RIZAL’S LIFE Exile, Trial & Death

Exile
Rizal’s Arrest
Jose Rizal was arrested by the Spanish authorities on four grounds: in Dapitan
1. For publishing anti-Catholic and anti-friar books and articles;
2. For having in possession a bundle of handbills, the Pobres Frailes, in which advocacies were in
violation of the Spanish orders;
3. For dedicating his novel, El Filibusterismo to the three “traitors” (Gomez, Burgos and Zamora)
and for emphasizing on the novel's title page that “the only salvation for the Philippines was
separation from the mother country (referring to Spain)”; and
4. For simply criticizing the religion and aiming for its exclusion from the Filipino culture.

Exile in Dapitan (1892-1896)

Upon his return to the Philippines in 1892, he was arrested by the Spanish government for being a
subversive and for his reported involvement in the rebellion. He was then exiled to the island of the
Dapitan in the southernmost island group of the Philippines, Mindanao. There he established a school
that taught English to young boys, he worked on agricultural projects on abaca, a plant used for rope,
and he continued to practice medicine, eventually meeting one of the most famous women in his life,
Josephine Bracken.
 This cross, located across Rizal's landing site at Dapitan, marks the start of Catholicism in the
island.
 Rizal’s Life in St. James Church is located across the Relief Map of Mindanao, and used to be
Rizal's place of worship. Dapitan
 This map of Mindanao made by Rizal in August of 1982 is an artistic manifestation of a well-lived
exile, based on the map done by Fr. Pedro Murillo Velarde, a French Jesuit in 1752.

In 1893, Rizal established a school which existed until the end of his exile in July 1896. Instead of
charging tuition fees, he made them work in his garden, fields, and construction projects in the
community. Rizal effected the construction of these houses to accommodate the growing number of
pupils in his Talisay School. The area underneath the hut served as the workshop of his pupils.
 Rizal met Josephine Bracken in 1895. They fell in love instantly, and in just one month agreed to
marry.
 Father Obach, the priest of Dapitan, refused to marry them without the pemission of the Bishop
of Cebu. Since no priest would marry them, Rizal and Josephine Bracken exchanged vows and got
married on this rock.

Trial
Preliminary Investigation (November 20, 1896)
 This was Rizal's grueling five-day investigation.
 He was informed of charges against him, he answered the questions asked by Judge Advocate,
Colonel Francisco Olive, but he was not permitted to confront those who testified against .
 Two kinds of evidence were presented to him - documentary and testimonial.

Documentary Evidences
1. A letter of Antonio Luna to Mariano Ponce, dated Madrid, October 16, 1888, showing Rizal’s
connection with the Filipino reform campaign in Spain.
2. 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.
3. A letter from Marcelo H. del Pilar to Deodato Arellano, dated Madrid, January 7, 1889, implicating
Rizal in the Propaganda campaign in Spain.
4. A poem entitled Kundiman, allegedly written by Rizal in Manila on September 12, 1891.
5. A letter of Carlos Oliver to an unidentified person, dated Barcelona, September 18, 1891, describing
Rizal as the man to free the Philippines from Spanish oppression.
6. A Masonic document , dated Manila, February 9, 1892 honoring Rizal for his patriotic services.
7. A letter signed Dimasalang to Tenluz (Juan Zulueta’s pseudonym), dated Hongkong, dated May 24,
1892, stating that he was preparing a safe refuge for Filipinos who may be persecuted by the Spanish
authorities.
8. A letter of Dimasalang to an unidentified committee, dated Hongkong, June 1, 1892, solicitating the
aid of committee in the “patriotic work”.
9. An anonymous and undated letter to the Editor of Hongkong Telegraph, censuring the banishment of
Rizal to Dapitan.

Rizal’s Arraigment
1. He was charged with the crime of rebellion, and the formation of illegal associations. Rizal’s
Arraignment (December 11, 1896)
2. He then released a manifesto that he denounces the revolution and condemned Katipunan for using
his name without his permission
3. Rizal's Arraignment
Lt. Luis Traviel de Andrade- 1st Lieutenant of the Artillery, brother of Jose Tavielde Andrade, was the
bodyguard of Rizal during his last days.

Rizal’s Actual Trial

 He was accused of 3 crimes: rebellion, sedition, illegal associations.
 Penalty: Life imprisonment-death (December 26, 1896)

Rizal’s Twelve-point Defense

1. As testified by Pio Valenzuela, Rizal was against rebellion.
2. He had not written a letter addressed to the Katipunan comprising revolutionary elements.
3. Without his knowledge, his name was used by the Katipunan; if he really was guilty, he could
have escaped while he was in Singapore.
4. 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.
5. If he was really the leader of the revolution, the revolutionists should have consulted him.
6. 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.

Goveranar-General Camilio de Polavieja (December 28, 1896)

He approved the decision of the court-martial and ordered Rizal to be shot at 7:00 o’clock in the
morning of December 30 at Bagumbayan Field.

Death
Rizal executed
Rizal was suspected, incorrectly, of being allied to them. After a show trial, Rizal was convicted of
rebellion, conspiracy and sedition and sentenced to death. He was executed by firing squad in Manilla
on 30 December 1896 at the age of 35.
On the evening before he was to be executed, Rizal placed documents in his pockets and shoes,
presuming his body would be handed to his family after the execution.
Mi último adios
Means My Last Farewell. His final poem, was hidden in an oil lamp which was passed to his family along
with his remaining few possessions and his burial requests. The firing squad consisted of eight Filipinos
armed with Remington rifles. Stationed behind them were eight Spanish soldiers armed with Mausers,
with orders to shoot any executioner who failed to carry out his duty.
Firing squad
The firing squad consisted of eight Filipinos armed with Remington rifles. Stationed behind them were
eight Spanish soldiers armed with Mausers, with orders to shoot any executioner who failed to carry out
his duty. Only one live bullet was put into the rifles; the rest contained blanks. They knew of his
innocence, and meant to assuage any guilt. His execution photo includes the dog which was the firing
squad’s mascot. After he was shot, the dog is said to have run whining around the corpse as a soldier
fired a final shot into Rizal’s head to ensure he was dead.