Wesleyan University-Philippines

Mabini Extension, Cabanatuan City

Chapter 25: Martyrdom

at Bagumbayan
(Written Report)

Submitted By:
Cabrera, Princess Joy O.
Calextro
Capinlac

Submitted To:
Mrs. Maria Leya Almera Bajum -Tombo
(Subject Instructor)
  After the court trial, Rizal returned to Fort Santiago to prepare rendezvous with destiny.
 During Dr.Rizal’s 24 hours (last day) on earth from 6:00 A.M. December 29 to 6:00 A.M. December 30,
1896 – he was busy meeting visitors, including his family, Josephine Bracken, Jesuit priests, Santiago
Mataix, some friends and, secretly finishing his farewell poem.
 Rizal called his fatherland “Pearl of the Orient Sea” in his last poem and “Pearl of the Orient” in an article
entitled “Unfortunate Philippines” published in the Hongkong Telegraph on September 24, 1892

LAST HOURS OF RIZAL

(At 6:00 A.M, December 29, 1896)

 Captain Rafael Dominguez - He was designated by Gov. Gen. Camilo Polavieja to take charge of all the
arrangements for the execution of condemned prisoner, read the death sentence to Rizal- to be shot at the
back by a firing squad at 7:00 A.M. in Bagumbayan.
 Bagumbayan (now Luneta) – The place where Rizal was executed.

(At 7:00 A.M.)

 Rizal was moved to the prison chapel, where he spent his last moments.
 He was visited by Fr. Miguel Saderra Mata (Rector of Ateneo Municipal) and Fr. Luis Viza (Jesuit Teacher).

(At 7:15 A.M.)

 After Fr.Saderra left, Rizal in cheerful mood, reminded Fr.Viza of the statuette of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
which he had carved with his pen knife as an ateneo student.
 Fr. Viza anticipating such reminiscence, got the statuette from his pocket and gave it to Rizal.Rizal happily
received it and placed it on his writing table.

(At 8:00 A.M.)

 Fr. Antonio Rosell arrived to relieved Fr. Viza. Rizal invited him to a breakfast which he did.
 After breakfast, Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade (Rizal’s defense counsel) came and Rizal thanked him for his
gallant services

(At 9:00 A.M.)

 Fr. Federico Faura (the priest who said that Rizal would someday lose his head for writing the Noli) arrived
next.
 “Father! You are indeed a prophet.” Rizal remarked to Fr. Faura.

(At 10:00 A.M.)

 Fr. Jose Villaclara (Rizal’s teacher in Ateneo) and Vicente Balaguer (Jesuit missionary in Dapitan who had
befriended Rizal during the latter’s exile) visited the hero.
 Another visitor is Santiago Mataix – a Spanish journalist who interviewed Rizal for his newspaper El
Heraldo de Madrid.

(From 12:00 Noon to 3:30 P.M.)

 Rizal was left alone in his cell. He took his lunch and became busy in writing. It was the time when he
finished his last poem.
 Alcohol Cooking Stove – where Rizal hid his last poem; It was given by Paz Pardo de Tavera (Juan Luna’s
Wife) during his visit in Paris on 1890.
 Also during this time, he wrote his last letter in German addressed to his best friend (Prof. Blumentritt).
(At 3:30 P.M.)

 Fr. Balaguer returned to Fort Santiago and discussed with Rizal about his retraction of the anti-catholic
ideas in his writings and membership in Masonry.

(At 4:00 P.M.)

 Rizal’s Mother arrived. Rizal knelt down asking for forgiveness. Both mother and son were crying as the
guards separate them.
 Trinidad (Rizal’s Sister) entered into the cell to fetch her mother, as they were leaving; Rizal gave to
Trinidad the Alcohol cooking stove whispering to her in English “There is something inside.” She knew
English because Rizal taught him.
 This “something” was Rizal’s farewell poem.
 After the departure of Rizal’s mother and sister, Fr. Villaclara and Estanislao March entered the cell
followed by Fr. Rosell.

(At 6:00 P.M.)

 Rizal received new visitors namely Don Silvino Lopez Tunon (Dean of the Manila Cathedral). Fr. Balaguer
and March left, leaving Villaclara with Rizal and Don Silvino.

(At 8:00 P.M.)

 Rizal’s last supper. He informed Capt. Dominguez who was with him that he forgave his enemies.

(At 9:30 P.M.)

 He was visited by Don Gaspar Cestano (the fiscal of the Royal Audencia of Manila).
 Fiscal left with good impression of Rizal’s intelligence and noble character.

(At 10:00 P.M.)

 The draft of the retraction sent by the anti-filipino Archbishop Bernardino Nozaleda was submitted by Fr.
Balaguer to Rizal for signature but the latter refused because it was too long and he did not like it.
 According to Fr. Balaguer’s testimony, he showed a shorter retraction written by Fr. Pio Pi (Superior of the
Jesuit Society in the Philippines) which was more acceptable Rizal. After making some changes in it, Rizal
then wrote his retraction in which he abjured Masonry and religious ideas which were anti-catholic.
 This Retraction by Rizal is considered now a controversial document
 For the Rizalists scholars who are either mason or anti-catholic they claim it as forgery but for the Catholic
Rizalist they claim that it is genuine.
 The debate between the two groups is considered futile and irrelevant. As the famous saying goes “For
those who believe-no justification is necessary; for the skeptics, whose criterion for belief is not on their
minds, but in their wills-no justification is possible.”
 Another argument is if Rizal really marries Josephine Bracken before his execution.
 Despite of all these issues, the fact remains that Dr. Jose Rizal is a hero and a martyr.

(At 3:00 A.M.)

 Rizal heard a mass, confessed his sins, and took Holy Communion.

(At 5:30 A.M.)

 He took his last breakfast on earth and wrote two farewell letters for his family and his older brother
Paciano.
 Also this time when Josephine Bracken visited his husband together with Josefa (sister of Rizal). Josephine
arrived with tears in her eyes; Rizal embraced her for the last time, and before she left Rizal gave her a last
gift- a religious book, Imitation of Christ.
  Imitation of Christ – This is the last gift given by Rizal to his wife Josephine Bracken. It is a religious book
written by Father Thomas a Kempis which he authographed: “ To my dear unhappy wife, Josephine”
December 30th 1896.

(At 6:00 A.M.)

 The soldiers were getting ready for the death march.

 Rizal wrote his last letter to his parents.

DEATH MARCH TO BAGUMBAYAN

(At 6:30 A.M.)

 The trumpet signal to begin the Death March to Bagumbayan.

 Rizal walked calmly together with his defense counsel Lt. Luis Taviel De Andrade on one side and two
Jesuit priests on the other side (Father March and Father Villaclara).
 Rizal was dressed in black suit,black derby hat, black shoes, white shirt, and black tie. His arms were tied
behind from elbow to elbow.
 While passing the Postigo Gate and reached the Malecon (Now Bonifacio Drive), Rizal looked at the sky
and said to one of the priests: “How beautiful is today Father! What a morning could be more serene! How
clear are Corregidor and the mountains of Cavite! On morning like this I used to take a walk with my
sweetheart.”
 While passing in front of Ateneo, He asked father, “Is that Ateneo Father?” Father replied “Yes.”

MARTYRDOM OF A HERO

 One of the priests blessed him and offered him the crucifix to kiss. Rizal reverently bowed his head and
kissed it.
 Rizal requested to the commander of the firing squad, that he be shot facing the firing squad but his
request was denied for the captain had the implicit order to shoot him at the back.
 Dr. Felipe Ruiz Castillo - Spanish military physician who asked permission from Rizal to feel the latter’s
pulse. The request graciously granted.
 Dr. Castillo was amazed to find it normal, showing that Rizal was not afraid to die.
 Above the drum beats, the sharp command “Fire”/ “Fuego” was heard and the guns of the firing squad
barked. Rizal with supreme effort, turned his bullet riddled body to the right and fell on the ground dead
facing the morning sun.
 At exactly 7:03 A.M. when Rizal died in the bloom of manhood. He was the 35 years old, five months and
11 days.
 It an interesting to note that 14 years before his execution, Rizal predicted that he would die on December
30th. He was then a medical student in Madrid.

AFTERMATH OF A HERO-MARTYR’S DEATH

 The Spanish residents, the friar (Jesuits not included), corrupt officials specially Gov. Gen Polavieja exulted
with sadistic joy for Rizal, the formidable champion of Filipino freedom, was gone; In fact immediately after
the execution the Spanish expectators shouted “ Viva Espana!” “Muerte a los traidores” Llong Live Spain,
Death to the Traitors).
 Marcha de Cadiz – the gay played by The Spanish Military band.
 The execution of Rizal presaged the foundation of an independent nation.
 By his writings, which awakened Filipino nationalism and paved the way for the Philippine revolution, he
proved that “pen is mightier than a sword”.