RIZAL’S LIFE:

EXILE IN
DAPITAN
 Rizal’s Life: Exile in Dapitan
• Rizal was captured and brought to Fort Santiago on July 6, 1892 for the accusation
that he brought with him from Hong Kong, leaflets entitled “Pobres Friales” or poor
friars — a satire against the rich Dominican friars and their accumulation of wealth,
which was against their vow of poverty. Though untrue, Rizal was exiled in Dapitan,
Mindanao.

• Dapitan is a remote town in Mindanao, which served as an outpost of the Spaniards

in the Philippines. Dapitan became the only witness to Rizal’s fate since July 1896.

• During his exile, Rizal became close with Captain Ricardo Carnicero for allowing him
to roam the place on the condition that Rizal will relay his activities in his office once
a week.
 Rizal’s Life: Exile in Dapitan
• In Dapitan, he continued his medicine, research and continued his talent in
sculpture, painting, sketching and poetry writing. He put up a school for boys and
introduced projects for the community.

• Rizal helped the people of Dapitan with their livelihood — he did farming and
business and even invented a wooden equipment in making bricks.

• On September 21, 1892, Rizal together with Carnicero and another Spaniard, won a
lottery ticket. The amount given to him as his share was P6,200. Part of his share
was used to buy a land in Talisay. He built a house, a clinic and a school within the
area.

• He wrote poems, performed operation on his mother’s eyes, and studied on

medicinal plants of Dapitan to be prescribed to his patients.
 Rizal’s Life: Exile in Dapitan
• That time, Rizal had been known to be one of the best ophthalmologist.

• Upon hearing this, George Tauffer who had an eye ailment, together with her adopted
daughter, Josephine Bracken, traveled from Hong Kong to Dapitan.

• Rizal developed an attraction with Josephine and soon, they became husband and wife even if
it was against Father Obach and both their relatives.

• Another project of Rizal for Dapitan was the creation of a big map of Mindanao at the plaza to
be used for geography class.

• With the help of Rizal’s students, he invented a water system that gave the town people water
for their drinking and irrigation.

• He also helped the people in putting-up lamp posts in every corner of the town.
 Rizal’s Life: Exile in Dapitan

When revolution commenced in Manila in 1896, Dr. Pio Valenzuela together with
Raymundo Mata, a blind man, visited Rizal in Dapitan to narrate to him the founding
of Katipunan and its plan for revolution.

• Cuba was also a colony of Spain and was raged by a yellow-fever epidemic. Rizal
offer his services as a surgeon to the Spanish government in Cuba to end his exile.

• On July 30,1896, Governor-General Ramon Blanco granted Rizal’s request to go to

Cuba. Rizal left Manila, embarked the steamer España and on September 3, 1896 he
went to Barcelona boarded the steamer Isla de Panay.
 Rizal’s Life: Exile in Dapitan

When he arrived at the port, Governor-General Despujol told Rizal that there was a
command to return him back to Manila. Rizal was arrested while on his trip at the
Mediterranean Sea.

He was put into prison in Barcelona, Spain and was brought back to the Philippines.
Safely guarded while on the way from Barcelona to Manila, Rizal reached the capital
on November 3,1896 and was soon brought to be imprisoned at Fort Santiago.
RIZAL’S LIFE:
TRIAL AND
DEATH
 Rizal’s Trial
He was blamed for being the leader of the revolution by increasing the people’s ideas about
rebellion and making illegal organizations. As expected, Rizal was not given the chance to
interrogate his witnesses.

He was only allowed to choose his lawyer from a list of young Spanish officers who were
not into law. He chose Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade, who was the brother of Rizal’s bodyguard
when he first came home.

There were two kinds of evidences presented to him during the investigation: documentary
and testimonial. There were fifteen documents against Rizal and ten witnesses for
testimonial.

All efforts were made by Lt. Taviel de Andrade to defend Rizal of his innocence but as
obvious as it may have seemed, Rizal was still found guilty.
 Rizal’s Trial
Note that Rizal cited twelve points to prove his innocence:

1. Rizal was against rebellion as testified by Pio Valenzuela.

2. No letter consisting of revolutionary elements was addressed to the Katipunan was written
3. Without his consent, the Katipunan used his name as one of the passwords.
4. If he was guilty, he could have left the country while in exile; he would not have built a home,
and would not have bought a parcel of lannd to put up a hospital in Dapitan.
5. The revolutionists could have consulted him if he was the leader.
6. He did not deny that he wrote the by-laws of the Liga Filipina, but to make things clear, it is a
different organization from Katipunan. The former being a civic association and the latter
being a revolutionary society.
7. After the first meeting of the Liga, the association banished because of his exile in Dapitan
and it did not last long.
 Rizal’s Trial
Note that Rizal cited twelve points to prove his innocence:

8. He had no idea, that the Liga was reorganized nine months after.
9. If the Liga had a revolutionary purpose, then Katipunan should not have been
founded.
10. If the Spanish authorities found his letters offending, it was because in 1890, his
family has been persecuted.
11. He lived a good life in Dapitan – the politico military commander and missionary
priest in the province could attest to it.
12. The witnesses said that if the speech delivered at Doroteo Ongjunco’s house had
inspired the revolution, he should be given a chance to confront these persons. If he
was in the revolution, the Katipunan should not have sent an unfamiliar emissary to
him in Dapitan. For this, his friends knew that he never promoted violence.
RIZAL’S REMAINING
DAYS AND THE LAST
FAREWELL
 Rizal’s Life: Exile, Trial and Death
When Rizal heard the court decision, he knew that there will be no chance of changing his
fate.

At six o’ clock in the morning of December 29, 1896, Captain Rafael Dominguez, who was
designated by Governor General Camilo Polavieja to take the charge of all arrangements for
the execution of the 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 (Luneta).

• Rizal spent his last hours by going to the prison chapel. His mother and sisters visited him on
the same day. Unfortunately, it was said that on his last days that Rizal was not allowed to
embrace his mother.

• He took time to write his last letter to his best friend Bluementrit. The last poem he composed
was the longest he ever written, it was entitled “Mi Ultimo Adios” or My Last Farewell.
 Rizal’s Life: Exile, Trial and Death
• Rizal had his last supper in the evening of December 29, 1896. At that time, he said to Captain
Dominguez that he has already forgiven his enemies including those who wanted him dead.

• At exactly 5:30 in the morning, he had his last breakfast of three hard boiled eggs.

• Wearing a black suit, black pants, black bowler hat, and white shirt with his arms tied behind
his back, Rizal walked to Bagumbayan at 6:30 in the morning of December 30, 1896.

• He walked along with his defense lawyer, Andrade, and two Jesuit priests, March and
Vilaclara.

• In front of them were the advance guard of armed soldiers and behind them were another
group of military men. The sound of a trumpet signaled the start of the death march and the
muffled sound of drums served as the musical score of the walk.
 Rizal’s Life: Exile, Trial and Death
• Prior to his death, it was believed that Rizal has managed to remain calm. Spectators said Rizal
acknowledged the familiar faces in the crowd by nodding his head from left and right. Some
people even saw that Rizal smiled from time to time.

• At the time of his death, Rizal refused to kneel and declined the traditional blindfold. Maintaining
that he was not a traitor to his country and to Spain, he even requested to face the firing squad.

• The Commander of the firing squad denied his request but after some time, Rizal agreed to turn
his back to the firing squad but requested that he be shot not in the head — but in the small of
the back instead.

• The military physician, Dr. Felipe Ruiz Castillo, asked permission to feel the pulse of the man
who had only a few minutes to live and the doctor was startled to find it normal.
 Rizal’s Life: Exile, Trial and Death
• When the command had been given, the executioners’ guns barked at once. Rizal yelled Christ’s
two words, “Consummatum est!” (It is finished!) simultaneously with his final effort to twist his
bullet-pieced body halfway around – with face upward facing the morning sun.

• Silence was all over. Unfortunately, the Captain did not keep his words about the request made
by Rizal of not shooting his head, but one of his men came near to the body and gave Rizal “tira
de gracia” or the mercy shot in the head to make sure that Rizal is dead.

• It was 7:03 in the morning when he died in the bloom of manhood – aged 35 years, five months,
and 11 days.

• The Spaniards shouted, Viva Espana! Muerte a los Traidores! But the crowd did not respond. To
break the ice, the military band played “Marcha de Cadiz,” and so they cheered.