LAST DAYS OF JOSÉ RIZAL: A Timeline of His Last Arrest, Trial, Execution and the Journey of His Remains

6 October 1896, 3:00 AM: On his 4th day of being held in his cabin at the MV Isla de Panay docked at Barcelona,
Spain on his way to Cuba, Rizal was awakened to be brought to Montjuich Prison in Barcelona, Spain.
6 October, 2:00 PM: Interview with General Eulogio Despujol

6 October, 8:00 PM: Aboard the Colon, Rizal left Barcelona for Manila.
3 November: Rizal was brought to Fort Santiago, where other patriots, including his brother Paciano, were being
tortured to implicate him. Paciano refused to sign anything despite being his body broken and his left hand
crushed.

20 November: Preliminary investigation began with Rizal appearing before Judge Advocate Colonel Francisco
Olive. The investigation lasted five days.

26 November: The records of the case were handed over to Governor General Ramon Blanco who then
appointed Captain Rafael Dominguez as special Judge Advocate.

8 December: From a list submitted to him by the authorities, he chose the brother of his friend, Lt. Luis
Taviel de Andrade to become his trial lawyer. He was only made to choose among army officers and not a
civilian lawyer.

11 December: In his prison cell, Rizal was read the charges against him: “principal organizer and the living
soul of the Filipino insurrection, the founder of societies, periodicals and books dedicated to fomenting and
propagating the ideas of rebellion.”

13 December: Ramon Blanco was replaced by Camilo de Polavieja, a more ruthless character, as Governor
General of the Philippines. Dominguez submitted the papers of the Rizal case to Malacañan Palace.

15 December: Rizal issued his manifesto to certain Filipinos calling to end the “absurd” rebellion and to fight
for liberties with education as a prerequisite. The authorities supressed the manifesto.

25 December: Rizal’s saddest Christmas, away from family and friends.

26 December, 8:00 AM: Trial of Rizal began at the Cuartel de España. On the same day, the court-martial
secretly and unanimously voted for a guilty verdict with the penalty of death before a firing squad.

28 December: Polavieja signs the death verdict.

29 December, 6:00 AM: Rizal was read his verdict by Captain Rafael Dominguez: To be shot the next day at
7:00 AM at the Luneta de Bagumbayan (Rizal Park).

29 December, 7:00 AM: Rizal was transferred to the chapel cell adorned by religious images to convince him
to go back to the Catholic fold. His first visitors were Jesuit priests Fathers Miguel Saderra Mata and Luis Viza.

29 December, 7:15 AM: After Fr. Saderra left, Rizal asked Fr. Viza for the Sacred Heart statuette which he
carved when he was an Ateneo student. From his pocket the statuette appears.

29 December, 8:00 AM: Fr. Viza was relieved by Fr. Antonio Rosell who joined Rizal for breakfast. Lt. Luis
Taviel de Andrade joins them.

29 December, 9:00 AM: Fr. Federico Faura, who once said that Rizal would lose his head for writing the Noli
Me Tangere, arrived. Rizal told him, “Father you are indeed a prophet.”
29 December, 10:00 AM: Fathers José Villaclara and Estanislao March visited Rizal, followed by a Spanish
journalist, Santiago Mataix of El Heraldo de Madrid, for an interview.
29 December, 12:00-3:30 PM: Rizal’s time alone in his cell. He had lunch, wrote letters and probably wrote
his last poem of 14 stanzas which he wrote in his flowing handwriting in a very small piece of paper. He hid it
inside his alcohol stove. The untitled poem was later known as Mi Ultimo Adios (My Last Farewell). In its
second stanza, he already praised the revolutionaries in the battlefield for giving their lives “without doubt,
without gloom.”

29 December, 3:00 PM: According to an account of the agent of the Cuerpo de Vigilancia guarding Rizal’s
cell, Rizal signed what seems to be the document retracting his anti-Catholic writings and his membership in
masonry. This event is a contentious issue among Rizal experts.

29 December, 4:00 PM: Visit of Rizal’s mother, Teodora Alonso. Then Rizal’s sister Trinidad entered to get
her mother and Rizal whispered to her in English referring to the alcohol stove, “There is something
inside.” They were also accompanied by Narcisa, Lucia, Josefa, Maria and son Mauricio Cruz. Leoncio Lopez
Rizal, Narcisa’s eleven-year-old son, was not allowed to enter the cell. While leaving for their carriages, an
official handed over the alcohol stove to Narcisa. After their visit, Fathers Vilaclara and Estanislao March
returned to the cell followed by Father Rosell.

29 December, 6:00 PM: Rizal was visited by the Dean of the Manila Cathedral, Don Silvino Lopez Tuñon.
Father March left Father Vilaclara to be with the two.

29 December, 8:00 PM: Rizal’s last supper where he informed Captain Dominguez that he already forgave those
who condemned him.
29 December, 9:30 PM: Rizal was visited by the fiscal of the Royal Audiencia of Manila, Don Gaspar Cestaño
with whom Rizal offered the best chair of the cell. According to accounts, the fiscal left with “a good impression
of Rizal’s intelligence and noble character.”

30 December, 5:30 AM: Rizal took his last meal. According to stories told to Narcisa by Lt. Luis Taviel de
Andrade, Rizal threw some eggs in the corner of a cell for the “poor rats,” “Let them have their fiesta too.” Rizal
also wrote to his family and to his brother.

30 December, 5:00 AM: Teary-eyed Josephine Bracken and Josefa Rizal came. According to the testimony of
the agent of the Cuerpo de Vigilancia, Josephine and Rizal were married. Josephine was gifted by Rizal with
the classic Thomas á Kempis book Imitations of Christ in which he inscribed, “To my dear and unhappy wife,
Josephine, December 30th, 1896, Jose Rizal.” They embraced for the last time.

30 December, 6:00 AM: Rizal wrote his father, Francisco Mercado “My beloved Father, Pardon me for the pain
with which I repay you for sorrows and sacrifices for my education. I did not want nor did I prefer it. Goodbye,
Father, goodbye… Jose Rizal.” To his mother, he had only these words, “To my very dear Mother, Sra. Dña
Teodora Alonso 6 o’clock in the morning, December 30, 1896. Jose Rizal.”

30 December, 6:30 AM: Death march from Fort Santiago to Bagumbayan begins. 4 soldiers with bayoneted
rifles lead the procession followed by Rizal, Taviel de Andrade, Fathers Vilaclara and March and other
soldiers. They passed by the Intramuros plaza, then turned right to the Postigo gate then left at Malecon, the
bayside road now known as Bonifacio Drive.

30 December, 7:00 AM: Rizal, after arriving on the execution site at the Luneta de Bagumbayan, was checked
with his pulse by Dr. Felipe Ruiz Castillo. It was perfectly normal. Rizal once wrote, “I wish to show those
who deny us patriotism that we know how to die for our duty and our convictions.”

“Preparen.” “Apunten.” Rizal shouted, “Consummatum est.” It is done.

30 December, 7:03 AM: With the captain shouting “Fuego!” Shouts rang out from the guns of eight indio
soldiers. Rizal, being a convicted criminal was not facing the firing squad. As he was hit, he resists and turns
himself to face his executors. He falls down, and dies facing the sky.

“Viva España! Muerte a los traidores!”

But in two years, the victorious Philippine revolutionaries will seal the fate of the Spanish Empire in the
east. Three hundred thirty three years of Spanish Colonialism ended in 1898.

30 December 1896, afternoon: Narcisa, after a long search, discovered where her brother’s body was
secretly buried, at the old unused Paco Cemetery. She asked the guards to place a marble plaque designed
by Doroteo Ongjungco containing Rizal’s initials in reverse—“RPJ.”

17 August 1898: Four days after the Mock Battle of Manila when the Americans took over the city, the
remains of Rizal where exhumed. They were brought to Narcisa’s house, washed and cleansed and were
placed in an ivory urn designed by Romualdo Teodoro de Jesus. The urn stayed there until 1912.

29 December 1912: From Estraude Street in Binondo, Manila, the urn was transferred in a procession
headed by the masons and the Knights of Rizal to the marble hall of the Ayuntamiento de Manila, where it
stayed overnight with the Knights on guard.

30 December 1912, morning: In a solemn procession, the urn began its last journey to Rizal’s final resting
place the base of the soon-to-rise national monument to José Rizal.

30 December 1913: The Rizal National Monument at the Luneta was inaugurated. Its original design name
was “Motto Stella” (Guiding Star) and was made by Swiss sculptor Dr. Richard Kissling who earlier also made
the National Monument to William Tell, the National Hero of Switzerland.

30 December 2012: The transfer of the remains of Rizal from Binondo to the site of the Rizal Monument was
recreated one hundred years later by the Order of the Knights of Rizal and the National Historical
Commission of the Philippines in commemoration of Rizal’s 116th Martyrdom Anniversary.
“ THE TRIAL AND EXECUTION OF DR.JOSE RIZAL”

Martyrs are rare stars in the vast firmament of humanity. Every

Instance of martyrdom is distinct in magnitude and direction.

Indeed martyrs are the meteors of history, they flash across the

sky and light the world and in the process consume themselves .

They are the person who is put to death or made suffer greatly or

other beliefs because of religion. Other elements of martyrdom

are usefulness of life and dedication to a high purpose.

Rizal’s death was an emotional event in our history as it produced

A “martyr” and resulted in some form of social change or transformation in our lives as a people. Rizal
was put to death for

“subversion” by the dominant political forces. He presented a sector

Of society which had begun to trouble and therefore constituted a real

Threat to the existing social order.

“ THE TRIAL OF DR. JOSE RIZAL”

The spanish colonial government accused Rizal of three crimes:

(a) The founding of La Liga Filipina, an “illegal organization”

Whose single aim was to “Perpetrate the crime of rebellion”.

(b) Rebellion which he promoted through his previous activities.

(c)ILLegal association

-The penalty for for those accusation is life imprisonment to death

And correctional imprisonment and a charge of 325 to 3,250 Pesetas.

The prosecution drew information from the dossier on Rizal which

Detailed his” subervise activities” some of which are the following:

1.The writing and publication of “Noli me Tangere”, the Annotations

to Morga’s History of the Philippines, “El Filibusterismo”, and the

various articles which criticized the friars and suggested their

expulsion in order to win independence. The El Filibusterismo was

dedicated to the three martyr priests who were executed as traitors

to the Fatherland in 1872 because they were the moving spirit of the

uprising of that year.

2.The establishment of masonic lodges which became the propaganda

and fund raising center to support subvervise activities and the

establishment of centers in Madrithe ,Hongkong and Manila to propa-

gate his ideas.

After finishing as much evidence as possible on November 20, 1896

the preliminary on Rizal began. During the five-day investigation,Rizal

was informed of the charges against him before Judge advocate Colonel Francisco Olive.

·Two kinds of Evidences Endorsed By Colonel Olive to Governor

Ramon Blanco:

1.Documentary

-fifteen exhibits

2.Testimonial

-Provide by Martin Constantino, Aguedo del Rosario, Jose Reyes,

Moises Salvador, Jose Dizon,Domingo Franco, Deodato Arellano,

Pio Valenzuela , Antonio Salazar, Francisco Quison, and Timoteo Paez.

The Judge Rafael Dominguez advocate assigned with the task of deciding what corresponding action
should be done.After a brief

Review transmitted the records to Don Nicolas de la Pena.

Pena’s recommendations were as follows:

- Rizal must be immediately sent to trial

·He must be held in prison under necessary security

· His properties must be issued with order of attachment

And as indemnity,Rizal had to pay one million pesos

·Instead of a civilian lawyer,only an army officer is allowed

To defend Rizal.

The lawyer of Rizal is Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade Brother of Lt. Jose

Traviel de Andrade who worked as Rizal’s personal body guard in

Calamba in 1887.In the presence of his Spanish Counsel on December

11, 1896, charges against Rizal were read in the presence of his Spanish counsel.

When they asked regarding his sentiments or reaction on the charges,

Rizal replied that in his defense.

-He does not question the jurisdiction of the court.

-He has nothing to amend except that during his exile in Dapitan in

1892, he had not dealt in political matters.

-He has nothing to admit on the charges against him.

-He had nothing to admit on the declarations of the witnesses,he had not met nor knew,against him.

The Execution Of Dr.Jose Rizal

Despite all valid pleadings the military court,vindictive as it was

Unanimous voted for the sentence of death. Polavieja affirmed

The decision of the court martial and ordered to be shot at

7:00 in the morning of December 30 1896 at Bagumbayan field.

Rizal was heavily guarded and was accompanied by the Jesuits as

He walked from Fort Santiago to Bagumbayan. He wore a black woolen suit and a derby hat and his
arms were tied behind him.

During the walked, he recalled his youth and his student days

At the Ateneo. And in Bagumbayan itself, the Spanish troops held

Back the crowd while the artillery group stood on alert to prevent any attempt to rescue Rizal. His
brother Paciano who had joined the

Revolution forces was said to have discouraged groups who might

Want to save Rizal since thay would not be able to match Spanish

Firepower. The captain in charge of the execution instructed Rizal

Were to position himself, to turn his back against the squad and the

Face the sea. However, Rizal requested to face the firing squad, as such position instructed was only
taken by traitors and he was not one of them. The captain could not do anything for he was only
following orders.Hence, failing to have his request granted, he asked to be shot at the back instead of
the head so that he may, at the end , turn his head and body sidewise and fall with his face upward.The
captain agreed,he also asked if he would like to kneek but Rizal refused nor did he agree to be
blindfolded. A Jesuit priest now came running and

Asked Rizal to kiss the cruffix that he held.Rizal turned his back on the cruffix and thus,against the firing
squad. He was ready for the execution.

“ DR.JOSE RIZAL LAST DAY AND HIS EXECUTION”

Rizal spent his 24 hours in his death cell where he received members

Of his family and writes his letter,the first one to his “second brother”

Ferdinand Blumentritt. He gave his sisters,Trinidad and old petroleum

lamp and whispered to her in English that there is something inside

The lamp .Thus is Rizal’s famous Farewell poem. “Ultimo Adios”, (Last Farewell” was found. Rizal was
said to have married his Irish girlfriend

according to Catholic rited in the very last hours of his life, after living

with her for sometime in Dapitan. They were previously married civilly. On the morning of December
30,1896.Rizal set on his walk from
Fort Santiago to the Bagumbayan square, the same place where the three priest had been killed in 1872,
now Luneta Park, in the center of

Manila at 6:30 O’clock. And when the time to march to Bagumbayan Rizal he was ready to face his
ultimate death came, he was seen as

A man of peace and bravery. At exactly 7:03 am RIZAL shouted “Consummatum Est” before the shot run
out. The hero’s life ended. In

In the background could be heard, “Viva Espna! Death to traitors!.

Rizal’s Family was not able to take old of his body. The military had

secretly buried the body of Rizal at the Paco cemetery. Her sister

Narcisa looked for the cadaver everywhere but could not find it.

She passed by the unused Paco cemetery and saw through the open

Gate some civil guards. Finding this uncommon, she entered the cemetery and searched the place. She
saw a grave with freshly turned

earth and knew at once his was her brother’s body. With a little money,she asked the gravedigger to
place a plaque on it with her

brother’s initial reverse.That is R.P.J. for Protacio Jose.That afternoon the books, letter, and alcohol
burner were delivered

To Rizal’s family. At the base of the alcohol burner they found Rizal’s

last masterpiece the MI ULTIMO ADIOS. The copies were given to each family member and some are to
the Cavite insurgents.

After the Americans had taken Manila, Narcisa requested the new government to grant her permission
to exhume the body of his brother.

They found out that the body was never placed in a coffin, nor even

Wrapped by anything. Rizal’s family had possession of the body the remains were instituted at the base
of the Rizal monument which was

erected at the center of the Luneta.