Chapter 24Last Homecoming and Trial

Presented by:Capati, May AnnGuarin, EduardoLozano, RicalynMangio, Tracy

Rizal’s homecoming in 1896, the last in his life, was his saddest return to his beloved land.

Since leaving Barcelona on Tuesday, October 6, 1896, Rizal conscientously recorded the events in his diary.

On October 8, an officer told Rizal about the revolution in the Philippines from the Madrid newspapers

The Spanish authorities’ suspicion was aroused by Rizal’s writing in on his diary and so confiscated it on October 11 and was returned on Sunday, November 1.

News of Rizal’s predicament reached his friends from Europe and Singapore. From London, Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor and Sixto

Lopez dispatched telegrams to an English lawyer Hugh Fort to rescue him by means of a writ of habeas corpus

Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor Sixto Lopez

A writ of habeas corpus (literally to "produce the body") is a court order to a person (prison warden) or agency (institution) holding someone in custody to deliver the imprisoned individual to the court issuing the order.

Chief Justice Lionel Cox denied the writ on the ground that the Colon was carrying Spanish troops to the Philippines.

Rizal was unaware of the attempt to rescue him.

On November 3, the Colon reached Manila.

Rizal was quietly transferred to Fort Santiago.

Meanwhile, the Spanish authorities fished for evidence against Rizal and many Filipino patriots including his own brother Paciano.

On November 20 the preliminary investigation began.

Rizal appeared before the Judge Advocate, Colonel Francisco Olive.

The two kinds of evidence presented against Rizal were documentary and testimonial.

The documentary evidence consisted of 15 exhibits of letters, transcripts, literary works and a Masonic document.

Colonel Francisco Olive

On November 26, Colonel Olive transmitted the records to Governor General Ramon Blanco and the letter appointed Captain Rafael Dominguez as special Judge Advocate.

Governor General Ramon Blanco

When the papers reached Judge Advocate General Don Nicolas de la Peña submitted the following recommendations:

1. The accused be immediately brought to trial.2. He should e kept in prison3. An order of attachment be issued against his property to

the amount of one million pesos as indemnity4. He should be defended in court by an army officer not

by a civilian lawyer.

The only right given to rizal was to choose his defense counsel. He must choose from a list given to him.

On December 8, was given to Rizal and he chose the familiar Don Luis Taviel de Andrade, the brother of Lieutenant Jose Taviel de Andrade.

Don Luis Taviel de Andrade

• On December 11, the charges read to Rizal in his prison cell, with his counsel present.

• Dominguez forwarded Rizal’s case to the Malacañang Palace on Decemer 13 same day that General Blanco withdrawn as the Governor General.

General Camilo de Polavieja

On December 15, Rizal wrote a manifesto to his people appealing to them to stop the necessary shedding of blood and to achieve their liberties by means of education and industry.

It was suppressed by the recommendation of General Peña to Governor General Polavieja.

The last Christmas of Rizal’s life on December 25, 1896 was dark and cheerless. He found himself alone and depressed in his cell.

The trial of Rizal was an eloquent proof of Spanish injustice and misrule.

• Rizal, a civilian was tried by military court composed of alien military officers.

• He was considered guilty before the actual trial.• The military court met not to give him justice but to accuse

and condemn him.• They accepted all charges against him and ignored

arguments and proofs in his favor .• He was not given the right to face the witnesses against

him in open court.

At 8:00 am, December 26, 1896, the court-martial of Rizal started in the military building called Cuartel de España.

Rizal sat on a bench between two soldiers with arms tied elbow to elbow, dressed in suit, white vest, and tie. He was calm and dignified in appearance.

The trial was opened by Judge Advocate Dominguez followed by a speech by Prosecuting Attorney Alcocer.

Defense Counsel Taviel de Andrade read his defense of Rizal. Rizal read a supplement to his defense with 12 points that he wrote in his cell.

The court remained indifferent to his pleading and Lt. Col. Togores Arjona considered the trial over. After deliberation the court voted for the sentence of death.

On the same day the decision was submitted to Governor General Polavieja and immediately soght the opinion of Judge Advocate General Nicolas de la Peña. The latter affirmed his verdict.

After deliberation the court voted for the sentence of death.

On the same day the decision was submitted to Governor General Polavieja that sought the

opinion of Judge Advocate General Nicolas de la Peña.

The latter affirmed his verdict.

On December 28th, Polavieja approved the decision of the court-martial and ordered

Rizal to be shot at 7:00 o’clock in the morning of December 30 at Bagumbayan Field

(Luneta).

For signing the fatal document ordering the execution of Dr. Rizal, Governor General

Polavieja won the eternal odium of the Filipino people