MODULE 9
JOSE RIZAL’S RETRACTION CONTROVERSY
“The Cuerpo de Vigilancia Version
Dr. Jose Rizal
Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda
Born on June 19, 1861 in Calamba, Laguna
Died on December 30, 1896 in Rizal Park Manila
“Pepe” is his nickname during his younger age
He is known as the National Hero of the Philippines
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo are his two famous novels
La Solidaridad is one of his famous article
He founded the group of society called La Liga Filipina where in Andres Bonifacio was
one of the members
1891 - Rizal arrived in Hongkong to practice his medical profession.
1892 - he founded the La Liga Filipina
1895 – Rizal became acquainted with Josephine Bracken
1896
Dec. 26 – Rizal was accused and tried before a military tribunal for the alleged crimes of
rebellion, sedition and illegal association.
Dec. 28 – Governor General Camilo de Polavieja affirmed the death sentence and set the
execution of Rizal on Dec. 30 at 7:00 o’clock in the mornng.
Dec. 29 – Death sentence was read to Rizal early in the morning
Dec. 29 – Father Saderra and Father Luis Visa visited Rizal and he asked them whether some of
those who had been professors were still in Ateneo
Dec. 29 – Rizal had decided to retract
Dec. 30 – at 6:00 o’clock in the morning, Josephine Bracken and Rizal was married
Dec. 30 – Execution of Rizal
What is Retraction?
The act of taking back an offer or statement, or admitting that the previous statement was
false.
A public statement made about the an earlier statement that withdraws, cancels, refutes or
reverses the original statement or ceases and desists from publishing the original statement
Here are some thoughts of the people about Jose Rizal’s retraction document
Some says that this document is a forgery and the other are asserting that it’s authentic and
Rizal was the only who wrote and signed the retraction paper.
There are arguments found that depend the both claims. But the only thing is, even Rizal
retracted or not, the knowledge he inculcated to us will not change
Pro-Retractionists vs. Anti-Retractionists
Pro-Retractionists – they are the ones who believe that there is a retraction . They are
represented by the Jesuits, the archbishop of Manila and other members of the Catholic
hierarchy.
Anti-Retractionists – They are the ones who doesn’t believe that there is no retraction
happened. There are represented by the members of the Masonry.
Masonry- an organization that promotes brotherhood, integrity, decency and professionalism.
Jose Rizal’s statement translation in English
The Jesuit Version
Jesuit version reported that Rizal denounced his Masonic beliefs and reprocessed his Catholic
faith. And Rizal die a Catholic. Local newspapers that reported the retraction are the:
1. La Voz Española- it is claimed to “have seen and read his own handwritten retraction
2. El Español
3. El Comercio
4. La Oceania Española
Spain-based newspapers and magazines that covered the retraction:
1. El Imparcial
2. Heraldo de Madeid
3. El Siglo Futuro
Father Pio Pi’s Statement
• He is the Superior of the Jesuits.
• Father Pio Pi accepted the tasked of Manila Archbishop Bernardino Nozaleda to take
care of Rizal’s spiritual needs during his last 24 hours because he considered Rizal to be
Ateneo Municipal High School’s “very distinguished and dear pupil”.
• He sent Frs. Vicente Balaguer, Jose Villaclara, Estanislao March, Luis Visa, Federico Faura
and Miguel Saderra (rector of Ateneo Municipal) in Rizal’s detention cell.
• Of all the Jesuits whom Fr. Pi commissioned to deal with Rizal, it was Fr. Vicente
Balaguer who wrote extensively about what happened in Rizal’s detention cell the day
before he was executed
Father Balaguer’s affidavit letter
Father Balaguer’s statement
• All throughout the history of the retraction controversy, Father Balaguer claimed that he
was present in Rizal’s prison cell and actively involved in convincing him to retract.
• Fr. Balaguer declared that he talked to Rizal three times on December 29, 1896. The first
time was in the morning, from 10 to 12:30. It was during this meeting that he presented
the retraction template to Rizal but the latter did not sign. The second time he returned
to Rizal around 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Fr. Balaguer claimed in his affidavit that he
was one of Rizal’s afternoon visitors. Fr. Balaguer continued that the third time he talked
to Rizal was around 10 in the evening. And by that time, Rizal signed the retraction
document.
Cuerpo de Vigilancia Version
• On the report of Federico Moreno (NAP Manuscript A-6, Doc. 1), he presents another
eyewitness account of what transpired in Rizal’s prison cell before he was executed.
• The eyewitness account present is the Agent of Cuerpo de Vigilancia wherein he said
that he is in Fort Santiago where Rizal is in prison and he was the guarded him on the
day where the priests visited Rizal to convinced him to retract.
• It contains several details that could be used for and against the claim that Rizal
returned to the Catholic fold and renounced Masonry.
• The account may be considered more objective than earlier ones because Moreno was
neither a member of the Catholic hierarchy nor a known Mason.
Analyzation on the Retraction Letter
1. Rizal die a Catholic.
2. He wanted to marry Josephin Bracken.
3. He wanted to reforms from the Spanish Government.
4. He wanted to heal the sickness of Catholic Church.
Four (4) Versions of the text of Retraction
La Voz Española and Diario de Manila on December 30, 1896
La Juventud Filipina on February 14, 1897 in Barcelona, Spain
The Balaguer Testimony
The testimony of Cuerpo de Vigilancia
Arguments of Pro-Retractionists
1. The Eyewitnesses
• Father Vicente Balaguer – the first eyewitness
• Father Jose Villaclara and Father Estanislao March
• Manila Archbishop Bernardino Nozaleda and Father Pio Pi
• Father Luis Visa, Father Miguel Saderra and Father Federico Faura
• Declaration or retraction was signed together with Dr. Jose Rizal by Señor
Fresno, Chief of the Picket, and Señor Maure, Adjutant of the Plaza
• Agent of Cuerpo de Vigilancia
2. The Retraction Document itself.
3. The Catholic Devotion Books
4. The testimony of the Jesuit priests at the time of the event.
5. Rizal’s personal belongings gave to his family members.
6. The marriage of Rizal and Josephine Bracken.
7. The priests and the Crucifix.
Arguments of Anti-Retractionists
1. The retraction document is forgery.
• Dr. Ricardo R. Pascual, examined the 1935 document to other documents
written by Rizal.
• Mi Ultimo Adios (“My Last Farewell) – the letter he wrote on December
15, 1896.
• To My CountryMen on April 30, 1899
Defensa- he wrote on December 12, 1896
Imitacion de Cristo- a book dedicatory note to Josephine Bracken.
• The text of the 1935 document has 4 commas while the text of Fr.
Balaguer has 11 commas.
2. The original letter was not shown to the public.
3. Rizal’s burial was kept secret.
4. There is no marriage certificate.
5. Rizal’s family does not know about the retraction of Rizal.
6. The retraction story is “Pious Fraud”.
7. Masons used the character of Rizal as an argument against the retraction.
