30/12/2018
Defensores de la Lengua Española en Filipinas
KATIPUNAN RESPONSABLE FOR CAUSING RIZALS DEATH
Again comes the day of the death of our illustrious José Rizal Mercado y Alonso who died on December 30, 1896, but who is really guilty for the death of Jose Rizal?
It all started with his publications of Noli Me Tangere (1887) and El Filibusterismo (1891). With these publications Rizal made himself many enemies in the Spanish government, religious institutions and Filipinos of the upper class.
In 1889 Rizal wrote about himself:
"Without 1872 [the ex*****on of Mariano Gómez, José Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora] there would be now neither Pláridel, neither Jaena nor Sancianco nor the brave and generous Philippine colonies would exist in Europe; without 1872, Rizal would now be a Jesuit and instead of writing Noli Me Tangere, and would have written the opposite."
In 1892 Rizal created La Liga Filipina, a progressive political organization with the goal of reforms. A few weeks or months later some of its members like Andrés Bonifacio and Deodato Arellano created another organization with the name Katipunan with very extremist motives and the goal of killing the Spaniards and declaring independence . It was the Katipunan that implied Rizal as honorary president of the Katipunan and they even had a portrait of Rizal in the assembly hall, all without his knowledge!!
During the life of Rizal, he thought and and spoke several times already about his death, so he wrote on Junde 27, 1888 from London:
"I am not immortal nor invulnerable, and my greatest joy would be eclipsed by a pleiad of civilians at the time of my death. That, if one is killed or hanged, they will replace twenty or thirty at least so that they will chase after hanging or killing. Many do not want to burn the ants because they say they multiply more. Why would not we be ants? "
And June 11, 1890 from Brussels:
"In my childhood it was my strong belief that I would not be thirty years old and I do not know why I thought that way. It's been two months now that almost every night I only dream of dead friends and relatives. Once I even dreamed that I was going down a path that led to the bottom of the earth and there I found a crowd of people sitting, dressed in white, with white, silent faces, and surrounded by white lights; there I saw two siblings of mine, today dead already one and still alive the other. Although I do not believe in these things, although my body is very strong and I do not have any disease, yet I prepare myself for death, I fix what I am going to leave and I am ready for any eventuality."
After the scandals of his two novels and his propaganda, Rizal was already waiting for his death and he wrote in Hong Kong, on June 20, 1892, this letter that he wanted published after his death.
"To My Dear Parents, Brothers and Friends:
The love that I have always professed to you was the one that has dictated me to take this step, that only the future will be able to say whether or not it is sensible. Success judges things according to the consequences; but whether favorable or unfavorable, it will always be said that he has dictated my duty to me, and I should perish to comply with it, it does not matter. I know that I have made you suffer a lot but I do not regret what I have done and if I had to start now, I would do the same as I did, because it is my duty. I willingly set out to expose myself to danger, not as an expiation of my faults (which at this point I do not think I have committed any), but to crown my work and witness with my example what I have always preached. Man must die for his duty and his convictions. I support all the ideas that I have expressed regarding the state and the future of my country, and I will gladly die for it and even more so to seek justice and tranquility from you. I risk my life with pleasure to save so many innocents, so many nephews, so many children of friends and not friends who suffer for me. What am I? Just a single man, almost without a family, quite disillusioned with life. Many disappointments I have had, and the future that is offered to me is dark, and it will be very dark, if it is not lit by the light, the dawn of my homeland. While there are so many beings that, full of hopes and dreams, perhaps they are all happy with my death, because I hope that my enemies will be satisfied and will no longer persecute so many innocents. Their hatred to a certain degree is just about me, not about my parents and relatives. If luck is adverse to me , let everyone know that I will die happy, thinking that with my death I will endeavor to cease all their bitterness. Come back to our homeland and be happy in it. Until the last moment of my life I will think of you and wish you all luck. José Rizal "
On the night of July 6, 1892, Rizal was secretly arrested four days after the creation of the La Liga Filipina. The next day, Governor-General Eulogio Despujol ordered that Rizal be deported to Dapitan, Mindanao where he lived until 1896 a quiet life. During that time Rizal retired from politics and his aggressive propaganda. In Dapitan he got to know a different life, different friends, other circumstances and indeed wanted to live much longer. I see it as very possible that Rizal, after living 4 quite years in Dapitan, he would not haven written in 1896 the same letter again that he wrote on June 20, 1892 about that he would be doing all the same again.
At the end of June 1896, the organization of the Katipunan that had replaced "La Liga Filipina", thought to send one of their own to Dapitan , to confer with Rizal and to know if he was willing to put himself at the head of the revolutionary movement. Pio Valenzuela, a young doctor and co-founder of the Katipunan, was chosen to see Rizal. Indeed, he pretended to take a sick eye to be treated in Dapitan, where he arrived on July 1 of that year. Valenzuela did not meet Rizal in Manila or, if he met him, he would not remember him. The truth is that when they were both alone, Valenzuela confessed to Rizal the real purpose of his visit and told him the number of members of the Katipunan and the funds he had to make a revolution and if Rizal wanted to go to the head , they would facilitate the escape. The most common version of that conference was that Rizal was outraged when he heard Valenzuela's proposal, and it was not long before he threw him out of his house. It seems, however, that there was nothing of this and that although Rizal refused to have anything to do with the revolution, because, under the conditions in which it was said to be carried out, it could not be a success, tried, however, Valenzuela with boxes and even when he said that, as for the escape, should not be counted on him because he would miss his word of honor, suggested to be spoken to Luna in case they needed to have a military caudillo.
After years of wanting to transfer to another place, finally Rizal was granted to work in Cuba as a doctor. The Governor General Ramón Blanco made the following recommendation for Rizal :
AUGUST 30, 1896.- EXCMO. MR. D. MARCELO DE AZCÁRRAGA.
"MY APPRECIABLE GENERAL AND DISTINGUISHED FRIEND: I recommend to you with real interest Dr. D. José Rizal, who is going to the Peninsula at the disposition of the government always eager to render his services as a doctor in the Army of Cuba." His behavior during the four years that he has remained in Dapitan has been exemplary; and it is, in my opinion, all the more worthy of forgiveness and benevolence, when it is not in any way complicated in the attempt that these days we regret, neither in conspiracy nor in secret society any of those who have been plotting it.
With this motive I have the pleasure to repeat myself of you with the most distinguished consideration and partner q. b.
s.m. -RAMÓN BLANCO. "
Meanwhile the organization "Katipunan" began with the rebellion against Spain. Rizal was deported and charged with the crimes of rebellion, sedition and conspiracy and later sentenced to death. It was because of the Katipunan that used his name in bad faith and that made Rizal look guilty even though he was innocent.
On December 15 Rizal unveiled to judge his manifest to the Filipinos and said in his defense:
" PAISANOS: - Upon my return from Spain, I learned that my name had been used among some who were in arms as a war cry." The news surprised me painfully, but believing that everything was over, I kept silent about a fact that I considered irremediable. Now I perceive rumors that the riots continue, and if some still use my name bad or good faith, to remedy this abuse and disappoint the unwary I hasten to address these lines so that the truth is known. At the beginning when I heard what was being projected, I opposed it, I fought it and showed its absolute impossibility.This is the truth and the witnesses of my words live in. I was convinced that the idea was highly absurd, and what was worse, deathly. I did more. When later, despite my advice, the movement broke out, I spontaneously offered not only my services but my life and even my name so that they could use them in the way they thought fit in order to quell the rebellion; convinced of the evils he was going to bring, he considered me happy if, with any sacrifice, he could prevent so many useless misfortunes. This also appears.
Paisanos: I have given proof, as the most, of wanting liberties for our country, and I still want them. But I put as a premise the education of the people so that through education and work had its own personality and became worthy of them. I have recommended in my writings the study, the civic virtues, without which there is no redemption. I have also written (and my words have been repeated) that reforms, to be fruitful, had to come from above, that those that came from below were irregular and insecure shakes. Nourished by these ideas, I can not less but to condemn and I condemn this absurd, savage uprising, plotted behind my back, which dishonors the Filipinos and discredits those who can plead for us, abhorred their criminal procedures and rejected all kinds of participations, deploying with all the pain of my heart to the unwary who have been deceived. Vuélvanse, pues, a sus casas, y que Dios perdone a los que han obrado de mala fe."
"Regarding the rebellion:
First. Since July 6, 1892 I have not occupied not at all in politics until July 1 of this year, when advised by Mr. Pío Valenzuela, that an uprising was being attempted, I advised otherwise, trying to convince him with reasons. D. Pio Valenzuela separated from me convinced, apparently; so much that instead of taking part later in the rebellion, he presented himself as a pardon to the authorities.
Second. As proof that I did not have any political relationship with anyone and that it is false what someone said of having sent letters through my family, they have had to send D. Pio Valenzuela under a supposed name, with great expenses, when in the same steam were five members of my family and two servants in addition. If what they claim is true, what need did D. Pio have to attract anyone's attention and expose himself to great expenses? In addition, the mere fact of going Mr. Valenzuela to warn me, proves that I was not in correspondence, because if it were, I should already know, because it is quite serious to make an uprising to be hidden. When he has taken the step of sending Mr. Valenzuela proof that he was aware that I knew nothing; that is, he did not correspond with them. Another negative proof is that they can not teach a letter from me.
Third. They have cruelly abused my name and at the last minute they wanted to surprise me. Why did they not contact me before? They would say maybe I was, if not happy, resigned to my residence, because I had rejected several proposals that many people made to get me out of that place. Only in these last months, as a result of certain domestic matters, having had differences with a Missionary Fr., I have asked to leave as a volunteer to Cuba. D. Pio Valenzuela came to warn me to put me in insurance, because according to him, it was possible that they would complicate me. As I considered myself entirely innocent and was not aware of the how or when of the movement (besides believing I had convinced Mr. Valenzuela) I did not take precautions, but when the Hon. Mr. Governor General wrote to me announcing my march to Cuba, I embarked immediately, leaving all my affairs abandoned...
Fifth Someone said that I was the boss. What kind of boss is he with whom he does not count for the projects and is only warned to escape? What boss is that, that when he says no, they say yes?
Regarding La Liga:
"Sixth, it is true that I wrote your statutes, whose purposes were to promote trade, industry, the arts, etc., through of the Union; this has been confirmed by witnesses that are not me affections, before on the contrary...
Ninth. La Liga was not a society with harmful ends, and it is proved by the fact that they had to leave it, making the Katipunan, which was perhaps what served its purpose. As little as La Liga could have served for rebellion, not the they would have left, but they would have modified it only; for if, as some pretend, I am the boss, for my consideration, and for the prestige of my name, they would have retained the name of Liga. Having discarded it, name and everything, creating the Katipunan, clearly proves that neither was I counted on, nor did La Liga serve its purposes, since no other society is formed when another is already constituted...
Twelfth. All these facts and considerations destroy the little-founded accusations of those who have declared against me, with which I have asked the Judge to confront me. It must be admitted that in one night I was able to bring everything the filibustering, in a meeting that talked about trade, etc., meeting that did not happen there, because he died later. If the few who were present had taken my words seriously, they would not have let La Liga die. Is it that those who were part of La Liga that night created the Katipunan? I do not think so. Who went to Dapitan to talk to me? People entirely unknown to me. Why was not a known person commissioned so that I could have more confidence? Because, those who knew me, knew too much that I had left politics, or that being aware of my way of thinking about rebellions, they would have refused to take a useless and unsuccessful step.
I hope I have shown with these considerations that I have neither created a society for revolutionary purposes nor taken part in others later, nor have I participated in the rebellion, but, on the contrary, I have been opposed to it, as the publication of a particular conversation. "
On December 29, one day before his ex*****on he said the following phrases:
"I have not been a traitor to my country or the Spanish nation!"
"I declare myself Catholic and in this Religion in which I was born and I educated, I want to live and die. I retract with all my heart all that in my words, writings, printed and conduct has been contrary to my status as a son of the Church. I believe and profess what she teaches, and I submit to what she commands."
"The Diocesan Prelate, as the highest ecclesiastical authority, can make public this spontaneous manifestation of mine to repair the scandal that my acts may have caused and for God and men to forgive me.
"Manila, December 29, 1896.- JOSÉ RIZAL."
Don José Rizal Mercado and Alonso, was shot on December 30, 1896.
In short, we can say that, without the Katipunan, their rebellion and the implication of Rizal in it without his knowledge, the illustrious Dr. José Rizal would not have died on December 30, 1896. The fault in total was the Katipunan, the visit of the Katipunero Pio Valenzuela in Dapitan , the Spanish government, and Rizal himself , but the biggest fault I see in the Katipunan. The Katipunan has been a completely failed organization, lost the first rebellion of 1896, invited in 1898 the devil, the United States of America to the Philippines against which they declared and lost the war and then the Philippines suffered for 48 years under their control. The end of our glorious days; our Filpinas that they prefer to call today " Philippines " where defilipinized Filipinos live; the great loss of our heritage in the Second World War, the oppression of the Castilian language and the forgetting of its value; the loss of values, traditions and discipline, the majority that continue living in great poverty; Oh, what a sad reality of the Perla del Oriente (Pearl of the Orient)"!
Writer :
Martín Echavez Jung
(originally written in Spanish)
Source: Biografía de Rizal-Rafael Palma, Cartas a la familia de Rizal, Biblioteca Nacional de España
