The Trial of Rizal

November 20, 1896. The preliminary investigation on Rizal began. During the five – day investigation,
Rizal was informed of the charges against him before Judge Advocate Colonel Francisco Olive

2 Kinds of Evidences Endorsed by Colonel Olive to Governor Ramon Blanco:

1. Documentary

- 15 exhibits.

2. Testimonial

- by Martin Constantino, Aguedo del Rosario, Jose Reyes, Moises Salvador, Jose Dizon,
Domingo Franco, Deodato Arellano, Pio Valenzeula, Antonio Salazar, Francisco Quison, and Timoteo
Paez.

Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade

         Lawyer of Rizal
         Brother of Lt. Jose Taviel de Andrade
who worked as Rizal’s personal body guard in
Calamba 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 crimes: rebellion,
Sedition, and illegal association.

December 25, 1896 was the saddest Christmas of Rizal

Because it was his last Christmas. Rizal wrote a letter to
His lawyer that his case was a hopeless one.
December 26, 1896 the court-martial of Rizal commenced and held in Cuartel de Espana.

Trial Proper

-The trial was opened by Judge Advocate Domiguez who explained the case against Rizal.

-After the speech summarizing the charges against Rizal, Counsel Taviel de Andrade read the
defense of Rizal. After that, Rizal read supplement to his defence.

-After a short deliberation, the military court unanimously voted for Rizal’s sentence of death.

December 28, 1896 Governor General Polavieja approved the decision of the court 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.

December 29, 1896, 12:00-3:30 PM Rizal wrote his last poem with 14 stanzas. The untitled poem
was later known as “Mi Ultimo Adios” in it’s 2nd stanza.

December 30, 1896, 5:30 AM Rizal gave a gift to Josephine Bracken accompanied by Josefa a
book entitled Imitations of Christ in which inscribed “To my dear and unhappy wife, Josephine,
December 30th, 1896, Jose Rizal.”