Last Homecoming and Trial
Chapter 24
A Martyr’s Last Homecoming
▲Rizal leave Barcelona on Tuesday, October
6,1896, He conscientiously recorded the
events in his diary.
▲Rizal was given a good cabin in the second
class and although strictly guarded, he was
courteously treated by the army officers.
▲On October 8 a friendly officer told Rizal that
the Madrid newspapers were full of stories
about the bloody revolution in the Philippines
and were blaming him for it.
Confiscation of Rizal’s Diary
▲The Spanish authorities were curious as to
what were recorded in his diary. Not only their
curiosity, but also their suspicion were
aroused, for they feared that the diarist might
be writing something seditious or treasonable.
▲On October 11 before reaching Port, Rizal’s
diary was taken away and was critically
scrutinized by the authorities. But it was
returned to him on November 2.
Unsuccessful Rescue in Singapore.
▲News of Rizal’s predicament reached his
friends in Europe and Singapore. From
London, Dr. Antonio Ma. 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
habeas corpus.
▲When the colon arrived in Singapore, Atty.
Fort instituted
proceedings at the Singapore court for the
removal of Rizal from the steamer.
▲Unfortunately, Chief Justice Loinel Cox
denied the writ on
the ground that the colon was carrying
Spanish troops to the
Philippines.
▲Rizal was unaware of the attempt made by his
friends to rescue him in Singapore because he
was then kept behind bars in the ship.
Arrival in Manila
▲November 3, the colon reached Manila.While
the Spanish community was exulting with joy,
Rizal was quietly transferred under heavy
guard from the ship to Fort Santiago.
▲Spanish authorities fished for evidence against
Rizal. Many Filipino patriots were brutally
tortured to implicate Rizal.
▲Rizal’s own brother, Paciano, was arrested and
cruelly tortured, but he never signed any
damaging statement incriminating his younger
brother.
Preliminary Investigation
▲Two kinds of evidence were presented against
Rizal, namely documentary and testimonial.
▲The documentary evidence consisted of 15
exhibits.
▲After studying the papers, Pena submitted the
following recommendations:
(1) The accused be immediately brought to
trials.
(2) He should be kept in prison.
(3) An order of attachment be issued against
his property to the amount of 1M pesos as
indemnity.
(4) He should be defended in court by an
army officer, not by a civilian lawyer.
Rizal Chooses His Defender.
▲Rizal chose Don Luis Taviel de Andrade, 1st
Lieutenant of the Artillery to be his defender
in court.
▲Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade proved to be the
brother of Lt. Jose Taviel de Andrade, Rizal’s
“bodyguard” in Calamba in 1887.
Reading Of Information of Charges to the Accused
▲Dec.11, information about charges was
formally read to
Rizal in his prison cell, with his counsel
present.
