CHAPTER 5
JOSE RIZAL’S LIFE: EXILE,
TRIAL AND DEATH
Jose Rizal’s Exile (1892-96)
Jose dwelled as exile in Dapitan, Zamboanga Del Norte, a far-removed town in Mindanao from 1892 to 1896.
This four-year interregnum in Jose’s life was summed up by Zaide and Zaide (2104) as:
Tediously unexciting, but was abundantly fruitful with varied achievements. He practiced medicine,
pursed scientific studies, continued his artistic and literary works, widened his knowledge of languages,
established a school for boys, promoted community development projects, invented a wooden machine for
making bricks, and engaged in farming and commerce. Despite his multifarious activities, fellow reformists,
and eminent scientists and scholars of Europe.
In Dapitan, Jose had a very peaceful, happy, and enjoyable life and the way he lived it was extremely good and
deserving to be admired and copied. He made sure his stay in Dapitan would be fruitful, so he engaged in manifold
activities. His excellent skill in the science of medicine spread like wild fire in Dapitan. His medical practice attracted
many patients who were mostly poor. He put to good use the curative values of the Philippines medicinal plants
which he studied and doled them out to his poor patients who could not afford to buy imported medicine. He
welcomed both affluent and indigent patients. He normally undercharged them if not for free and accepted any
payments in kind from those who had little or no money.
With the assistance of Father Francisco Sanchez, his former Jesuit teacher, Jose buckled down to work. He
enhanced the town plaza and accentuated it with a huge relief map of Mindanao, which
can still be viewed today. One of the impressive projects of Jose was the water system
he designed and constructed in order that people of Dapitan can have access to clean
water. In spite of lack of funds, exiguous resources and no government assistance, he
was able to build it, armed only with his training in Ateneo, readings of engineering
books, sheer determination and ingenuity. To reduce the occurrence of malaria, he
drained the marshes where mosquitos thrived. Utilizing the 500 pesos he received from
an English patient, he introduced a lighting system made up of coconut oil lamps in glass
protectors which lighted up dark areas in the town.
Imbued with the value of education since childhood, Jose realized his dream to
establish his own school in which he applied the educational system he learned abroad. The school opened with
three pupils which increased to 16 and later to 21. His lessons constituted of reading, writing languages (Spanish and
English), geography, history, mathematics (arithmetic and geometry), industrial work, study of nature, and morals.
He also trained and exposed them to gymnastics, boxing, wrestling, stone-throwing, swimming, arnis (native
frencing), and boating for physical development and discipline.
He did not charge his pupils for sharing his knowledge,
instead, he encouraged them to help him in his garden, farm,
and construction projects in the community.
Jose conducted scientific studies in the rich virgin field
if Dapitan and collected specimens of animals and plants. He
forwarded these specimens to the Dresden museum of Europe
and he received scientific books and surgical instruments as
payment. He has an impressive assemblage of his study of 346 shells from 203 species. He obtained knowledge on
some rare specimens which were named in his honor by European scientists such as Draco rizali (a flying dragon),
Apogonia rizali (a small beetle), and Rhacophorus rizali (a rare frog).
While in Dapitan, Jose studied the Bisayan, Subanum, and Malayan languages and wrote a Tagalog grammar.
He wrote poems entitled: A Don Ricardo Carnicero, Himno A Talisay (Hymn to the Talisay Tree) Mi Retiro (My
Retreat), El Canto del Viajero (The Song of the Traveler) and Josephine. He also made some drawings and sculptures
of people and things that captivated him.
Jose acquired lands in Dapitan which reached total holdings of 70 hectares, where he constructed his house,
school, hospital, and planted in his farm many fruit trees, corn, coffee, cacao, sugarcane, and hemp. He also
introduced and encouraged the use of modern European and American methods of agriculture. He, however, did not
realize his dream of transforming Dapitan into an agricultural colony because he did not get the acceptance and
permission of the government.
In collaboration with Ramon Carreon, a Dapitan merchant, Jose was successful in his business ventures in
fishing, copra, and hemp industries. He established the Cooperative Association of Dapitan Farmers to break the
Chinese business in monopoly in Dapitan. The confederation, according to Jose Rizal’s Political and Historical
Writings (1964) aimed “to improve the farm products, obtain better outlets for them, collect funds for their
purchases, and help the producers and workers by establishing a store wherein they can buy prime commodities at
moderate prices.”
He devised an unusual “sulpukan”, a cigarette lighter made of wood which employed the principle of
compressed air. Subsequently, it was received by Blumentritt as a gift. He also formed an idea of a machine for
making bricks. Patterned after a Belgian example, Jose’s version could produce about 6,000 bricks daily.
In spite of his achievements in Dapitan, Jose felt empty. He missed his family, relatives, and friends. He felt
he needed somebody to rejuvenate him. Expressed in Letters between Rizal and Family Members (1964), Jose found
his answer in Josephine Bracken:
In God’s own time, this “somebody” came to Dapitan, like a sunbeam to dispel his
melancholy
mood. She was Josephine Bracken, an Irish girl of sweet eighteen, “slender, a chestnut blond, with blue eyes,
dressed with elegant simplicity, with an atmosphere of light gayety”. She of Irish parents. She was born in
Hong Kong on October 3, 1876 of Irish parents – James Bracken, a corporal in the British garrison, and
Elizabeth Jane MacBride.
Jose and Josephine fell inlove with each other and decided to seal their relationship with marriage but no
priest would marry them. Even without the blessing of the church, Jose and Josephine joyfully shared each other’s
life in Dapitan. His happiness doubled when he learned that Josephine was expecting a baby. By twist of fate, the
baby, only lived for three hours. He named his baby boy “Francisco” in honor to his father.
In 1876, Andres Bonifacio and his Katipunan (revolutionary society he founded on July 7, 1892) organized an
armed rebellion. They assigned Dr. Pio Valenzuela to notify Jose Rizal about their plan. To conceal his assignment, Dr.
Pio was accompanied by Raymundo Mata, a blind man to consult Jose’s medical advised. Jose opposed the
Katipuneros very bold and shocking uprising. He firmly believed that they are not ready for a revolution. He added
that they do not have adequate arms and funds. He also declined the offer of Katipuneros to rescue him.
Several months before the Katipuneros communicated with Jose, Blumentritt revealed to him the pitiful
health situation (yellow fever epidemic) in war-ridden Cuba and admonished him to volunteer as an army doctor
there to end his exile. On December 17, 1895, acting upon his friend’s counsel, Jose sent Governor General Ramon
Blanco a letter, offering his medical services in Cuba. He almost gave up hope when he did not get a response after
months had passed.
However, on July 30, 1896, when he least expected it, a letter from the Spanish Governor arrived informing
him of his proposal. This letter also expressed that he would be given a pass so that he could travel in Manila, where
he would given a safe-conduct to Spain and subsequently to Cuba.
July 31, 1896 marked Jose Rizal’s emotionally charged departure from a town he learned to love. Many
teary-eyed Dapitan folks were at the shore to bid goodbye to a person who unselfishly did all he can for their town.
With weeping heart brimming with tears of nostalgic memories, Jose gestured his farewell salute to the town’s
devoted and friendly folks.
Jose Rizal’s Trial
Andres Binifacio and his dauntless Katipuneros, on August 26, 1896, raised the cry of rebellion in the hills of
Balintawak (popularly known as “Cry of Balintawak”), a few miles in north of Manila. In August 30, they assaulted
San Juan, near the city of Manila, but they were repelled with massive losses. In the aftermath of the Battle of San
Juan, Governor General Blanco declared a state of war in the eight provinces for their insurgency against SpainManila (as a provice), Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Pampanga, Nueva Vizcaya, and Tarlac. Jose feared that the
turbulent insurrection would only beget much suffering and horrifying decimation of human lives and property. He
was also frighten of the likelihood of Spanish reprisal against all Filipino patriots.
Amidst the chaos created by the uprising, Jose received from Governor General Blanco two letters which
exculpated him from the raging insurrection. In his last trip abroad, Jose troubled by the violent attempt of the
Katipuneros to end the rule of the Spanish government, left for Spain on September 3, 1896. He, however, was
transferred to another steamer which he thought would take him from Spain to Cuba to carry out his humanitarian
offer which is to serve as military physician. Unexpectedly, he was apprehended and unlawfully detained as a
prisoner in a Spanish steamer before reaching Barcelona. He was informed that he would be shipped back to Manila
on board the transport ship Colon. Upon arriving in Manila, on November 3, 1896, the heavily guarded Jose was
transferred from the Colon to Fort Santiago.
A Severe five-day preliminary investigation began on November 20, 1896. Jose appeared before the Judge
Advocate, Colonel Francisco Olive who detailed the charges against him. Two types of evidence, documentary and
testimonial, were presented against Jose Rizal. Palma (1949) in his translated work, Pride of Malay Race, made
available the documentary evidence which consisted of fifteen exhibits, as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
A letter of Antonio Luna to Mariano Ponce, dated Madrid, October 16, 1888, showing Rizal's
connection with the Filipino reform campaign in Spain.
A letter of Rizal to his family, dated Madrid, August 20, 1890, stating that the deportations are good
for they will encourage the people to hate tyranny.
A letter from Marcelo H. Del Pilar to Deodato Arellano, dated Madrid, January 7, I 889, implicating
Rizal in the Propaganda campaign in Spain.
A poem entitled Kundiman, allegedly written by Rizal in Manila on September 12,
1891.
This poem is as follows:
KUNDIMAN
In the Orient beautiful
Where the sun is born
In a land of beauty
Full of enchantments
But bound in chains.
Where the despot reigns,
The land clearest to me.
Ah! That is my country,
She is slave oppressed
Groaning in the tyrant's grips;
Lucky shall he be
Who can give her liberty!
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
A letter of Carlos Oliver to an unidentified person, dated Barcelona, September 18, 1891, describe
Rizal as the man to free the Philippines from Spanish oppression.
A Masonic document, dated Manila, February, 9, 1892, honoring Rizal for his patriotic services.
A letter signed Dimasalang (Rizal's pseudonym) to Ter:.luz (Juan Zulueta's pseudonym), dated Hong
Kong, May 24, 1892, stating that he was preparing a safe refuge for Filipinos who may be persecuted
by the Spanish authorities.
A letter to Dimasalang to an unidentified committee, dated Hong Kong, June 1, 1892, soliciting the
aid of the committee in the, "patriotic work."
An anonymous and undated letter to the Editor of the Hong Kong Telegraph, censuring the
banishment of Rizal to Dapitan.
A letter of Ildefonso Laurel to Rizal, dated Manila, September 3, 1892, saying that the Filipino people
look up to him (Rizal) as their savior.
A letter of Ildefonso Laurel to Rizal, dated Manila 17, 1893, informing an unidentified correspondent
of the arrest and banishment of Doroteo Cortes and Ambrasio Salvador.
A letter of Marcelo Del Pilar to Don Juan A Tenluz (Juan Zulueta), dated Madrid, June l, 1893
recommending to establishment of a special organization, independent of Masonry, to help the
cause of the Filipino people.
Transcript of a speech of Pingkian (Emilio Jacinto), in a reunion of the Katipunan on July 23, 1893, in
which the following cry was uttered "Long Live the Philippines! Long Live Liberty! Long Live Doctor
Rizal! Unity!"
Transcript of a speech of Tik-Tik (Jose Turiano Santiago) in the same Katipunan reunion, where in the
katipuneros shouted: "Long live the eminent Doctor Rizal! Death to the oppressor nation!''
A poem by Laong Laan (Rizal), entitled A Talisay, in which the author makes the Dapitan schoolboys
sing that they know how to fight for their rights.
The oral testimonies of the following persons: Martin Constantino. Aguedo de! Rosario, Jose Reyes, Moises
Salvador, Jose Dizon, Domingo Franco, Deodato Arellano. Ambrosio Salvador, Pedro Serrano Laktaw, Dr. Pio
Valenzuela, Antonio Salazar, Francisco Quison, and Timoteo Paez were forwarded as testimonial evidence against
Jose.
On November 26, 1896, Judge Advocate, Colonel Francisco Olive forwarded the records of the case to
Governor General Ramon Blanco, who designated Captain Rafael Dominguez as special Judge Advocate to initiate
proceeding against Jose. Captain Dominguez submitted a summary of the action to Governor General Ramon Blanco
who thereupon, send it to the Judge Advocate General, Don Nicolas De la Pena.
After studying the papers, Pena submitted the following recommendations: (1) the accused be immediately
brought to trial; (2) he should be kept in prison; (3) an order of attachment be issued against his property to the
amount of one million pesos as indemnity; and (4) he should be defended in the court by an army officer, not by a
civilian lawyer (Zaide and Zaide, 2014).
With his counsel by his side, charges were read to Jose in his prison cell on December 1 L 1896. He was
accused, Medina ( 1998) disclosed, of being "the principal organizer and the living soul of the Filipino insurrection,
the founder of societies, periodicals and books dedicated to fomenting and propagating ideas of rebellion." Jose was
not against the jurisdiction of the court, but asserted that he was not guilty of revolution. He acknowledged that he
authored the Constitution of the Liga Filipina and empliasized that it was simply a civic alliance. He reiterated that he
had no political involvement si11 his exile to Dapitan. Or: December 13, 1896, Captain Dominguez transmitted Jose's
case to the new Governor General of the Philippines, General Camilo G. de Polavieja who replaced General Ramon
Blanco.
During the time Jose was in prison cell at Fort Santiago, he penned a manifesto seriously asking the Filipino
people to cease the needless anct tumultuous war. He encouraged them to attain freedom through education and
habit of working hard and steadily. Palma (1964) promulgated this manifesto as follows:
My Countrymen:
On my return from Spain, I learned that my name had been used as a war cry among some
who were in arms. The news painfully surprised me, but believing it was all over, r kept silent over
what r considered irremediable. Now I hear rumors that the disturbances continue, and lest any
person should still go on using my name in bad or good faith, to remedy this abuse and to undeceive
the unwary, I hasten to address you these lines so that the truth may be known.
From the beginning, when I had news of what was being planned, I opposed it, fought it, and
demonstrated its absolute impossibility. This is the truth, and witnesses to my word are still living. I
was convinced that the idea was highly absurd and, what was worse, would bring great suffering. I
did more. When later, in spite of my counsels, the movement broke out, I spontai1eo11sly offered
not only my services, but my life, and even my name so that they might use them in the manner they
saw fit to suppress the rebellion, for, convinced of the evils that would befall them, I considered
myself fortunate if, at any sacrifice, I could prevent such useless misfortunes. This is equally of
record.
My countrymen: I have given proofs, more than. Anybody else, of desiring liberties for our
country and I still desire them. But I place as a premise the education of the people so that by means
of education and of labor they might have a personality of their own and make themselves worthy of
liberties. In my writings I have recommended redemption. I have also written (and my words have
been updated) that reforms, to be fruitful, have to come from above, that those that come from
below are irregular and unstable. Imbued with these ideals, I cannot but condemn and I do condemn
this absurd, savage uprising
Planned behind my back, which dishonors us, the Fiiipinos, and discredits those who may
advocate our cause. I abhor its criminal methods and disclaim all participation therein, pitying from
the bottom of my heart the unwary who have allowed themselves to be deceived. Return then to
your homes, and may God forgive those who have acted in bad faith.
The trial of Rizal was an eloquent proof of Spanish injustice and misrule. More than a farce,
it was patently a mistrial. Rizal, a civilian, was tried by a military court composed of alien military
officers. His case was prejudged; he was considered guilty before the actual trial. The military court
met not to give him justice, but to accuse and condemn him. lt accepted all charges and testimonies
against him, and ignored all arguments and proofs in his favor. Moreover, Rizal was not given the
night (which any accused is entitled to have in a real court of justice) to face the witnesses against
him in open court.
The trial of Jose commenced in the Cuartel de Espana, a military building, on December 26, 1896, at eight
o'clock in the morning. Present in the trial were seven members of the military court: Lt. Col. Jose Togores Arjona
(President), Capt. Ricardo Munoz Arias, Capt. Manuel Reguerra, Capt. Santiago Izquierdo Osorio, Capt. Braulio
Rodriguez Nunez, Capt. Manuel Diaz Escribano, and Capt. Fermin Perez Rodriguez. Also in the military court were Lt.
Don LuisTaviel de Andrade (Jose's defense counsel) Capt. Rafael Dominguez (Judge Advocate) Lt. Enrique de Alconcer
(Prosecuting Attorney) and observers which included Josephine Bracken, a sister of Jose, newspapermen, and other
Spaniards.
Judge Advocate Capt. Rafael Dominguez began the trial and explained the case leveled against Jose. Jose was
charged of three crimes: rebellion, sedition, and illegal association. Lt. Enrique de Alconcer, prosecuting lawyer,
advanced a gingerly harangue, detailing accusations against Jose. He mercilessly made an effort to persuade the
members of the military court to punish the accused with death sentence. Lt. Don Luis Taviel de Andrade, defense
counsel of Jose tried hard to come up with a convincing defense. He brought an end to his defense by reminding the
judges to be fair and avoid vindictiveness in their judgment. After Lt. Don Luis Taviel de Andrade's defense, the court
queried Jose if there is anything he wanted to say. Jose confidently read a supplement to his defense. De Viana,
Augusto V. et al (2011) put forward Jose's supplementary defense as follows:
1.
2.
He could not be guilty of rebellion, for he advised Dr. Pio Valenzuela in Dapitan not to rise in
revolution.
He did not correspond with the radical, revolutionary elements.
3.
The revolutionists used his name without his knowledge. If he were guilty he could have escaped in
Singapore.
4.
If he had a hand in the revolution, he could have escaped in a Moro vinta and would not have built a
home, a hospital, and bought lands in Dapitan .
5.
If he were the chief of the revolution. Why has not he consulted by the revolutionists?
6.
It was true he wrote the by-laws of the Liga Filipina, on this a civic association --- not a evolutionary
society.
7.
The Liga Filipina did not live long, for after the first meeting he was banished to Dapitan and it died
out.
8.
If the Liga was reorganized nine months later, he did not know about it.
9.
The Liga did not serve the purpose of the revolutionists, othenvise they would not have supplanted
it with the Katipunan.
10.
If it were true that there were some bitter comments in Rizal's letters, it was because they were
written in 1890 when his family was being persecuted, being dispossessed of houses, warehouses, lands, etc.
and his brother and all his brother-in-law were deported.
11.
His life in Dapitan had been exemplary as the politico-military commanders and missionary priests
could arrest.
12.
It was not true that the revolution was inspired by his one speech at the house of Dorotea Ongjunco,
as alleged by witnesses whom he would like to confront. His friends knew his opposition to armed rebellion.
Why did the Katipunan send an emissary to Dapitan who was unknown to him? Because those who knew
him were aware that he would never sanction any violent movement.
The biased military court was apathetic to Jose's appeal. After a brief deliberation, the members of the military court
agreed to convict Jose and sentenced him to death. On December 26, 1896, the unjust military court decision was
given to Governor General Camilo G. de Polavieja who asked the judgment of judge advocate General Nicolas de la
Pena who confirmed the
death verdict. On
December 28, 1896, Governor
General Camilo G. de
Polavieja signed the courtmartial's decision to
execute Jose Rizal. Medina
(1998) presented this
decree as follows:
Manila,
December 28, 1896:
Conformably to the
foregoing
opm10n. I approve
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, which shall be
executed by shooting him at 7:00 o'clock in the morning of the 30th of this month in the field of
Bagumbayan.
For compliance and the rest may correspond, let this be returned to the Judge Advocate,
Captain Don Rafael Dominguez.
Camilo G. de Polavieja
Jose Rizal's Death
After learning the unjust decision of the court martial, Jose spent the next twenty fours of his remaining life
seeing and speaking to his friends, family and Josephine Bracken whom he tied the knot with canonically on
December 30, 1896 officiated by Fr. Balaguer. After the reading of the death penalty, Jose opted to spent quiet
moments in the prison chapel. He turned into writing when he was left alone in his cell. He penned a letter to his
brother Paciano, another one to his best friend Dr. Ferdinand Blumentritt, and another letter addressed to his father
and mother. It was also assumed that he signed a docunent abjuring Masonry (which some scholars doubted).
It is commonly believed that on December 29, 1896, Jose composed his last poem, Mi Ultimo Adios (My Last
Farewell). He was able to thrust it inside an alcoh0I cooking stove which he gave to his sister Trinidad to whom, he
divulged 'There is something in it.' Jose's last poem, composed without a title and unsigned was translated in English
by Charles E. Derbyshire, which runs below:
My Last Farewell
Farewell, dear Fatherland, clime of the sun caress' d
Pearl of the Orient seas, our Eden lost!
Gladly now I go to give thee this faded life's best,
And were it brighter, fresher or more blest
Still would I give it thee, nor count the cost.
On the field of battle, mid the frenzy of light,
Others have given their lives, without doubt or heed;
The place matters not - cypress or laurel or lily white,
Scaffold or open plain, combat or martyrdom's plight,
'Tis ever the same to serve our home and country's need.
I die just when I see the down break,
Through the gloom of riight, to herald the day;
And if color is lacking my blood thou shalt take,
Pour'd out at need for thy dear sake,
To dye with its crimson the walking ray.
My dreams, when life first opened to me.
My dreams, when the hopes of youth beat high,
Were to see thy lov'd face, O gem of the orient sea
From gloom and grief, from care and sorrow free;
No blush on thy brow, no tear in thine eye.
Dream of my life, my living and burning desire,
All hail! cries the soul that is now to take flight;
All hail! And sweet it is for thee to expire,
To die for thy sake, that thou mayst aspire,
And sleep in thy bosom eternity's long night.
If over my grave someday thou seest grow,
In the grassy sod, a humble flower,
Draw it to thy lips and kiss my soul so,
While I may feel on my brow in the cold tomb below
The touch of thy tenderness, thy breath's warm power.
Let the moon beam over me soft and serene,
Let the dawn shed over me its radiant flashes
Let the wind with the sad lament over me keen;
And if on my cross a bird should be seen,
Let it trill its hymn of peace of my ashes.
Let the sun draw the vapors up to the sky,
And heavenward in purity bear my tardy protest;
Let some kind soul o'er my untimely fate sigh,
And in the still evening a prayer be lifted on high,
From thee O my country, that in God I may rest.
Pray for all those that hapless have died.
For all who have suffered the unmeasur'd pain;
For our mothers that bitterly their woes have cried,
For widow and orphans, for captives by torture tried;
And then for thyself that redemption thou mayst gain.
And when the dark night wraps the graveyard around,
With only the dead in their vigil to see;
Break not my repose or the mystery profound,
And perchance thou mayst bear a sad hymn resound,
'Tis I, O my country, raising a song unto thee.
When even my grave is remembered no more,
Unmark' d by never a cross or a stone;
Let the plow sweep through it, the spade‚’ tum it o'er
That my ashes may carpet thy earthly floor,
Before into nothingness at last they are blown.
Then, will oblivion bring to me no care;
As over thy vales and plains I sweep:
Throbbing and cleansed in thy space and air,
With color and light, with song and lament I fare,
Ever repeating and faith that I keep.
My Fatherland ador'd that my sadness to my sorrow lends,
Beloved Filipinas, hear now my last good-bye!
I give thee all; parents and kindred and friends;
For I go where no slave before the oppressor bends,
Where faith can never kill, and God reigns e'er on high!
Farewell to you all, from my soul torn away,
Friends of my childhood in the home dispossessed!
Give thanks that I rest from the wearisome day!
Farewell to thee; too, sweet friend that lightened my way;
Beloved creatures all, farewell! In death there is rest!
On December 30, 1896, approximately at six thirty in the morning. Jose's walk towards his death commenced
signaled by a trumpet sound at Fort Santiago. The death march was delineated by Zaide and Zaide (2014) as follows:
The advance guard of four soldiers with bayoneted rifles moved. A few meters behind, Rizal walked
calmly, with his defense counsel (Lt Luis Taviel de Andrade) on one side and two Jesuit priests (Fathers
March and Vilaclara) on the other. More wellarmed soldiers marched behind him.
Rizal was dressed elegantly in a black suit, black derby hat, black shoes, white shirt and a black tie.
His arms were tied behind from elbow to elbow, but the rope was quite loose to give his arms freedom of
movement.
To the muffled sounds of the drums, the cavalcade somnolently marched slowly. There was a
handful of spectators lining the street from Fort Santiago to the Plaza de! Palacio in front of the Manila
Cathedral. Everybody seemed to be out at Bagumbayan where a vast crowd gathered to see how a martyr
dies.
As Jose calmly made his way to Bagumbayan, he remarked about the beauty and serenity of the morning,
uttered a few observations about Corregidor, the mountains or Cavite and the Ateneo College. Upon reaching the
place of execution, Jose noticed the very large number of prying persons and soldiers waiting for them. After final
blessings were bestowed on him he said his adieu to Fr. March, Fr. Villaclara and Lt. Taviel de Andrade. Jose's
request that he be shot facing the firing squad was denied because there was an order to shoot him in the back. The
normal pulse of Jose, felt by Dr. Felipe Ruiz Castillo, a Spanish military doctor, proved that he did not fear death.
Above the beating of the drums that filled the air was the cold-blooded command "Fuego" (Fire) which ended Jose's
life. He fell to the ground three minutes past seven o'clock in the morning and was declared dead.
Expectedly, the passing away of Jose Rizal's was greeted with joy by his enemies. On the contrary, those who
love, respected and supported him were brokenhearted and painfully inflamed. For them, he died a hero and martyr
to Philippine freedom.