CHAPTER 24

• INTRODUCTION

1896 – the last homecoming of Rizal and the saddest return to his beloved native land

- He knew that he will be facing the supreme test, the sacrifice of his life but he’s unafraid

- He welcome it gladly, that he is sure that his blood will water the seeds of Filipino freedom

• A MARTYR’S LAST HOMECOMING

• Rizal’s home coming in 1896,the last in his life was his saddest return to his beloved native land .He knew he was facing the supreme test, which might mean the sacrifice of his life, but he was unafraid.

• October 6.1896 Rizal conscientiously recorded the events in his diary. He was given a good cabin in the scrod class and although strictly guarded he was courteously treated by the army officers.” The officers on duty” seems amiable, refined and polite, consistent with his seriousness of his duty”.

• October 8 a friendly officer told Rizal that Madrid news paper were full of stories about the bloody revolution in the Philippines and were blaming him for it. He wrote in his diary on the same date(October 8).

• “I believe that what God is doing to me is a blessing, allowing me to go back to the Philippines in order to be able to destroy such accusations. Because ,either they do me justice and recognize my innocence and when I be rehabilitated or they sentence me to death and thereby, before the eye so of society will forgive me and later , without any doubt, justice will be done me and I will be one more martyr. At any rate, instead of dying abroad or in manigua (jungle in Cuba), Ill die in my own country. I believe that what is happening is the best that can happen to me .Always let Gods will be done! I feel more calm with regard to my future…I feel that the peace has descended upon me, thank God! Thou art my hope and my consolation! Let your will be condemned or absolved. I’m happy and ready.”

• CONFISCATION OF RIZAL’S DIARY

• It was known to the Spanish authorities on board the colon that Rizal was keeping track of the daily events in his diary.

• October 11 before reaching Port, said Rizal’s diary was taken away and was critically scrutinized by the authorities.

• November 2 the diary was returned to him.

• UNSUCCESFUL RESCUE IN SINGAPORE

• News of Rizal’s predicament reached his friends in Europe and in Singapore. From London, Dr Antonio Regidor and Sixto Lopez dispatched frantic telegrams to an English lawyer in Singapore named Hugh Fort to rescue Rizal from the Spanish steamer when it reached Singapore by means of a writ of habeas corpus. Atty. Fort instituted proceedings at the Singapore Court for the removal of Rizal from the steamer. The crux of Mr. Fort’s legal contention was that Rizal was” illegally detained” on a Spanish steamer. Chief Justice Loinel Cox denied the writ the ground that the colon was carrying Spanish troops to the Philippines .Hence it was a warship of a foreign power under the international law beyond the jurisdiction of the Singapore authorities.

• ARRIVAL IN MANILA

• November 3, the colon reached Manila. And Rizal was transferred in Fort Santiago. Meanwhile, tha Spanish authorities fished for evidence against Rizal.Many Filipinos patriots , including Deodato Arellano , Dr Pio Valenzuela, Moises Salvador, Jose Dizon , Doroteo Franco, Temoteo Paez and Pedro Serrano Laktaw, were brutally tortured to implicate Rizal. Rizal’s own brother Paciano was arrested and cruelly tortured but they never signed any damaging statement incriminating Rizal. Although their body was shattered on the torture rackand his left hand crushed by the screw, their valiant Asian Spirit remained unbroken.

• PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION

• November 20 the preliminary investigation began. Rizal the accused, appeared before the Judge Advocate, Colonel Francisco Olive . He was subjective a gruelling five-day investigation.

• 2 kinds of evidence presented against Rizal namely:

A) DOCUMENTARY

1. A letter of Antonio Luna to Mariano Ponce,(October 16,1888 in Madrid) showing Rizal’s connection with the Filipinos campaign in Spain.

2. A letter of Rizal to his family(August 20 1890 in Madrid) stating that the deportations are good for they will encourage the people to hate tyranny.

3. A letter from Marcelo del Pilar to Deodato Arellano (Januarry 71889 in Madrid)implicating Rizal in Propaganda campaign in Spain.

4. A poem entitled ”Kundiman”, allegedly written by Rizal in Manila (September 12 1891).

5. A letter of Carlos Oliver to un identified person(September 18 1891 Barcelona) describing Rizal as the man to free the Philippines from the Spanish oppression.

6. A Masonic document(February 9 1892 Manila) honouring Rizal for his patriotic services.

7. A letter signed Dimasalang (Rizal’s pseudonym) to Tenluz( Juan Zulueta’s pseudonym) dated in Hongkong, 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 un identified committee( June 1 1892) soliciting the aid of the committee in the “patriotic work”.

9. An anonymous and undated letter to the editor of the Hongkong Telegraph, censuring the banishment of Doroteo Cortes and Ambrosio Sa,lvador.

10. A letter of Ildefonso Laurel to Rizal (September 3 1892 Manila) saying that the Filipino people look up to (Rizal) as their saviour.

11. A letter of Ildefonso Laurel to (17,1893 in Manila) reforming an unidentified correspondent of the arrest and banishment of Doroteo Cortes and Ambrosio Salvador.

12. A letter of Marcelo H. del Pilar to Don Juan A. Tenluz(Juan Zulueta) (June 1 1893 Madrid) recommending the establishments of a special organization, independent of Masonory , to help the cause of the Filipino people.

13.Transcript of a speech of Pingkian (Emilio Jacinto) in reunion of the Katipunan on July 23,1893, in which the following cry was uttered “Long Live the Philippines !Long Live Liberty! Long live Doctor Rizal Unity!”

14. Transcript of a speech in Tik-Tik(Jose Turiano Santiago) in the same Katipunan reunion, where in katipuneros shouted “Long live the eminent Dr Rizal! Death to the oppressor nation!!.

15. A poem by Laong Laan (Rizal), entitled A Talisay, in which the author makes the Dapitan schoolboys sing that they know how to fight for their rights.

B) TESTIMONIAL

• The testimonial evidence consisted of the oral of Martin Constantino, Aguedo del Rosario, Jose Reyes, Moises Salvador, Jose Dizon, Domingo Franco, Deodato Arellano, Ambrosio Salvador , Pedro Serrano, Laktaw, Dr Pio Valenzuela, Antonio Salazar, F rancisco Quison, and Timoteo Paez.

• On November 26, after the preliminary investigation, Colonel Olive transmitted the records of the case to the Gov. Gen. Ramon Blanco, and the letter appointed Capt. Rafael Dominguezas special Judge Advocate to institute the corresponding action against Rizal.

• Dominguez made a brief resume of the charges and returned the papers to Gov. Gen. Blanco who thereupon ,transmitted to the Judge Advocate. Don Nicolas de la Pena for an opinion.

• After studying the papers, Pena submitted the following recommendations:

1. The accused be immediately brought to trial.

2. He should be kept in prison.

3. An order of attachment be issued against his property to the amount of 1 million pesos as indemnity.

4. He should be defended in court by an army officer, not by a civilian lawyer.

• RIZAL CHOOSES HIS DEFENDER

• The only right given to Rizal by the Spanish authorities was to choose his defence council out of 100 presented to him. The name was familiar to him.

• Luis Taviel de Andrade , was the brother of Lt. Jose Taviel Andrade his former “body guard in Calamba”.