GEM 101: The Life and Works of Rizal

The arrival of Rizal in Manila on June 26, 1892 had become very sensational among
the Filipinos. Because the Spaniards feared his popularity, they paid careful attention
to his every move. The houses where he had visited were searched and the Filipinos
seen in his company were suspected as collaborators.

On June 27, 1892, Rizal boarded a train in Tutuban Station in Tondo and visited his
friends in Malolos, Bulacan, San Fermando, Pampanga, Tarlac and Bacolor. He was
lavishly welcomed and entertained at the homes of his friends.
 June 28, 1892- Rizal returned by train to Manila. The homes he visited were also
visited by the Guardia Civil which seized some copies of the Noli and Fili and
some "subversive" pamhplets.
 June 29, 1892- After his visits to his friend in Central Luzon, Rizal had his
interview with Governor General Despujol at 8:30 in the morning and ended at
9:15 in the evening.
 June 30, 1892- Rizal came back to see again Governor General Despujol and
talked about the question of Borneo. The Governor General was opposed to it
and told him to come back Sunday.
 July 3, 1892- Rizal and Governor General Despujol discussed many things Rizal
thanked the Governor General for lifting the exile of his sisters. Rizal told
Governor Despujol to return on Wednesday, July 6, 1892. On the evening of this
date (following his interview with the Governor) Rizal attended a meeting of the
patriots on Ylaya Street, Tondo, Manila, at the home of Doroteo Ongjunco.
 July 6, (Wed), 1892- Rizal went to Malacanang Palace to resume his series of
interviews with the governor-general. During the interview, Governor-General
Despujol suddenly showed him some printed copies of the Pobres Frailes (Poor
Friars) which were found in Lucia's pillow cases. The incriminatory leaflets were
under the authorship of P. Jacinto (Rizal's pen name) and printed by the
Imprenta de los Amigos del Pais, Manila.
 July 7, 1892- The Gaceta de Manila published the story of Rizal's arrest Rizal's
arrest caused commotion among Filipinos, especially the newly organized La
Liga Filipina. On the same day, Governor Despujol issued a decree deporting
Rizal to Dapitan. The decree mentioned the reasons for deportation as follows:

1. the books and articles to Spain, anti-Catholic and anti-friars

2. a bundle of handbills found in one of his packages after his arrival in Manila
entitled Pobres Frailes satirized the Filipinos and anti-religious order
3. El Filibusterismo was dedicated to the Gomburza which the Spanish
authorities considered as traitors

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 4. Rizal was pursuing the salvation of the Filipinos through their separation
from Mother country (Spain).
 July 15, 1892- at 12:30 a.m. of July 15, Rizal was brought under heavy guard to
the steamer Cebu which was sailing for Dapitan. The steamer under Captain
Delgras left Manila at 1:00 am, under cover of darkness.
 July 17,1892- After two days of sailing, the steamer Cebu reached Dapitan 7:00
p.m. of July 17. Captain Delgras handed Rizal to Captain Ricardo Carcinero, the
Spanish Commandant of Dapitan. That same night, Rizal was exiled in Dapitan
for a period of four (4) years, from July 17,1892 to July 31,1896.

Beginning of Exile in Dapitan

The steamer Cebu carried a letter of Father Pablo pastells, a Jesuit Superior of the
Jesuit Society of the Philippines. The letter was given to Father Antonio Obach,
Dapitan Jesiut parish priest. It stated that Rizal could live at the parish convent on
the conditions that Rizal publicly retract his errors concerning religion, make his
statement Pro-Spanish, perform church rites, make a general confession of his past
life, and to conduct himself like a Spanish subject and a man of religion. Rizal did not
agree to these conditions.
 September 21, 1892- Rizal, Captain Carcinero and Francisco Equilior (Spanish
resident of Dipolog), the neighboring town of Dapitan, jointly owned the ticket
that won the second prize of Php 20,000 in a lottery. The ticket no. is 9736.
Rizal's share is Php 6,200. He gave his father Php 2,000 and Php 200 to his
friend Basa in Hongkong. The rest of the amount was invested in purchasing
agricultural lands along the coast of Talisay, one kilometer away from Dapitan.
 Rizal Debated with Pastells on Religion - Rizal had a long and scholarly
debate with Father Pastells (Sept 1, 1892 to April 1893) on religion.
 Rizal Challenged a Frenchman to a Duel - While Rizal was still debating
with Father Pastells by means of exchanging letters, he became involved in
a quarrel with Mr. Juan Larder, a French acquaintance and business man.
 Rizal Could not be Convinced by Father Sanchez- Father Francisco
Paula Sanchez, Rizal's favorite teacher at Ateneo, was sent by Father
Pastells to convince Rizal to return to the Catholic faith. Father Sanchez
failed to convince Rizal to discard his unorthodox views on the Catholic
religion.
 August 1893- His mother and sister Maria arrived in Dapitan and lived with him
for 1 1/2 year. He likewise operated the right eye of his mother.
 November 3, 1893- In the early part of November, 1893, Rizal was living
peacefully and happily at his house in Talisay, a kilometer away from Dapitan.
His mother, sister Narcisa, and Trinidad and some nephews came to see Rizal
and decided to live with him.

Rizal’s Life and Works in Dapitan

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Rizal's exile in Dapitan for 4 years and 13 days had been maximized by devoting
much of his time in improving his artistic and literary skills, doing agricultural and
civic projects, engaging in business activities and writing letters to his friends in
Europe, particularly to Dr. Ferdinand Blumentritt and Reinhold Rost.

Career and Achievements while in Exile in Dapitan

 As a physician, Rizal provided free medicine to his patients, most of them were
underprivileged.
 As an engineer, Rizal applied his knowledge through the waterworks system he
constructed in Dapitan.
 As an educator, Rizal established a school in Dapitan which was attended by 16
young boys from prominent families.
 As an agriculturist, Rizal devoted time in planting important crops and fruit-
bearing trees in his 16-hectare land (later, reaching as large as 70 hectares).
 As a businessman, the adventurous Rizal, with his partner. Ramon Carreon,
tried his luck in the fishing, hemp and copra industries.
 As an inventor, little was known of Rizal. In 1887, during his medical practice in
Calamba, he invented a special type of lighter called sulpukan which he sent to
Blumentritt as a gift.
 As an artist, he had contributed his talent in the Sisters of Charity who were
preparing for the arrival of the image of the Holy Virgin.
 As a scientist, Rizal shared his interest with nature to his students.
 As a linguist, Rizal was interested in the languages used in Dapitan, thus,
studied and made comparisons of the Bisayan and Malayan languages existing
in the region. In fact, Rizal had knowledge in 22 languages: Tagalog. Ilocano,
Bisayan, Subanun, Spanish, Latin, Greek, English, French, German, Arabic,
Malayan, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Dutch, Catalan, Italian, Chinese, Japanese,
Portuguese, Swedish and Russian.

Romantic Affair with Josephine Bracken

Rizal had always been missing his family and their happy moments together in
Calamba and his despair doubled upon the announcement of Leonor Rivera’s death.
Not soon to his surprise, an Irish girl enlightened his rather gloomy heart. This girl
was the 18-year old Josephine Bracken who, to Wenceslao Retana’s words, was
“slender, a chesnut blond, with blue eyes, dressed with elegant simplicity, with an
atmosphere of light (gaiety).”
From Hongkong, she arrived in Dapitan in February, 1895 with his blind foster
father, George Taufer, and a Filipina named Manuela Orlac. Rizal's fame as an
opthalmic surgeon reached overseas, and one of Rizal's friends, Julio Llorente
referred the group to Rizal. Rizal and Bracken instantly fell in love with each other as

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"Love at First Sight" and in just one month, they agreed to marry which appalled and
disturbed Taufer. However, the parish priest of Dapitan, Father Pedro Obach, refused
to do so unless they be permitted by the Bishop of Cebu.

Katipunan Seek Rizal’s Advice

Prior to the outbreak of the revolution, the Katipunan leader, Andres Bonifacio,
sought the advise of Jose Rizal. In a secret meeting on May 2, 1896 Bitukang Manok
river in Pasig, the group agreed to send Dr. Pio Valenzuela as a representative to
Dapitan who will inform Rizal of their plan to launch a revolution against the
Spaniards. On board the steamer Venus, Valenzuala left Manila on June 15, 1892
and in 6 days (June 21, 1896), arrived at Dapitan with a blind companion, Raymundo
Mata. At night, Rizal and Valenzuela had a talk in the former's garden. There,
Valenzuela told him of the Katipunan's plan. Regarding this, Rizal outspokenly
objected Bonifacio's "premature" idea for two reasons:
1. the Filipinos were still unready for such bloody revolution; and
2. the Katipunan lacked machinery - before plotting a revolution, there must be
sufficient arms and funds collected.

Rizal’s Departure from Dapitan (as a prisoner)

Rizal's destination in Cuba, as a military doctor.
 July 31, 1896- On the midnight of July 31, 1896, he bade goodbye to the
Dapitan folks. He was accompanied to the shore by Josephine, Narcisa,
Angelica (Narcisa's daughter), his three nephews, six pupils and some Dapitan
residents, he embarked on board the steamer España. Many wept as the
steamer sailed away. The town brass band played the dolorous farewell music
"Funeral March" of Chopin.
 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.
 August 19, 1896-The Katipunan's plot to overthr
 ow the S
 panish 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 his valiant
Katipuneros.
 August 30, 1896-Bonifacio and Jacinto attacked San Juan (Battles of San
Juan).
 September 2, 1896-At 6:00 p.m., Rizal was transferred to the steamer Isla de
Panay which was to sail for Barcelona, Spain. This was his last trip to Spain.

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 September 7, 1896- Rizal was arrived in Singapore in the evening of September
7. Together with other passengers, he went sightseeing and shopping.
 September 30, 1896- The steamer anchored at 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 A.M. 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.M. 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 P.M. 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.

Rizal was Shipped Back to the Philippines to Undergo Trial

 November 2, 1896 - Rizal's diary was returned to him. At this time, 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.
 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’s Trial
 November 20, 1896-On this day, a preliminary 5-day investigation began. is
appeared before the Judge Advocate Colonel Francisco Olive. Documentary and
testimonial evidences were presented against Rizal. The documentary evidences
were:
1. Antonio Luna's letter to Mariano Ponce on October 16, 1888 when showed
Rizal 's connection with the Filipino reform campaign in Spain.

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 2. Rizal's letter to his family on August 20, 1890 in 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 in 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 honored Rizal 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 Hongkong 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 Pingkin (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-Tik (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.
 November 26, 1896- After the preliminary investigation, Colonel Olive
transmitted the records of the case to Governor General Ramon Blanco, who
was thereupon transmitted to them to Don Nicolas de la Pena, Judge Advocate
General. Among Pena's recommendation for Rizal to be defended in court by an
Army officer, not by civilian lawyer.

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 December 8, 1896- Rizal chose his defender from a list of 100 first and second
lieutenants in the Spanish Army. He chose Don Luis Taviel de Andrade, 1
lieutenant of the Artillery and brother of Lt. Jose Taviel de Andrade, Rizal's
bodyguard in Calamba in 1887.
 December 11, 1896-The information of charges was formally read to Rizal in his
prison cell, with his counsel present. Rizal was accused of three (3) crimes:
1. rebellion
2. sedition
3. illegal association
 December 13 1896- Ramon Blanco was replaced by Camilo Polavieja, a more
ruthless character, a governor general of the Philippines. Dominguez submitted
the papers of the Rizal case to Malacañan Palace.
 December 15, 1896- Rizal wrote a manifesto to his people appealing to them to
stop shedding of blood and to achieve liberties by means of education and
industry.
 December 25, 1896- It was the saddest Christmas for Jose Rizal because this
was his last Christmas. Rizal wrote a letter to Lt. Taviel de Andrade that his case
was a hopeless one.
 December 26, 1896 at 8 A.M. The court-martial of Rizal was held in Cuartel de
Espana, a military building. Sealed behind a long table on an elevated dais were
the seven members of the military court in their respective uniforms Lt. Col. Jose
Togores Arjona (president), Capt. Rizardo Munoz Arias, Capt Manuel Reguero,
Capt. Santiago Izquierdo Osorio, Capt. Braulio Rodriguez Nunez, Capt. Manuel
Escribano, and Capt. Fermin Perez Rodriguez.

Trial Proper
The trial was opened by ludge Advocate Dominguez who explained the case against
Rizal. After him, Prosecuting Attorney Alcocer delivered a speech summarizing the
charges against Rizal and urged the court to give the verdict death. The Spanish
spectators applauded noisily.
After Alcocer finished his speech, Defense Counsel Taviel de Andrade took the floor
and read the eloquent defense of Rizal and admonished the members of the military.
His admonition fell on deaf ears. After the defense counsel took his seat, the court
asked Rizal to say something. Rizal read a supplement to his defense. But the
military court remained indifferent to Rizal's pleading.
Lt. Col. Togores Arjona, the president considered the trial over and ordered the hall
cleared. After a short deliberation, the military court unanimously voted for Rizal's
sentence of death. The Judge Advocate General Nicolas de la Pena - affirmed the
death verdict.
 December 28 1896- Governor General Polavieja approved the decision of the
court martial and ordered Rizal to be shot at the back by a firing squad on
December 30, 1896 at 7:00 in the morning in Bagumbayan Field (Luneta).

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 December 29, 1896
6:00 AM: Rizal was read his verdict by Captain Rafael Dominguez. To be shot
the next day at 7:00 A.M. at the Luneta de Bagumbayan (Rizal Park)
7:00 AM: Rizal was transferred to the chapel cell which were adorned by
religious images to convince him to go back to Catholic fold. His first visitors
were Fathers Miguel SaderRa Mata and Luis Viza.
7:15 AM: After Father Saderra left, Rizal asked Fr. Viza for the Sacred Heart
statuette which he carved when he was an Ateneo student.
8:00 AM: Father Viza was relieved by Father Antonio Rosell who joined Rizal
for breakfast.
9:00 AM: Fr. Federico Faura, who once said that Rizal would lose his head for
writing Noli Me Tangere, arrived. Rizal told him, "Father, you are indeed a
poet."
10:00 AM: Fathers Jose Vilaclara and Estanislao March visited Rizal, followed
by a Spanish journalist, Santiago Mataix of El Heraldo Madrid, for an
interview.
12:00-3:30 PM: Rizal was alone in his cell. He had lunch, wrote letters and
probably wrote his last poem of 14 stanzas which he wrote in his flowing
handwriting in a very small piece of paper. He hid it inside his alcohol stove.
The untitled poem was later known as Mi Ultimo Adios (My Last Farewell). In
its second stanza, he already praised the revolutionaries in the battlefield in
giving their lives "without doubt, without gloom.
3:00 PM: According to an account of the agent of the Cuerpo de Vigilancia
guarding Rizal's cell, Rizal signed what seems to be the document retracting
his anti-Catholic writings and his membership masonry. This event a
contentious issue among Rizal experts.
4:00 PM: Visit of Rizal's mother, Teodora Alonso. Then Rizal's sister Trinidad
entered to get her mother and Rizal whispered to her in English referring to
the alcohol stove. "There is something inside" They were also accompanied
by Narcisa, Lucia, Josefa, Maria and son Mauricio Cruz.

6:00 PM: Rizal was visited by the Dean of the Manila Cathedral, Don Silvino
Lopez Tuñon. Father March left Father Vilaclara to be with the two.
8:00 PM: Rizal's last supper where he informed Captain Dominguez that he
already forgave those who condemned him.
9:30 PM: Rizal was visited by the fiscal of the Royal Audiencia of Manila, Don
Gaspar Cestaño with whom Rizal offered the best chair of the cell According
to accounts, the fiscal left with "a good impression of Rizal's intelligency and
noble character."
10:00 P.M.- The draft of the retraction sent by the anti- Filipino Archbishop
Bernardino Nozaleda (1890-1903) was submitted by Father Balaguer to Rizal
for signature but Rizal rejected it at first because it was too long. Another

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 shorter retraction was prepared by Father Pio Pi, Superior of the Jesuit
Society in the Philippine, which was acceptable to Rizal. Rizal wrote his own
retraction in which he abjured masonry and his religious ideas which were
anti-Catholic.

 30 December, 5:30 AM: Rizal took his last meal. According to stories told to
Narcisa by Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade, Rizal threw some eggs in the corner of a
cell for the "poor rats," "Let them have their fiesta too. Rizal also wrote to his
family and to his brother.

To my Family,
I ask you for forgiveness for the pain I cause you, but
some day I shall have to die and its better that I die now in
the plentitude of my conscience
Dear parents and brothers: give thanks to God that I
may preserve my tranquility before my death. I die
resigned, hoping that with my death you will be left in
peace. Ah! It is better to die than to live suffering. Console
yourselves.
I enjoin you to forgive one another the little meanness
of life and try to live united in peace and good harmony.
Treat your old parents as you would like to be treated by
your children later. Love them very much in my memory.
Bury me in the ground. Place a stone and a cross over
it. My name, the date of my birth and of my death. Nothing
more. If later you wish to surround my grave with a fence,
you can do it. No anniversaries. I prefer Paang Bundok.
Have pity on poor Josephine.
Jose Rizal

Rizal’s Execution and Death

 December 30, 1896
6:00 AM: Rizal wrote his father, Francisco Mercado "My beloved Father,
Pardon me for the pain with which I repay you for sorrows and sacrifices for
my education. I did not want nor did I prefer it. Goodbye. Father, goodbye...
Jose Rizal. To his mother, he had only these words. "To my very dear Mother,
Sra. Doña Teodora Alonso 6 o'clock in the morning. December 30, 1896. Jose
Rizal."
6:30 AM: A trumpet sounded at Fort Santiago, a signal to begin the death
march to Bagumbayan. The four (4) soldiers who acted as advanced guards
with bayoneted rifles moved first. A few meters behind, Rizal walked calmly
with his defense counsel on one side and two Jesuit priests on the other.

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 Behind them were the soldiers. With the sounds of the drum, the cavalcade
marched slowly, passing the narrow Postigo Gate (one of the gates of the city
wall), and reached the Malecon (now Bonifacio drive). Rizal walked serenely
to Bagumbayan field and was told to stand on a grassy lawn by the shore of
the Manila Bay, between two lamp posts.

Rizal’s Death
 30 December, 7:03 AM: With the captain shouting "Fuego!" Shouts rang out
from the guns of eight indio soldiers. Rizal, being a convicted criminal was not
facing the firing squad. As he was hit, be resists and turns himself to face his
trecutors. He falls down and dies facing the sky.
 30 December 1896, afternoon: Narcisa, after a long search, discovered where
her brother's body was secretly buried, at the old unused Paco Cemetery. She
asked the guards to place a marble plaque designed by Doroteo Ongjungco
containing Rizal's initials in reverse- "RPI."
 17 August 1898: Four days after the Mock Battle of Manila when the American
took over the city, the remains of Rizal were exhumed. They were brought to
Narcisa's house, washed and cleansed and were placed in an ivory urn designed
by Romualdo Teodoro de Jesus. The urn stayed there until 1912.
 29 December 1912: From Estraude Street in Binondo, Manila, the turn was
transferred in a procession headed by the masons and the Knights of Rizal to
the marble hall of the Ayuntamiento de Manila, where it stayed overnight with the
Knights on guard.
 30 December 1912, morning: In a solemn procession, the urn began its last
journey to Rizal's final resting place the base of the soon-to-rise national
monument to Jose Rizal.
 30 December 1913: The Rizal National Monument at the Luneta was
inaugurated. Its original design name was "Motto Stella" (Guiding Star) and was
made by Swiss sculptor Dr. Richard Kissling who earlier also made the National
Monument to William Tell, the National Hero of Switzerland.
 30 December 2012: The transfer of the remains of Rizal from Binondo to the site
of the Rizal Monument was recreated one hundred years later by the Order of
the Knights of Rizal and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines in
commemoration of Rizal's 116th Martyrdom Anniversary.

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