Did Rizal
Retract ?
Jose Rizal is identified as a
hero of the revolution for his
writings that center on ending
colonialism and liberating
Filipino minds to contribute to
creating the Filipino nation.
In Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo , Rizal critiques
the friars' injustices within
Retract
-taking back or renouncing previous
beliefs and writing.
-if Rizal retracted ,it means he
returned to the catholic faith and
disassociated himself from the
revolution
•The Rizal Retraction Controversy is
about whether Dr. José Rizal took
back his criticisms of the Catholic
Church and Spanish rule before his
execution on December 30, 1896.
•Some say he signed a retraction
document, while others believe it
was forged.
Rizal’s Legacy – did he
change his beliefs before
dying ,or did he stand by his
principle?
Impact on Nationalism –if he
retracted , did he still support
the revolution?
Truth on History – historians
Primary Source : Rizal’s
Retraction
Primary Source : Rizal’s
Retraction
“I declare myself a catholic and in this Religion in
which I was born and educated I wish to live and
die .
I retract with all my heart whatever in my words ,
writings, publications and conduct has been
contrary to my character as son of the Catholic
Church. I believe and I confess whatever she
teaches , and I submit to whatever she demands . I
abominate Masonry, as the enemy which is of the
Church and a Society prohibited by the church. The
Diocesan Prelate may, as the Superior
Primary Source : Rizal’s
Retraction
4 Iterations of the text of this retraction :
The first version of the text was published in La
Vos Espanola on the night of Decmeber 29,1896
The second text appeared in El Imparcial and
Diario de Manila on the day of the execution , 30
December 1896.
The third text appeared in Barcelona, Spain, in
the magazine La Juventud, a few months after the
execution , February 14 , 1897 , from an
anonymous writer who was later revealed to be
Fr. Vicente Balaguer .
Reasons for Retraction:
To save his family and town from
further persecution
To give Josephine a legal status
as his wife
To secure reforms from the
Spanish Government
The Testimony of Fr.
Vicente Balaguer
The Balaguer Testimony
• Doubts on the retraction document
abound especially because only
eyewitness account of the writing of the
document exists-that the Jesuit friar Fr.
Vicente Balaguer.
• According to Balaguer’s testimony , Rizal :
- woke up multiple times on the night
-confessed four times to the priests
-attended mass and received
The Balaguer Testimony
• Since no other direct witness accounts
exist, Balaguer testimony has been used
as the primary basis for arguing that Rizal
signed a retraction document
• However, inconsistencies in his
statements lack of immediate physical
evidence cast doubt on its authenticity.
The Testimony of Cuerpo
de Vigilancia
The Vigilancia Testimony
• Another eyewitness account surfaced in
2016, through the research of Professor
Rene R. Escalante
• In his research , documents of the Cuerpo
de Vigilancia included a report on the last
hours of Rizal, written by Federico Moreno.
The Vigilancia Testimony
• Federico Moreno- a guardia vigilancia(prison
guard) at Fort Santigao
• He claimed :
- he was one of the guards assigned to Rizal’s
cell on December 29, 1896
-He stated that no retraction document was
signed in his presence
-He observed that Rizal did not engage in
religious activities as claimed by the priests.
- Unlike Balaguer’s testimony , Moreno did not
The Vigilancia Testimony
• 7:50 AM:Rizal entered death row with his
lawyer Senor Taviel Andrade amd Jesuit
priest Fr.Vilaclara.
• 9;00AM;Plaza Assistant Senor Maure asked
Rizal if he needed anything . He requested a
player book, which Fr.March later brought.
• 10;00 AM; Senor Andrade left,and Rizal
spoke at length with Jesuit priests regarding
religion.
The Vigilancia Testimony
• 12;30 PM;Rizal ate poached eggs and
chicken,then spent time writing alone.
• 3;00 PM;Rizal handed a document to Fr.
March .Plaza Assistant Maure and firing
squad Chief del Fresno later entered death
row and signed the document Rizal wrote
himself.
• 5;00 AM(December 30);Josephine Bracken
arrived ,dressed in mourning. A military
This discovery remains controversial
because:
1.Difference in wording
- The 4 versions have slight variation in
phrasing .
- If Rizal had truly signed a retraction , why
would different versions exist ?
2.Early Publication before Execution
-La Vos Espanola published a retraction
text on the night of December 29, 1896,
3.Missing Original Document for decades
-No original signed copy was publicly shown in
1896.
-It was only “discovered” four decades later which
leads to many historians doubt its authenticity
because of this long disappearance.
4.Conflicting Witness Testimonies
- Some Jesuits priests claimed that Rizal signed a
retraction and returned to catholic faith
- However, Rizal’s family never saw the signed
document and believed he never retracted
Rizal’s Connection to the
Katipunan
1.La Liga Filipina : The Precursor to the
Katipunan
-Rizal founded the La Liga Filipina in July
3 ,1892 to promote reforms through peaceful
means.
-Andres Bonifacio was one of its members
and became a key leader forming the
Katipunan.
Pres; Ambrosio Salvador
Sec; Deodato Arellano
Treas: Bonifacio Arevalo
1.La Liga Filipina : The Precursor to the
Katipunan
- The Spanish government saw it as a threat
and exiled Rizal to Dapitan, leading to the
Liga’s disbandment.
-Just days after Rizal’s exile , former La Liga
members formed the Katipunan on July
7,1892 and Cuerpo de Compromisarios to
fight for independence through revolution .
-Out of 28 Katipunan leaders (1892-1896) ,
2.The Katipunan’s Reverence for Rizal
-Katipuneros used “ Rizal” as a
password in their secret meetings and
to recognize fellow members.
-They saw him as an intellectual guide
and considered making him the
honorary leader of the revolution.
-When the Katipuneros finally launched
, one of their first rallying cries was “
3.Rizal’s Advice to the Katipunan
-In 1896, Pio Valenzuela visited Rizal in
Dapitan to inform him about the
planned revolution.
-Rizal objected, believing it was too
early and that the Filipinos lacked the
necessary resources .
-He warned that an uprising at that
time would be suicidal and lead to
unnecessary bloodshed.
4,Rizal’s Execution: A Turning Point
-Tough Rizal did not support an early
revolution, the Spanish still accused
him of being involved in the Katipunan
- His execution on December 30,1896,
became the final spark that ignited the
Philippine revolution .
