting in the house of Doroteo Ongjunco to explain the need for
organizing the Liga collecting funds for the purpose of speedily securing the independence of the Philippines.
7. Deodato Arellano admitted that when Rizal was banished to Dapitan, the lodges solicited funds for his
escape.
8. Ambrosio Salvador stated that in the meeting held in the house of Ongjunco, Rizal’s proposal to organize
the Liga was tackled; and that he (Salvador) was elected as the organization’s president.
9. Pedro Serrano confessed that he went with Rizal to the town of Tarlac, and that he was present in the house
of Ongjunco during the Liga’s meeting.
10. Pio Valenzuela stated that in the Katipunan’s meeting in Pasig, it was decided to send a delegation to Japan,
but Rizal would be consulted about it.
11. Antonio Salazar stated that Timoteo Paez traveled with Rizal’s sister to Singapore to charter a vessel for
Rizal’s escape to japan where Doroteo Cortes and Marcelo H. del Pilar were also exiled. He also gave details
regarding the fund drive for Rizal’s escape from Dapitan.
12. Francisco Quizon stated that Pio Valenzuela’s trip to Dapitan was financed for the purpose of informing Rizal,
the real Supreme head of the Katipunan, about the society’s clamor for an uprising.

The Spanish investigating team became desperate to prove Rizal’s guilt. They even arrested Paciano early in
November and brought him to Fort Santiago to extract information from him about Rizal’s involvement with Katipunan.
For days, Paciano was tortured by the guardia civil. He was also forced to sign documents implicating Rizal with the
revolutionary activities of the Katipunan. But he remained silent and firm. He was compelled neither to admit Rizal’s
connection to Katipunan nor sign any statement that would put his brother in a compromising position. Other witnesses
were not physically present in court during the trial so Rizal did not have the chance to confront them.

Report of De la Pena
Colonel Olive submitted his report on investigation to Governor-General Ramon Blanco. Governor Blanco’s
investigating officer, Captain Rafael Dominguez reviewed and prepared the summary of charges against Rizal. Colonel
Olive’s report was also forwarded to Don Nicolas de la Pena, a judge advocate general. After the papers have been
reviewed by Judge De la Pena, he made the following recommendations (Reines, 1971):
1. That Rizal’s case was ready for court trial and that it should be handled by a Spanish court.
2. That Rizal’s counsel must be an army officer.
3. That the accused be confirmed in a prison cell.
4. That the accused pay fine of one million pesos. The amount was for the losses and damages the government
incurred because of the uprisings. (After the trial, the one million fine was reduced to P100,000.00)
5. That the properties and assets of Rizal in Dapitan be confiscated.

The Mock Trial

Although Rizal’s case was brought to trial, the proper court proceedings were not observed. Rizal appeared in
the pretrial investigation without a legal counsel who could have advised him properly. If Rizal was given a fair trial, he
would be allowed to avail of the rights due to him: (1) to hire a civilian lawyer; (2) to confront or face his accusers; (3) to
cross-examine the witnesses against him; (4) to further review the evidence presented; and (5) to have a longer time to
study the case.

The Unjust Court Martial

The Spanish military court was so unjust that it immediately considered Rizal guilty beyond any reasonable
doubt. The court trial was only a way to formalize the conviction and execution of Rizal. The death of Rizal would mean
the triumph of the Spanish people over the indios. The trial of Rizal was held in the military court also known as the court
martial. The court martial handled the case of Rizal because he was charged with rebellion. During the Spanish period,
cases of rebellion were brought to the military court. In the case of Rizal, it was not the right court because it was not
civilian in nature.

Rizal’s Defense Counsel

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 Republic of the Philippines
NORTHERN ILOILO POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE
VICTORINO SALCEDO CAMPUS
Sara, Iloilo
Reg. No. 97Q19783

Since he was tried in the military court, his counsel came from the Spanish army. Rizal had to choose from
among 106 first and second lieutenants – all members of infantry, cavalry, artillery, and engineering units. Out of listed
names, Rizal chose Don Luis Taviel de Andrade, first lieutenant of the Artillery Corps. Later, it was revealed that he was
the younger brother of Rizal’s former bodyguard in Calamba. Taviel gladly accepted the task to defend Rizal in court.
However, it would be clear from the onset of things that Taviel was incapable of defending Rizal. Though his defense of
Rizal was full of wit and wisdom (Coates, 1968), his efforts were in vain because the verdict of the case was already
predetermined.

The Actual Trial

The trial judges for Rizal’s case were appointed on December 24, 1896 by General Tappino, military governor of
Manila. The names of the judges became known to Rizal on December 25, 1896. The actual court proceedings that begun
on December 26, 1896 were held in the Hall of Banners of the Cuartel de Espana. The trial court was composed of seven
judges (De la Costa, 1961), whose designations were as follows:
Lt. Col. Jose Togores Arjona
(Cavalry) – President
Capt. Ricardo Munoz Arias
(Post Artillery) – Member
Capt. Manuel Reguera
(31st Cavalry Regiment) – Member
Capt. Braulio Rodriguez Nuno
(7th Regiment of Rangers) – Members
Capt. Santiago Esquerdo Osorio
(8th Regiment of Ranger) – Member
Capt. Manuel Diaz Esculbano
(Battalion of engineers) – Members
Capt. Fermin Perez Rodriguez
(General Ordinance) – Member

In the morning of December 26, 1896, the seven judges attended mass before proceeding to the Cuartel de
Espana. The case prosecutor was Enrique de Alcocer Vaamonde while Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade acted as Rizal’s defense
counsel. The court proceedings were open to the public. However, majority of those who attended the trial were
Spaniards living in Manila. Only few of Rizal’s confidants and relatives were allowed to witness the actual trial
proceedings. The president of the court began the session with an opening statement. Afterwards, the prosecutor
started with a brief presentation of the case. He read the summary of charges and body of evidence against Rizal. He
capped off his opening statement by declaring Rizal guilty of all the charges (De la Costa, 1961).
Lt. Andrade’s defense focused on disproving Rizal’s involvement with the Katipunan. He pointed out
contradictions and specific technicalities like (1) the prosecutor citing the articles from the military code and not from the
civil law; (2) the witnesses presented by the prosecution were the co-accused of Rizal; therefore, they testified against
him to absolve themselves of their crimes; and 93) that the constitution of La Liga Filipina, stating that the group is a civil
society movement, was disregarded by the court. Andrade ended his defense with this statement: “Judges cannot be
arrangers; judges cannot be anything but just.” The court gave Rizal a chance to speak and read the brief of his defense.
He availed of this opportunity and read “Addition to my Defense which he wrote inside his prison cell. His defense
contained 12 major statements disproving the charges against him. He read it with confidence and wit. Though he
brilliantly defended himself, Rizal’s efforts did not bear into fruition as the court ruled against him.

The Charges Against Rizal

Rizal’s enemies charged him with numerous cases. Friars charged him with blasphemy, subversion, and
indecency. The military, on the other hand, charged him with rebellion, sedition, and involvement with illegal
organizations. His arraignment was held in his prison cell on December 11, 1896 with his counsel Lt. Luis de Andrade.
The court (Garcia, 1960) found Rizal guilty of the crimes of organizing illegal societies and of inciting rebellion and thereby
sentenced him to death.

Act of Rebellion
When the case brought to formal court trial on December 26, 1896, Rizal was found guilty of rebellion according
to paragraphs 229 and 230 of Article 1 of the Spanish penal code (Hernandez et al., 1963). The crime of rebellion was
justified in court by linking Rizal to the katipunan’s revolutionary activities. He was described by Judge Rafael Dominguez
as a provocateur who espoused revolutionary ideas in his works. In the opinion of the court, La Liga Filipinas was the
organization responsible for the creation of the katipunan. And since Rizal was the progenitor of the Liga, he was also
found guilty of illegal association with banned organizations. As the “living soul of the insurrection,” the Spanish court
sentenced Rizal to death by firing squad (De la Costa, 1961).

Act of Sedition

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 Republic of the Philippines
NORTHERN ILOILO POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE
VICTORINO SALCEDO CAMPUS
Sara, Iloilo
Reg. No. 97Q19783

Though Rizal was not found guilty of this crime, the other two major crimes he was said to be found guilty of
were enough to merit him a death penalty.

Illegal Association
The members of the Spanish military court were not convinced that La Liga Filipina was a mere civic society.
They believed that the association was formed to assist the forthcoming revolution. With Rizal’s novels, the Noli and Fili,
as the revolution’s doctrine, the Spanish authorities saw the Liga as well-oiled propaganda machine. Its principal agents
could be punished by life imprisonment of death. The grounded effects of La Liga Filipina were interpreted by the Spanish
court as the aggravating circumstances for without them, the rebellion would not be realized. Aside from La Liga Filipina,
Rizal organized Masonic lodges nationwide. Masonic lodges were described by the Spanish court as the centers of the
separatist movements. Along this line, his novels espoused the idea of Philippine independence from Spain.

The Execution of Rizal

The final court verdict on Rizal’s alleged crimes was execution. The execution of Rizal was done in Bagumbayan
(Luneta), now known as Rizal Park. During thee Spanish era, Bagumbayan was known as the “killing field” because most
criminals who wee sentenced to death were executed there. Though methods of execution varied depending on the
convict’s crime, a lot of Filipino blood was spilled in the said field.

The Execution Decree

The Governor-General in the Philippines when Rizal was executed was Governor-General Camilo de Polavieja.
He approved the verdict of the court martial to execute Rizal through firing squad on December 30, 1896 at 7:05 o’clock
in the morning (De la Costa, 1961). He signed the execution decree dated December 28th 1896 which reads as follows
(Retana, 1907):

Manila December 28, 1896

Conformably to the foregoing opinion, I approved the sentence dictated by
the Court martial in the present case by virtue of which the death penalty is imposed
on the accused Jose Rizal Mercado, whih shall be executed by shooting at 7:00 oçlock
in the morning of the 30th of this month in the fied of Bagumbayan.
For compliance and the rest that may correspond, let this be returned to
the Judge Advocate, Captain Don Rafael Domingez.
Sgd. Camilo G. de Polavieja

Before the Execution

On December 29, 1896, Rizal’s death sentence was read to him by Captain Rafael Dominguez, who was assigned
by Governor-General Polavieja to oversee Rizal’s execution in Bagumbayan. Rizal had a lot of visitors in his prison cell a
day before his execution such as his former professors in Ateneo Municipal like Fr. Miguel Saderra mata; Fr. Vega, who
kept the statue of the Sacred Heart of Hesus which carved with his pen knife; Fr. Antonio Russe; Fr. Federico Faura who
once said to Rizal, “Someday, you would lose your head for writing Noli.” Rizal replied, “Father you are indeed a prophet.”
When Rizal was finally left alone in his prison cell, he wrote a letter addressed to his friends, particularly to Blumentritt,
and his family. He enclosed the letter with a poem. This precious poem was placed inside an alcohol stove, a gift to him
by Paz Pardo de Tavera, wife of Juan Luna. The most important visitors of Rizal in his cell were his family. When Rizal
saw Dona Teodora for the last time, he knelt down, kissed her hands, and asked for her forgiveness. Both of them were
crying as they embraced each other when the guards separated them. Rizal give the alcohol stove to Trinidad and
whispered to her in English: “There is something inside.” (Palma, 1949). That “something inside” in the alcohol stove
was the farewell poem Mi Ultimo Adios. This title was given later by the Rizalists.

Execution of the Martyr

In the early morning of December 30, Rizal prepared for his death march. He wore a white shirt, a black suit,
black derby hat, black shoes, and a black tie (Craig, 1913). In his execution outfit which he bought during his European
trip, he remained dignified as respectable as he was. Although his arms were tied behind his back like those of a typical
prisoner. Rizal began his death march at 6:30 AM at the sound of the trumpet in Fort Santiago. The formation of the
death march took this order: the first line consisted of four soldiers with bayoneted rifles. Rizal was in the second row
accompanied by Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade. Behind them were Fr. March, Fr. Vilaclara, and heavily-armed Spanish
soldiers. His death march was witnessed by his sympathizers and curious spectators (Palma, 1949). The onlookers formed
a line along the street from Fort Santiago to the Plaza del Palacio just in front of the Manila Cathedral. The line of marchers
passed through Postigo Gate of the walled city proceeded to Malecon C. (now Bonifacio Drive). Upon reaching
Bagumbayan, Rizal noticed the sky, and said: “How beautiful it is today, Father. What morning could be more serene!
How clear are Corregidor and the mountains of Cavite! On a morning like this, I used to take a walk with my sweetheart.”
He also noticed the college tower of Ateneo, and then he asked. “Is that Ateneo, Father” “Yes,” the priest replied (Quirino,
1940).

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 Republic of the Philippines
NORTHERN ILOILO POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE
VICTORINO SALCEDO CAMPUS
Sara, Iloilo
Reg. No. 97Q19783

The execution field was crowded with supporters, spectators, and foreigners. Rizal was told to stand at the
center of the square in between two lamp posts. The spot was a grassy lawn located near the shore of Manila Bay which
is now the place where Rizal monument is erected. During that moment, it was clear to Rizal that his heroic journey had
come to an end. Although his arms were securely tied behind his back, he waved his hands to Fathers March and Vilaclara
and to his counsel Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade. Before he was finally shot, one of the priests blessed Rizal and let him kiss
a crucifix. Lastly, Dr. Felipe Ruiz Castillo, a Spanish military physician felt Rizal’s pulse. He found it normal, which proves
that even in the face of death, Rizal was still brave and courageous (Coates, 1968). Now, the execution squad took their
shooting stance. The squad was composed of eight Filipino soldiers armed with Remington rifles. Behind the Filipino
firing squad were eight full-blooded Spanish soldiers armed with Mauser rifles. The Spanish captain ordered the Spanish
squad to shoot the Filipino squad in case the latter refused to follow orders. The Spanish captain also ordered the
commander of the firing squad to shoot Rizal on the back, but Rizal requested to the commander in charge that he be
allowed to face the firing squad. His request was denied. So, reluctantly, Rizal followed the order to face the sea. Then,
the sound of the drums broke the silence. Following the drumbeats was the loud command of the squad commander:
“Fuego!” Then the gun shots of the firing squad reverberated in the morning air as Rizal turned his body towards the east.
He fell to ground dead facing the morning sun. Craig (1913) noted that following this tragic scene, a mortuary wagon
from San Juan de Dios Hospital took Rizal’s body to the Paco Cemetery.

After the Execution

The Filipinos mourned the loss of a great leader and brave reformist. Most of Rizal’s compatriots were
demoralized after his tragic demise. Nonetheless, his martyrdom inspired Filipino to unite and express their ardent
support to all civil organizations that promoted nationalism and Philippine independence.

Spanish Reaction
Most of the Spaniards, especially Governor-General Polavieja and the friars, felt victorious after Rizal’s death.
Some Spanish onlookers even played Marcha de Cadiz to celebrate what, for them, was a glorious day. One onlooker
even shouted, “Viva Espana! Muerte a los tradores! (Long live Spain! Death to the traitors!).
Only a few Spaniards were saddened by Rizal’s death – the Jesuit priests. For them, Rizal’s death meant the loss
of a great student, intellectual, leader, and hero.

Burial of Rizal
Before the day of Rizal’s execution, Dona Teodora visited Rizal in Fort Santiago. Rizal requested to Dona Teodora
to claim his body and bury it after his death. Rizal made this request because he was fully aware that his body would not
be returned to his family for proper burial. In response to Rizal’s request, Dona Teodora went to the Spanish authorities
begging for Rizal’s body after his execution. As expected, the request was denied but later on, Governor-General Manuel
Luengo granted the request of Dona Teodora on December 29. However, since Rizal was executed on December 30, the
Mercado family was not able to claim his body. They were tricked by the Spanish government. The coffin Narcisa ordered
and the funeral serviced prepared for Rizal was all for naught. Instead, the body of the martyr immediately disappeared
from the field (Coates, 1968). His body was buried by the Brothers of Peace and Charity at the Paco Cemetery, the only
known cemetery during that time (De la Costa, 1961). In a cemetery where the dead were normally buried in niches
mounted on the cemetery walls, Rizal was strangely buried in the ground.
It was Narcisa who found Rizal’s grave in the Paco cemetery. After bribing the cemetery guards. Narcisa marked
Rizal’s gravestone with the letters “R.P.J.” which stood for Rizal’s reversed initials “Rizal Protacio Jose” (Craig, 1913).
Rizal was not given the burial he deserved. His family and the Filipino people were not given the chance to pay
their last respects to him. His body was immediately buried by the Brothers of Charity and Peace for fear that the
demonstrators would continue to protest against the government. As reported by Craig, the martyr’s body was buried
without coffin or even a piece of cloth. His body was placed directly on the ground. Two years after the execution, and
under the dispensation of th Americans, the new colonizers, Rizal’s remains were exhumed on August 17, 1898 and kept
for a few days in the house of Don Higino Francisco, a friend of Rizal in Binondo. Then, they were again transferred to
Dona Teodora’s residence in Magdalena, Tondo. In 1912, his remains were transferred to the Chinese Garden in Luneta.
In 1996, they were again exhumed and kept in the monument where at present his remains are laid forever.

Rizal Monument
Rizal Park, the Manila’s premier park, is the third name after its previous name Luneta. Spanish for “crescent-
shaped fortification”. Its original name was Bagumbayan, a village called by the Spaniards as Nuevo Pueblo. Rizal Park is
a favorite place of city folks for their afternoon leisurely walk and relaxation with sea breeze coming from Manila Bay.
The granite monument of Rizal (Rafael, 2003) Swiss sculptor, Dr. Richard Kissling, who won the second prize in the
international art competition, held from 1905-1907 in Manila. His entry was fortunate because the contract was granted
to him by Rizal Monument Committee after the competition. The contract was supposed to be awarded to the first prize
winner, Professor Carlo Nicoli of Italy. However, Nicoli failed to comply with the requirements of the committee. Rizal’s
status was unveiled on December 18, 1913 during the celebration of his 17th death anniversary. The idea of having Rizal
monument was undoubtedly credited to Pascual Poblete, a Filipino newspaperman, when he wrote about it in “Ang
Kapatid ng Bayan” (El Grito del Pueblo). His timely ideas were supported by the American Commission and the Philippine

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 Republic of the Philippines
NORTHERN ILOILO POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE
VICTORINO SALCEDO CAMPUS
Sara, Iloilo
Reg. No. 97Q19783

Assembly by approving Act No. 243 on September 28, 1901 (Ocampo, 1996). Today, the Rizal monument serves two
purposes: as a national monumental symbol and as a mausoleum. His remains were interred in the shrine in 1996 during
the celebration of 100 years of the proclamation of the Philippine Independence.

IV. Learning Assessment

Answer the following exercises. 20 points each.
1) What are the evidences presented by Colonel Olive against Rizal?
2) Identify the reasons for Rizal’s arrest and imprisonment
3) What are the different issues surround Rizal’s martyrdom.

Scoring Guide:
Each answer shall be evaluated using these criteria:
Content 5 pts.
Organization 5 pts.
Subject Knowledge 10 pts.
Total score 20 pts

References

Maranan, R. (2015). Jose Rizal First Global Filipino Hero. Quezon City. C & E Publishing, Inc.

----End of Module 10, Lesson 1----

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