Jomari R.

Abellera
BSIT AUTOMOTIVE III-A

ACTIVITY 1:

Last Day of Rizal

On December 26, 1896, the military court tried Jose Rizal and later found him guilty of rebellion,
sedition, and conspiracy. The Spanish authorities believed that Rizal’s writings “fatally and necessarily”
incited the rebellion which, by 1896, had already become a revolution. On December 29 at 6 a.m., Capt.
Rafael Dominguez read before Rizal his death sentence. His execution was scheduled the following day.
At around 7 a.m. of December 29, Rizal was transferred to his death cell in Fort Santiago. There he
received numerous visitors. In his last hours Rizal read the Bible and Thomas à Kempis’s Imitation of
Christ, which he later dedicated to Josephine Bracken. He also wrote the poem “Mi Ultimo Adiós,”
which he concealed in an alcohol burner. When his family came to see him, he asked pardon from his
mother and talked to his sisters as they entered his cell one by one. He also wrote letters. At 7 a.m. on
December 30, 1896 at Luneta, Manila, the 35-year-old patriot was shot in the back by a firing squad. He
hesitated, turned halfway around to face his executioners, and fell on his back to face the Philippine sun.

His Retraction
According to some, Jose Rizal, who was assassinated by the Spanish colonialists 120 years ago,
December 30, 1896, became a hero because of his writings to destroy the idea of colonialism and free
our minds to build the country, the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo and his essays in La
Solidaridad, which questioned the beliefs that blind us, especially the obedience to the will of the friars
as messengers of God. But, a few hours before he was shot, Rizal allegedly signed a document claiming
that he was a Catholic and that he was withdrawing all his writings against the church. The document
became known as the retraction, “The Retraction.” Because of his conversion to the church, he married
Josephine Bracken, his last love. According to some, Rizal became even more great at recognizing his
errors against the faith. But for many, it is incredible that in the last moments of his life, he will retract
his writings, the cause of his own heroism. It was as if he had thrown away his heroism.

His Martyrdom
During the last 24 hours of Rizal’s life, he was meeting visitors in his cell in fort Santiago, Where he is
secretly finishing his farewell poem. He is also destined to die for his beloved country which he called
“Pearl of the Orient Seas” in his poem and “Pearl of the Orient” in an article “Unfortunate Philippines”
in The Hongkong Telegraph on September 24, 1892.
At 6:00 A.M. of December 29, 1986, Captain Rafael Dominguez, read the death sentence to Rizal who
would be shot at the back by a firing squad at 7:00 A.M. in Bagumbayan. At 7:00 A.M., Rizal was
moved to the prison Chapel where he was visited by Father Miguel Saderra Mata and Father Luis Viza,
a Jesuit teacher. Death March at Bagumbayan. Bagumbayan is the place where Rizal’s execution
happened. Rizal walked calmly with his defense council, Lt. Luis Taviel Andrade and two Jesuit priests
Fathers March and Vilaclara. He was dressed up elegantly with his black suit, black derby hat, black
shoes, white shirt, and black tie. Rizal’s arms were tied behind him elbow to elbow, but the rope was
quite loose for him to move his arms. Several of the spectators lining the street from Fort Santiago to
Plaza del Palacio in front of the Manila Cathedral. A vast crowd gathered at Bagumbayan to witness
how a martyr dies. At the Bagumbayan field the spectators crowded a huge square formed by soldiers
where the cavalcade entered the square, and Rizal walked serenely to the place where he was told to
stand at a grassy lawn at the shore of Manila Bay, between two lamp posts. Rizal indeed, firmly clasped
his hands in parting despite the fact that his arms were tied. One of the priests blessed and offered him a
crucifix to kiss. Then, he requested the commander of the firing squad to shoot him facing the squad,
but it was denied for the captain ordered to shoot him at the back. Dr. Felipe Ruiz Castillo, a Spanish
Military Physician was amazed when he found out that the pulse rate of Rizal was normal showing that
he was not afraid to die.

https://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/articles/rizals-last-hours/#:~:text=30%20Dec%20Rizal’s%20Last
%20Hours&text=On%20December%2026%2C%201896%2C%20the,had%20already%20become%20a
%20revolution.

https://www.bartleby.com/essay/Martyrdom-of-Rizal-F3D8SCNL36YZS#:~:text=Death%20March
%20at%20Bagumbayan%20Bagumbayan,priests%20Fathers%20March%20and%20Vilaclara.