RETRACTION OF RIZAL

(PREPARED BY: KADIR A. BULLANG)

Synopsis
Dr. Jose P. Rizal that was executed 120 years ago on December
30, 1896, became a hero because of his writings against the
Spanish colonists ideas and that he wanted to aspire the Filipinos
to open their minds and build the country as one great nation.
NOLI ME TANGERE, EL FILIBUSTERISMO and his essay towards LA
SOLIRIDAD.
But despite of all of this, he retracted all his anti-catholic ideas
and beliefs against the Church through a document that he
signed. The document formally known as “Retractaccion” or The
Retraction.
Retraction Letter
First draft of the retraction was sent by Archbishop Bernardino
Nozaleda to Rizal’s cell in Fort Santiago the night before his execution
in Bagumbayan. But Rizal was said to have rejected the draft because
it was lengthy.

According to a testimony by Father Vicente Balaguer, Rizal accepted

a shorter retraction document prepared by the superior of the Jesuit
Society in the Philippines, Father Pio Pi.

He was free to modify the retraction letter according to Father Pio Pi’s
permission. Letting him dictate what he ought to profess or express,
and he shall write, making in any case some remarks.
Translation (english)

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 the son of the Catholic of the
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
as a society prohibited by the Church. The Diocesan
Prelate may, as the Superior Eccleciastical Authority,
make public this spontaneous manifestation of mine
in order to repair the scandal which my acts may
have caused and so that God and people may
pardon me.

Manila, 29 of December 1896

Jose Rizal
this was the statement in the document which made the
historians believed that Rizal had retracted. Its authenticity
is confirmed by people who witnessed it. This include
eleven eyewitnesses who were present when Rizal wrote
his retraction, signed a Catholic prayer book, recited
Catholic prayers, and the multitude who saw him kiss the
crucifix before his execution. Fr. Marciano Guzman, a
great grandnephew of Rizal, cites that Rizal's 4 confessions
were certified by 5 eyewitnesses, 10 qualified witnesses, 7
newspapers, and 12 historians and writers including
Aglipayan bishops, Masons and anti-clericals.
EYEWITNESSES
 Father Vicente Balaguer Llacer
“After Rizal was condemned to death, when the chaplain of the Royal
Fort Santiago, where the convict was, offered his services for so sad
circumstances, the prisoner told him that he appreciated his offering,
but that he decided rather to be visited by the Fathers of the Society
of Jesus by whom he had been educated.”
Rev. Father Superior, Father Pio Pi then sent Father Saderra, and Father
Luiz Viza to the fort on morning of Dec. 29, 1896. Jose Villaclara
“Rizal received them with great signs of affection, and asked them
whether some of those who had been his professors were still there in
Ateneo.”
“As a matter of fact Rizal had decided to retract on December 29.
When his sister Maria visited him at fort Santiago on that day to bade
him farewell, he told her:
“Maria, I am going to marry Josephine.” the convict says.
Father Vicente Balaguer and Viza went to the palace and reported on
the condition of the convict, who offered some hope for conversions,
since Rizal asked for the formula of retraction. And the retraction
formula was finished a few hours before midnight and was sent to the
fort.
“This declaration of retraction was signed together by Dr. Jose P. Rizal
and Senor Fresno, Chief of Picket, and Senior Moure, Adjutant of Plaza.
Finally, I declare and affirm that, a little before Rizal came out from the
chapel, I left in the company of Josephine Bracken, and a sister of
Rizal, from whom by him and by the witnesses. Before Rizal reached
Bagumbayan, I went to Ateneo and delivered the aforementioned
document to Father Pio Pi, who that very day brought it to the palace,
and handed it to Archbishop Nozaleda. His grace entrusted it to his
secretary, reverend Tomas Gonzales Feijo, who kept it in the
secretary’s office, in the chest of reserved document.”
EYEWITNESSES
 Captain Rafael Dominguges Y Garcia
In notarial act signed by him in the city of Badajoz, Spain, May 30, 1918, before Don
Benjamin Escola Y Manso, Notary Lawyer of the illustratious Colleges of Madrid,
Salamanea and Badajoz, with Don Pedro Murillo Pavon and Don Marceliano
Torrejoncillo Casado as witnesses: (Notorial Act duly legalized by Reginaldo S.
Castleman, Vise-Consul of the United Sates of America, in Madrid, Spain.)
read the death sentence to Rizal to be shot at the back by a firing squad at 7:00A.M. in
Bagumbayan
“When the execution of the death sentence was pronounced against him, I had to fulfill
the painful duty , imposed by my office remaining near the convict all the time he was in
the chapel.. I preserved with me some notes taken during those 24 hours in the chapel,
hours of great emotion.”
“The Reverend Jesuit Fathers, Luis Vista, Jose Vilaclara, Vicente Balaguer Llacer, and
Faura, come to visit him. He is also visited by the civil governor, and other persons of
rank. He receives everyone with affability and a wonderful calmness.”
“In the presence of the Jesuit Fathers, he asked to get married and he promises to make his
confession.
“.. Follows conferences with the Fathers Balaguer and Vilaclara. Rizal is yielding little by little. At 8
o’clock, he makes his confession to father Vilaclara. Once, finished, accompanied by the fathers,
the Officer of the Picket, two other officers and myself, he kneels down before the altar, and all all
those that are present kneel too. He reads in a clear and serene voice the following declaration
which was signed by him: (full text of retraction)”
In another part of the NOTORIAL ACT where these notes have been included, Colonel Rafael Garcia
declared also:
“As a confirmation that there is no doubt the retraction of Rizal. Senor Pinana must look fro an issue of
the daily El Liberal—I don’t remember of what date,-- which published with pictures and great details
the execution of Rizal with the title “La Vida Retrospectiva” In the section, “Rizal en Capilla” among
other things, it says literally: “But in the chapel it was another thing. In the first place, the statuette of
the heart of Jesus, carved by him when he was still a student at the Ateneo, made a deep impression
upon him… Unable to evade the reminiscenes of the past, and after a long controversy, he at last,
yielded, rather out of feeling then out of reason, and signed the retraction of his errors abjuring free-
thinking, etc.””
“With respect to citing witnesses, I cannot do so since I don’t remember others than the Jesuit Fathers,
The Officer of the Picket and two sentries”
The notary lawyer added at the end of this affidavit:
Finally, the testifying party declared that by the present act
he wanted to ratify the authenticity of the preceding notes
which were taken by himself, as if has been stated, while
Dr. Rizal was kept in the chapel, and while the events of
which he had been an eyewitness, and which appear
reflected in these notes with all fidelity and accuracy,
we’re taking place before his eyes.
EYEWITNESSES
 Lieutenant Mariano Martinez Gallegos
In the notarial act signed by this former lieutenant of infantry, in the city
of manila, Philippines, on July 29, 1952, before the notary public don
enriquez Ramirez, he declared the following points
“Towards the end of December, 1896 and even since December 8th of
the preceding year, I was residing in Manila, a graduate to the Royal
Military Academy with the rank of the first lieutenant. I was stationed in
the Royal Fort Santiago, performing my military duty one of the pickets
as adjutant of commander Eloy Moure.”
“When Dr. Rizal was read his death sentence on the 29th of the
mentioned month of December 1896, the chaplain of artillery and
commander Fresco and Moure were present with their two adjutants:
Martin, Lieutenant of artillery, and the deponent, Gallegos, who was a
lieutenant of infantry.
“… I on the other hand, could see and hear the greater part of the
facts that happened within the last 24 hours of Doctor Rizal; and I
resolutely state that I witnessed his conversion to the catholic faith and
the clear testimony he gave of it.
And, in order to avoid any objection which later on could be raised
against my testimony, I wish the following facts, of which I was an
eyewitness on account of being present when they took place, to be
recorded in an authentic and dependable way:
1.) Doctor Rizal wrote and signed a document of retraction and
profession of catholic faith, which officers Fresno and Moure also as
witnesses.
EYEWITNESSES
 Reverend Luis Viza Y Marti S.J
(…)
In the notarial act signed by this priest in the city of Manresa, Spain, May of
the illustrious College of Barcelona, (Notorial Act. 337, duly legalized by
Harris N. Cookingham, Vice-consultant of the United States of America, In
Barcelona, Spain) he declared and testified to the following details:
Towards the end of December, 1896 (and since 1891), I was in Manila. On
the twenety-nith of the same month of December of that year, at about
six o’clock in the morning, I went with Father Miguel Saderra y Matta,
rector at the time of the Ateneo municipal, to the Royal Fort Santiago,
with the purpose of giving spiritual help to Dr. Jose Rizal Mercado Y Alonso.
When we arrived, they were reading to him the death sentence. Hence,
we waited in the room of banners. Then the reverend chaplain of the
artillery corps of the fort, mow dead, came and told us that Dr. Rizal, after
reading was finished , with great controversy asked the judge to let the
Jesuit fathers, his professors of old, be called. He was told that they were
already there. Once he was transferred to the chapel, we proceed to it, in
the company of the chaplain.
EYEWITNESSES
 Don Panciano Rizal
(..)
“We avow that we cannot present any direct proof in favor of Rizal’s
conversion and retraction from Don Panica
EYEWITNESSES
 Mrs. Josephine Bracken Taufer
Father G. Spada, a member of the Milan Foreign Mission Society, and
a Vice General of Hongkong, attended the widow of Dr. Rizal,
Josephine Bracken in her last illnesses in St. Francis Hospital since she
had to come to live as the Italian convent in Hongkong shortly after
Rizal’s death. Father Spada ministered the last sacraments to
Josephine, who died very peacefully. The very reverend father gave
her body a first class burial in hongkong catholic cemetery. But what is
most pertinent to our case is the statement made in the form of an
affidavit by Father Spada, what he had learned from the unfortunate
Josephine concerning the conversion of Dr. Rizal. We here include a
facsimile of Father Spada’s affidavit bearing his signature and those
two witnesses from an unretouched photograph made by father
Eugene Giesel .J the first statement refers to a fact often repeated” by
Mrs. Jose Rizal: Dr. Rizal certainly died a catholic.
EYEWITNESSES
 Manuel Luengo
 (..)
 According to the notes taken in the prison cell of Rizal on
December 29, 1896, by Captain Rafael Dominguez y Garcia, judge
advocate of Rizal’s trial, one of the illustrations persons who visited
Rizal that day was the civil governor, who at that time was his
excellency Manuel Luengo. In a letter written by this gentlemen to
Don Gonzalo M. Pinana y de Areito, a resident of Madrid, Villalar
(the author of this book so often quoted here: Murio el Dr. Rizal
Christianamante? He asserts the fact he saw Rizal in chapel. He
manifests his conviction that Rizal died as a true Christian, although
he does not give the details of his visit to the convict not the
grounds of his conviction.
EYEWITNESSES
 Fr. Joaquin Vilallonga S.J (..)
Former rector of the Ateneo de manila, and afterwards superior of the
Jesuit mission in India, returned to the Philippines on 14, 1949, to spend the
rest of his life in the heroic task of helping the patients of leper colony in
Culion.
In an interview released to the press on the occasion of the 8th anniversary
of Rizal’s birthday, June 19, 1949, the venerable priest said:
“Jose Rizal retracted his affiliation with Masonry and returned to embrace
Catholicism a little before his execution in old Luneta on December 30,
1896”
In confirmation of this statement, he cited three priests .. Who according
to him, were eyewitnesses of the retraction : Father Luis Viza, Father
Vicente Balaguer, and Father of Jose Villaclara, who are now dead.
“… When Father Viza returned, he told me at the sight of the image of
the sacred heart, Rizal could hardly stop his tears,a dn felt deeply
moved,” affirmed Father Vilallonga. But the father who played the
most important role in the drama of Rizal’s last hours was Father
Vicente Balaguer S.J as well as Father Jose Vilaclara, S.J. Both
remained with the convict the whole night until the last minutes before
Rizal went off to Fort Santiago.”
“.. Father Vicente Balaguer suggested a formula for the retraction,
supplied and approved by the archbishop of Manila, most rev. fr.
Bernardino Nozaleda, O.P. Rizal found some points in the formula he
could not at once agree with. Father Balaguer proposed then to make
some corrections. A final and amended formula was prepared by Rizal
in his own handwriting.”
“After Rizal had signed the formula of his retraction, Father Balaguer
returned to the Ateneo and we were all informed of the events.”
“… We were consoled and went to the chapel and give thanks to god
for the great mercy he had shown towards on one of our dear
alumni.”
And father Vilallonga concludes saying:
“Finally, I want to make a formal and solemn declaration that
whatever I had said about Doctor Rizal is the truth.
Date: December 30, 1932
Shortly after the arrival of Mrs. Jose Rizal (..), in Hongkong I was in a position
to know and to speak with her, especially during the time she lived with
the Italian sisters.
During those years, often spoke of her husband and especially the position
of honor and respect in which he was held by his fellow countrymen, On
many occasions, too, we discussed the last hours of Dr. Rizal. It was during
those conversations that I learned from the wife of the deceased the
following
1.) Dr. Rizal certainly died a catholic, a fact often repeated.
2.) Before Rizal was lead to face the firing squad, he married Josefina
according to the rites of the catholic church.
3.)Dr. Rizal told his wife that he had confessed and that he had Holy
Communion.

“These three declarations I personally heard from the lips of Mrs. Rizal.”
EYEWITNESSES
 Mr. Mariano De Ycaza (..)
His reminiscence of his life as a young student at that time of Rizal’s
conversion are blurred with accuracies in names and other details,
which, however, can easily be explained as natural sleeps of the
memory after a lapse of more than half a century. In a certain way, his
inaccuracies prove that his testimony has not been borrowed from any
written account of those events hence is entirely independent of the
attestations we have been quoting until now. Nevertheless, his
narrations substantially agree with what has been testified by the other
eye witness. Hence, Mr. M. DE Ycaza’s testimony has at least the value
of a confirmation of the substance of the accounts rendered with
other naturally more reliable witnesses.
“ The day Dr. Rizal was shot, I was going to the infirmary of the Ateneo
to take some medicine, and from the window which faced the
Malecon, I saw Dr. Rizal being taken from Fort Santiago through the
Malecon to be made a martyr.”
“The next day or so, I remember that my teacher, Father Francisco
Sanchez, who had been the favorite teacher of Dr. Rizal a few years
before in the same college, told us that Rizal had been a freemason
and that he had re-entered the Catholic faith before his death.
Father Francisco told us that it happened as follows:
Jose Rizal while as student at the Ateneo De Manila, was very handy at
carving with his pen-knife and before he graduated he carved from a
piece of wood a little statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and gave it to
his favorite teacher, Father Sanchez, for a souvenir, which Father
Sanchez kept it with great enjoy.
“… Father Sanchez, upon hearing that DR. Rizal was a prisoner at Fort
Santiago and knowing that Rizal was a freemason, went to call on him
and took a little statue of the blessed Virgin Mary which Rizal had carved
out of wood and had given to father Sanchez few years before.

They conversed together, and Father Sanchez asked Rizal if he wanted to

reenter the catholic faith and showed him the statue of the blessed Virgin
Mary and asked him if he remembered it. Upon seeing this statue which
he had carved, Rizal broke down and decided to give up Masonry and
reentered the Catholic Faith. Afterwards, Father Sanchez heard his
confession and gave him Holy Communion before he was taken to be
made a martyr.

This is the truth and you can published it if you think it will do any good, as I
think and hope it will.”
BEST EVIDENCE
 Father Manuel A. Garcia found the said retraction
 In April, 1935, Was appointed as the archdiocesan archivist.
“In 1933, these archives were piles up on a few shelves, to look for a
document there was some what I like trying to find a needle in a
haystack. I know that by years of personal experience. No wonder,
then, that when the controversy on Rizal’s retraction arose, it was
practically and physically impossible to find the precious document.
Some attempts were made no results. And freemansory kept asking
repeatedly for the document. There was no trace of document existed
as was claimed by a thousand and one person who had seen it.”
“Again, back in 1935. In our new-proof vault, the muchachos and clears of the
archbishop’s House and Office made a perfect mounds of papers. I began my work, the
silent and patient work of an archivist.”
“May 18, 935. the tedious work continued, giving to me new surprises. As other papers
passed one by one through my hands. A bundle entiled “Masoneria” was in sight. I knew
what that means – a bundle of jewels for Filipino history. The retraction and other
documents of so many Filipino Freemasons and heroes who came back to bosom
mother church.”
Manuel A. Garcia then showed the file documents to late president Manuel Quezon
and they decided to show the said document to Teodoro Kalaw. But they were prudent
because they knew that Kalaw was a freemason of the thirdy-third degree. They called
General Carlos P. Romulo who was the editor in herald and they prepapred for the
atomic bomb on June 15, 1935 headlines:
“RIZAL’S RETRACTION FOUND”
Subsequently, General Romulo was able to confer with Kalaw on the
Rizal and other documents by Father Garcia. He said:
“See what we have found, Kalaw. What do you think of them?’
“Why? They are the missing Rizal’s documents?” Kalaw enthusiastically
asked.
“Any doubt about them?” Queried Romulo.
“None whatever,” Said Kalaw
 In spite of the opinion of Kalaw, archbishop O’ Doherty was not satisfied. He
requested Professor H. Otley Beyer, Professor of anthropology, in the university of the
Philippines, and curator of the U.P museum or archeology, and a recognized
handwriting expert, to study and examine Rizal retraction document to decide
whether or not it was genuine.
 Professor Beyer delivered an extemporaneous speech in faculty symposium of UP.
That was held in Diliman, Quezon City, 1950.
“.. I examine the document of Rizal’s retraction twice. The first was shortly after the
document was found by someone looking through marriage records in the archbishop’s
file. I was asked by father fletcher, the secretary of the archbishop O’Doherty, to make
an examination of the document and let the archbishop know whether or not I thought
it was genuine for his personal information. I agreed to do that on the understanding at
that time that thee was to be no publicity concerning my opinion as the geniunness or
un ungenuinness of the document.
“… The folder that had been found in the records contained this document. The folder
was of the usual Spanish catalan paper containing a series of documents about ½ inch
thick legal documents bound together.”
“The binding as I examined it rather carefully, had not been disturbed for decades at
least; it seemed to be quite the original binding that had been put there at the
beginning. In that folder which contained some 40 or 50 other documents, was
documents signed by Dr. Rizal.”
“There were contained 3 or 4 letters from Rizal in addition to the retraction, requesting
marriage to Josephine Bracken and other letters refusing that marriage unless he signed
a retraction. All those documents itself of which I have a photograph here, I was not
satisfied because, while in this folder were 3 to 4 letters signed by Rizal did not satisfy me.
So I said that I would not give a genuine opinion on the writing until I had other letters
and writings of Rizal to compare with that document; and so this photograph was made
and I took it away and examined it in comparison with probably 150 letters and
documents in Rizal’s handwriting.”
“I would say off hand from my experience of 30 or 40 years of examining handwriting
documents, that there is not a slightest doubt that every word on that sheet of paper
was written by Jose Rizal except the signatures of the other witnesses below. The whole
document is in his original handwriting.”
 Another handwriting expert Dr. Jose I. del Rosario.
Collaborated with the late Albert S. Osborn, the international authority
on handwriting analysis by preparing the data in certain Philippines
cases submitted to him by the Justices of the Supreme Court of the
Philippines.
“I have carefully compared the handwriting of the retraction not only
with the Ultimo Adios and with the letter written by Dr. Jose Rizal to his
“defensor,” Don Luis Traviel de Andrade , as well as with the
manuscript of the farewell addressed to the mother Dona Teodora
Alonso, dated the 13th of December 1896, but also with numerous
letters of Dr. Jose Rizal now in the archives of the Filipina Division,
national library.
In honesty, I can say that I do not find anything in Dr. Rizal’s retraction
which does not proclaim that the retraction is in fact and truth of the
authentic and genuine handwriting of Dr. Jose Rizal.
Testimony of Cuerpo De Vigilancia
Recently, 4 August 2016, Commissioner Rene R. Escalante, OIC of National
Historical Commission of the Philippines, read the “Professorial Chair Lecture
for Rizal Studies” entitled “Re-examining the Last 24 Hours of Rizal Using Spy
Reports” from De La Salle University.
Partial unreleased documents from Cuerpo De Vigilancia were discovered
and examined, from there, it stated that one of the spy group agents,
Federico Moreno, who happened to be the guard of the cell where Rizal
was kept, documented what was happening in the last 24 hours prior before
the execution.
According to the document, Rizal wrote a letter when
he was acknowledged about the retraction. He
mentioned the 2 Jesuit priests who entered the cell of
Rizal. Padre Jose Vilaclara and Padre Estanislao
March, and followed by another two Jesuits, Juan del
Fresno at Eloy Moure.

“Most Illustrious Sir, the agent of the Cuerpo de

Vigilancia stationed in Fort Santiago to report on the
events during the [illegible] day in prison of the
accused Jose Rizal, informs me on this date of the
following:

“At 7:50 yesterday morning, Jose Rizal entered death

row accompanied by his counsel, Señor Taviel de
Andrade, and the Jesuit priest Vilaclara. At the urgings
of the former and moments after entering, he was
served a light breakfast. At approximately 9, the
Assistant of the Plaza, Señor Maure, asked Rizal if he
wanted anything. He replied that at the moment he
only wanted a prayer book which was brought to him
shortly by Father March.
Continue..

“Señor Andrade left death row at 10 and Rizal spoke for a long while with
the Jesuit fathers, March and Vilaclara, regarding religious matters, it
seems. It appears that these two presented him with a prepared retraction
on his life and deeds that he refused to sign. They argued about the matter
until 12:30 when Rizal ate some poached egg and a little chicken.
Afterwards he asked to leave to write and wrote for a long time by himself.

“At 3 in the afternoon, Father March entered the chapel and Rizal handed
him what he had written. Immediately the chief of the firing squad, Señor
del Fresno and the Assistant of the Plaza, Señor Maure, were informed. They
entered death row and together with Rizal signed the document that the
accused had written. It seems this was the retraction.”
From this statement, we now know that the 2 aforementioned Jesuit priests
Juan del Fresno at Eloy Moure were mentioned. Its an affirmation that
retraction document was signed by both of them as well. The guard also
mentioned that before Rizal was brought to Luneta, he was then married
officially with his fiance, Josephine Bracken.

“At 5 this morning of the 30th, the lover of Rizal arrived at the prison
…dressed in mourning. Only the former entered the chapel, followed by a
military chaplain whose name I cannot ascertain. Donning his formal
clothes and aided by a soldier of the artillery, the nuptials of Rizal and the
woman who had been his lover were performed at the point of death (in
articulo mortis). After embracing him she left, flooded with tears.”
What Rizal had written in the “Imitation of the Christ”?

One copy of the Imitation Of The Christ that was written by

Thomas Kempis was handed over to the
Pambansang Museo Ng Pilipinas, Jeremy Barns. This is the
Exact copy that Jose Rizal given to Josephine Bracken moments
Before the execution.
Retraction Letter
Filipino historian Nicolas Zafra considered the controversy as “a plain
unadorned fact of history, having all the marks and indications of historical
certainty and reality” in his book The Historicity of Rizal’s Retraction.
Dr. Augusto De Viana, head of UST’s Department of History , also believes
that Rizal retracted and said the National Hero just renounced from the
Free Masonry and not from his famous nationalistic works.
“He (Rizal) retracted. He died as a Catholic, and a proof that he died as a
Catholic was he was buried inside the sacred grounds of Paco
Cemetery.” said De Viana, De Viana said it is not possible that the
retraction letter had been forged because witnesses were present while
Rizal was signing it.
He added that the evidence speaks for itself and moves on to the
question on Rizal’s character as some argue that the retraction is not in
line with Rizal’s mature beliefs and personality.