Chapter X *He issued manifesto before left in
Rizal’s Trial and Untimely Death Dapitan
Last Days During his time in Dapitan, Rizal had
written a manifesto na kung saan ay
*Katipunan had become full blown hindi daw niya sinusuportahan ang
In 1896, yung rebellion na binuo ng nagaganap na rebolusyon and said that
Katipunan ay nagsimula nang maganap education and national identity were
at ang mga katipunero ay nagsimula ng essential steps to freedom. Para narin
magaklas at tuluyang lumaban sa masiguro na siya mapawalang-
pamahalaan ng kastila, at ito na nga rin kasalanan at siguruhin ang kanyang
ang dahilan para kumalat sa buong pagpapawalang-sala kaya nagiwan siya
bansa ang pagaaklas o rebolusyon. At ng isang manifesto.
dahil sa rebolusyon ito narin ang isa *Imprisoned in Barcelona and
pang dahilan para ang Pilipinas ay deported to Manila
maging kauna unahang bansa sa Asia
na maproklama bilang Democratic On October 6, 1896, Jose Rizal was
Republic. seized in Barcelona, Spain, while on
his way to Cuba to serve as a military
*Rizal volunteered in Cuba doctor. After being deported to the
Para narin madissociate o mahiwalay si Philippines, he was detained at Fort
Rizal sa magaganap na rebolusyon at Santiago for his trial.
hindi siya paghinalaan na isa siya o *Court-martialed for rebellion,
kasapi siya sa rebolusyon, sedition, and conspiracy
nagvolunteer si rizal para maging
military doctor sa Cuba na He was implicated o
pinahintulutan naman ni Governor nadawit/nasangkot sa revolution
General Ramon Blanco para through his association o ugnayan sa
manggamot ng may mga yellow fever. mga Katipunan, and court-martialed
Si Gov. Gen. Ramon Blanco later on for rebellion, sedition (pananalita na
will present his sash and sword to nag-uudyok sa mga tao na
Rizal family as an apology para sa maghimagsik laban sa awtoridad ng
nangyari kay rizal. isang estado), and conspiracy
(pakikipagsabwatan).
During the entire time when enroute to * Rizal was trialed and sentenced to
court martial, he was unchained (hindi death
nakaposas o tali ang kamay) and no After a short deliberation, the military
Spaniard laid a hand on him, and many court unanimously voted for the
opportunities to escape but refused to sentence of death. Immediately,
do so. and Rizal was convicted on all 3 Polavieja sought the opinion of the
charges and sentenced to death. Gov. Judge Advocate. He latter affirmed the
Gen. Blanco had been forced out of death verdict.
office, and the friars intercalated
Polavieja in his stead. * He wrote a letter to his family and
to Ferdinand Bluementritt
*Paciano was tortured by Spaniards
while Rizal was imprisoned On December 28, Polavieja approved
the court-martial decision and ordered
In 1896, while Rizal imprisoned at Rizal to be shot at 7:00 AM on
Fort Santiago, his brother Paciano was December 30 at Bagumbayan Field.
tortured by Spaniards trying to extract
evidence of Jose’s complicity in the In his letter to his family, he wrote:
revolution. “Treat our aged parents as you would
wish to b be treated, Love them greatly
* December 26, was the day of trial in memory of me...December 30,
of Rizal. His trial is a proof of 1896."
Spanish injustice and misrule.
In a final letter to Sudeten-German
His case was prejudged, he was professor Ferdinand Blumentritt, he
considered guilty before the actual reassured him he was innocent of
trial. The court did not give him rebellion and shared his ideals. He also
justice, but accused and condemn him. bequeathed (o ipinamana) a book to his
The court accepted all charges and friend, causing him to breakdown and
testimonies against him and ignored all wept.
arguments and proofs in his favor.
Rizal writes “Farewell Poem” * Rizal handed over the alcohol stove
My Last Farewell (Mi Ultimo Adios with his poem inside to his family
in Spanish) was the last poem that His poem, believed to be written
Jose Rizal wrote before he was before his execution, was hidden in an
executed. It was Mariano Ponce, his alcohol stove and handed to his family.
friend, who gave the title to this poem He reminded his sisters of the
*December 29, 1896. Rizal wrote his importance of the poem and the
farewell poem alcohol stove, which would be returned
after his execution. His remains were
The 1961 Historical Bulletin of the exhumed in August 1898 under
Philippine Historical Association American rule, revealing his
published during the Rizal centenary unconfined burial and disintegrated
on June 19, 1961, states that Rizal possessions. The poem and the
wrote his farewell poem on December secreted items were emphasized in
29, 1896, between 1:30 and 3:30 in the English.
afternoon. The poem, written in tiny
letters and intentionally sized for an * After Dona Teodora had left, Dona
alcohol stove, was untitled, unsigned, Trinidad, came
and undated by Rizal, indicating that Dona Trinidad, came. Bidding her
he had already composed and polished goodbye, Rizal handed her an alcohol
the poem during his time in Hong stove whispering to her in English,
Kong and Manila before his exile in “there’s something inside”. Upon
Dapitan. arriving home, Dona Trinidad opened
*Doña Teodora, Rizal's mother, the stove. She found the Hero’s
arrived and bid last goodbye untitled, unsigned and undated poem.
An affidavit signed by Dona Teodora
Rizal's mother, Doña Teodora, arrived on October 14, 1908 relates this
at 4:30, and Rizal knelt before her, incident
begging for forgiveness. The pathetic
scene was chosen for a painting contest
by Filipino painter Rodolfo Herrera.
RIZAL WRITES “FAREWELL POEM"
According to the 1961 Historical Bulletin of the Philippine Historical Association,
published during the Rizal centenary on June 19, 1961, between 1:30 and 3:30 in
afternoon of December 29, 1896. Rizal wrote his farewell poem. The question has
he raised as to whether Rizal could produce a poetical masterpiece within so
limited time. This doubt may be true but circumstances must have to be taken
into account. Let us recall that when Rizal left Europe and during his stay in Hong
Kong where he wrote his political testaments definitely expressing his
appointment with death in Manila, most probably, he had already composed and
polished in his mind a farewell poem for his people. A gifted poet and possessing
an exceptionally retentive memory, all along during his sojourn in Manila until is
exile in Dapitan, he had the composition stored in his mind only waiting for
appropriate time to release it. This can be gleaned from the fact that when he
wrote down his poem it was as if it were being dictated to him, spontaneously,
without any error. The 14-five-line Alexandrine stanzas were written by him in tiny
letters to be intentionally accommodated in a small piece of paper which he
stripped to the size of 15.5 cm x 9.5 cm. calculated to fit for insertion into the
alcohol stove. This poetical masterpiece was untitled, unsigned and undated by
Rizal.
* The 1961 Historical Bulletin of the Philippine Historical Association
published during the Rizal centenary on June 19, 1961, states that Rizal
wrote his farewell poem on December 29, 1896, between 1:30 and 3:30
in the afternoon. The poem, written in tiny letters and intentionally
sized for an alcohol stove, was untitled, unsigned, and undated by Rizal,
indicating that he had already composed and polished the poem during
his time in Hong Kong and Manila before his exile in Dapitan.
At 4:30 that afternoon, Doña Teodora, Rizal's mother, arrived. Rizal knelt before
her and kissed her hands, begging her to forgive him. Then the son stood up,
embraced his mother and bade her his last goodbye. Mother and son cried. This
was the most pathetic scene in Rizal’s life. In a painting contest sponsored by the
Jose Rizal National Centennial Commission, this scene was picked by a young
Filipino painter Rodolfo Herrera, and won the First Prize.
* Rizal's mother, Doña Teodora, arrived at 4:30, and Rizal knelt before her, begging
for forgiveness. The pathetic scene was chosen for a painting contest by Filipino
painter Rodolfo Herrera.
His poem, undated and believed to be written on the day before his execution,
was hidden in an alcohol stove and later handed to his family with his few
remaining possessions, including the final letters and his last bequests. Within
hearing of the Spanish guards, he reminded his sisters in English, “There is
something inside it,” referring to the alcohol stove given by the Pardo de Taveras
which was to be returned after his execution, thereby emphasizing the
importance of the poem. This instruction was followed by another, "Look in my
shoes,” in which another item was secreted. Exhumation of his remains in August
1898, under American rule, revealed he had been unconfined, his burial not on
sanctified ground granted the ‘confessed’ faithful, and whatever was in his shoes
had disintegrated.
After Dona Teodora had left, Dona Trinidad, came. Bidding her goodbye, Rizal
handed her an alcohol stove whispering to her in English, “there’s something
inside”. Upon arriving home, Dona Trinidad opened the stove. She found the
Hero’s untitled, unsigned and undated poem. An affidavit signed by Dona Teodora
on October 14, 1908 relates this incident