Chapter 24:
Last Homecoming and Trial
October 8, 1896
Rizal learned that the Madrid papers were full of stories regarding the
revolutions in the Philippines and he was blamed from it.
October 11, 1896
Rizal’s diary was confiscated during his way to Port Said, his cabin was
searched nothing significant was found. On November 11, 1896 his diary
was returned.
Unsuccessful Rescue in Singapore
Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor and Sixto Lopez
Dispatch telegrams to an English lawyer in Singapore named
Hugh Fort to rescue Rizal when his arrive, by means of writ of
habeas corpuz.
• When the Spanish steamer arrived Atty. Fort instituted
proceedings at the Singapore Court for the immediate
removal of Rizal from the said steamer.
• Chief Justice Loinel Cox denied the writ of habeas corpus on
the ground because the steamer carry Spanish troops hence it
is a warship of foreign power which under the law beyond the
jurisdiction of the Singaporean court.
November 3, 1896 (Arrival in Manila)
Spanish authorities gather evidence against Rizal while:
Deodato Arellano
Dr. Pio Valenzuela
Moises Salvador
Domingo Franco
Temoteo Paez
Pedro Serrano Laktaw
were brutally tortured to implicate Rizal.
• Rizal owned brother was also arrested and tortured but never
said anything against his younger brother.
First Investigation
November 20, 1896
Preliminary investigation was conducted. Rizal as the accused
appeared before Judge Advocate, Colonel Francisco Olive.
He was subjected to a 5 day investigation, Rizal was informed
about his charges and been given the chance to answer the
questions they have on him though he was never permitted
to confront those people who testified against him.
Two Evidences presented against him:
1. documentary
2. testimonial
Jose Rizal Kangaroo Trial:
Preliminary Investigation
Documentary Evidences
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
A letter from Antonio to Mariano Ponce dated Madrid October 16, 1888,
showing Rizal 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, 1889, implicating Rizal in the propaganda movement
campaign in Spain.
A poem entitled Kundiman, allegedly written by Rizal in Manila on
September 12, 1891
A letter from Carlos Oliver to an unidentified person, dated Barcelona,
September 18, 1891, describing Rizal as the man to free the Philippines
from Spanish oppression.
A Masonic lodge document, dated Manila, February 9, 1892,honoring
Rizal for his patriotic services
7. A letter signed Dimasalang ( Rizal’s pseudonym) to Tenlunz(Juan Zulueta’s
pseudonym), dated Hongkong, May 24, 1892,stating that he was
preparing a safe refuge for Filipinos who may persecuted by the Spanish
authorities
8. A letter to Dimasalang to an unidentified committee, dated Hongkong,
June 1, 1892, soliciting the aid of the committee in the “patriotic work”
9. Am anonymous and undated letter to the Editor of Hongkong Telegraph,
censuring the banishment of Rizal toDapitan.
11. A letter to Ildefonso Laurel to Rizal, dated Manila,informing an
unidentified correspondent of the arrest andthe banishment of Doroteo
Cortes and Ambrosio Salvador.
12. A letter to Marcelo H. del Pilar to Don Juan A. Tenluz (JuanZulueta), dated
Madrid, June 1, 1893 recommending theestablishment of a special
organization, independent of Masonry, to help the cause of the
Filipino people.
13.Transcript of a speech of Pingkian (Emilio Jacinto) in areunion to a
Katipunan on July 23, 1893, in which thefollowing cry uttered “Long Live
the Philippines! Long LiveLiberty!lOng live Dr. Rizal Unity!”
14. Am anonymous and undated letter to the Editor of Hongkong Telegraph,
censuring the banishment of Rizal toDapitan.
15. A letter to Ildefonso Laurel to Rizal, dated Manila,informing an
unidentified correspondent of the arrest andthe banishment of Doroteo
Cortes and Ambrosio Salvador.
16. A letter to Marcelo H. del Pilar to Don Juan A. Tenluz (JuanZulueta), dated
Madrid, June 1, 1893 recommending theestablishment of a special
organization, independent of Masonry, to help the cause of the
Filipino people.
17. Tanscript of a speech of Pingkian (Emilio Jacinto) in areunion to a
Katipunan on July 23, 1893, in which thefollowing cry uttered “Long Live
the Philippines! Long Live
• The testimonial evidence consisted of the oral testimonies of :
Martin Constantino
MoisesSalvador
Deodato Arellano
Dr. Pio Valenzuela
Temoteo Paez
Aguedo del Rosario
Jose Dizon
Ambrosio Salvador
Antonio Salazar
Jose Reyes
DomingoFranco
Pedro Serrano Laktaw
Francisco Quison
November 6, 1896
After the investigation, Col. Olive transmitted the records of
the case to Gov. Gen. Ramon Blanco, and the letter appointed
Capt. Rafael Dominguez - as special Judge advocate to institute
the corresponding action.
• Dominguez made a brief resume of the charges and returned
the papers to the Governor General, who there upon
transmitted them to the Judge Advocate General Don
Nicholas de la Peña for an opinion.
Peña submitted the following recommendations:
• The accused should be immediately brought to trial
• He should be kept in prison
• An order of attachment be issued against his property to the amount one
million pesos as an indemnity, and
• He should be defended in court by an army officer, not by a civilian officer
December 8, 1896
100 first and second lieutenants in the Spanish Army was
presented to Rizal, Lt. Taviel de Andrade chosen by Rizal to
behis defense, he was the brother of Jose Taviel de Andrade
his previous bodyguard
Charges to the accused
• He was accused 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’
• He pleaded not guilty to the crime of rebellion
Manifesto to Some Filipinos
Dec 15
To inform the people that he condemned the rebellion
because he wanted their liberties to be attained through
education and lacked the participation of ‘those from above’
• Was not published because it did not condemn the rebellion
in its totality but only in two aspects: lack of participation and
preparation.
Spain's case against Rizal
Trial of Rizal
Prosecution (Alcocer)
Asked for death sentence; if
pardon, permanent
disqualification and subjection to
surveillance of authority,
indemnity of 20,000 pesos. De
Andrade in defense, delivered an
impressive speech and claimed th
at the guilt of Rizal has not been
legally established. Rizal
supplemented his defender’s
points in detail
CUARTEL DE ESPAÑA – site of Rizal’s trial
Rizal read his own defense which he wrote in his cell in Fort
Santiago. According to Rizal, there are twelve points to prove
his innocence:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
As testified by Pio Valenzuela, Rizal was against rebellion
He had not written a letter addressed to the Katipunan comprising
revolutionary elements
Without his knowledge, his name was used by the Katipunan; if he really
was guilty, he could have escaped while he was in Singapore
If he was guilty, he should have left the country while in exile; he
shouldn't have built a home, bought a parcel of land or established a
hospital in Dapitan.
If he was really the leader of the revolution, the revolutionists should
have consulted him.
He did not deny that he wrote the by-laws of the La Liga Filipina, but to
make things clear, the organization was a civic association, not a
revolutionary society.
7. After the first meeting of La Liga, the association banished because of his
exile in Dapitan, thus, did not last long.
8. If the La Liga was reorganized nine months later, he had no idea about it
9. If the La Liga had a revolutionary purpose, then Katipunan should not have
been organized.
10.If the Spanish authorities found his letters having bitter atmosphere, it
was because in 1890 his family was being persecuted resulting to their
dispossession of properties and deportation of all his brothers-in-law.
11.He lived an exemplary life in Dapitan – the politico-military commanders
and missionary priests in the province could attest to that.
12.If according to witnesses the speech he delivered at Doroteo Ongjunco's
house had inspired the revolution, then he want to confront these
persons. If he really was for the revolution, then why did the Katipunan
sent an unfamiliar emissary to him in Dapitan? It is so because all his
friends were aware that he never advocated violence.
• But the military court remained indifferent to the pleads of
Rizal. After a short deliberation, he was sentenced to be shot
in musketry until death at 7 o'clock in the morning of
December 30, 1896 at Bagumbayan. The decision was
submitted to Gov. Polavieja who immediately sought the
opinion of Nicolas de la Peña – the latter found the verdict
just and final. Two days later, the governor general signed the
court's decision and ordered Rizal's execution.
Polavieja signs Rizal’s Execution
Dec 26 same afternoon
Death sentence was passed
with the same condition
except that indemnity was
raised to 100,000pesos
Dec 28
Gov. Gen Polavieja
approved the sentence,
ordering Rizal be executed
by firing squad two days
later at 7a.m at Luneta
Camilo de Polavieja, Governor-General of the
Philippines (1896-1897).