The Arrest and Trial of

Rizal
 August 1896- before the
outbreak of Philippine Revolution,
Andres Bonifacio together with
other Katipuneros attempted to
save Rizal from the cruiser,
Castilla anchored at Cavite by
using motoboat

Rizal politely refused
 Cry of Balintawak- Bonifacio and
his Katipunan followers already
proclaimed defiance of Spanish
Government by tearing cedula
certificates
 August 30,1896- Gov. Gen.
Ramon Blanco gave Rizal a letter
of recommendation to the
Minister of War, Gen. Marcelo de
Azcarraga
4 years- Rizal remained in
Dapitan
 September 30, 1896- Rizal left for

Spain boarding on streamer Isla

de Panay
 While cruising Mediteranean Sea,

Rizal was inform by ship captain

that he received telegraphic order
from Minister of War to arrest him
 October 6- Barcelona- Rizal was
transferred to Montjuich Castle in
cell no.11
 Gen. Despujol- gov.gen who
deported him to Dapitan in 1892,
in-charge of Montjuich prison
informed Rizal to be sent back to
Manila boarding S.S Colon
From Volunteer Physician to Prisoner
 Gov. Gen Blanco- wired the most
ominous warning for Rizal
 November 3- steamer reach
Manila
 Fort Santiago- Rizal detained,
tight security
 Rizal was held incommunicado
 Spanish authorities look evidence
against him
 Filipinos who sympathized with

him were arbitrarily harassed,

tortured
 Documents and Letters of Rizal’s

friends were seized by civil guards

 The Trial
 November 20- preliminary
investigation
 Colonel Francisco Oliver Garcia-

judge advocate, tiring and severe

investigation for five days
 Accused crimes of rebellion,
sedition, forming illegal
associations
 Gov. Gen. Ramon Blanco- result
of preliminary investigation is
transferred to him for actions
 Captain Rafael Dominguez-
appointed judge advocate to
evaluate the case and made
corresponding decision against
Rizal
 Nicolas de la Peña- Judge
Advocate General who gave the
following recommendations:
1. The accused be brought to trial
without delay
2. The accused be incarcerated in
prison
3. The accused should be
defended in court by an army
officer
 Rizal and His Defender
 Denied the legal services of an
experienced civilian lawyer
 Lieutenant Luis Traviel de
Andrada- Rizal’s defender
 Charges that were refuted by Rizal

to wit:
1. Since his deportation in Dapitan
within 4 years, he had not
engaged in any political activities
2. The declaration of the witnesses
against him were fabricated and
not true
 December 13, 1896- wrote public

declaration of his avowed

intention- to stop shedding of
blood and to achieve freedoms
Through education and hard work
 Man of conscience- individuals

the country need today

 Prison cell at Fort Santiago- the

declaration was written

 December 24- 7 members of the

Ordinary Court Martial of the Post

1. Colonel Jose Tagores Arjona
(Calvary)
2. Ricardo Muñoz Arias (Captain,
Artillery)
3. Manuel Reguera ( Captain,
Calvary)
4. Santiago Osorio ( Captain,
Rangers)
5. Manuel Escribano ( Captain,
Engineers)
6. Fermin Rodriguez- ( Captain,
General Oddinance)
7. Enrique de Alcocer- appointed
prosecutor
Rizal Tried by a Court Martial
 December 26- tried by a court
martial of 7 Spanish Army officers
at the Hall of Banners of Cuartel
del España
 Present in the court-

1. Rafael Dominguez- judge

advocate
2. Enrique de Alcocer- prosecuting
Attorney
3. Jose Rizal- the accused
4. Traviel de Andrade- his defender
5. Josephine Bracken
6. Rizal’s sister
Judge Advocate Dominguez opened
the trial by reading the charges
against Rizal
 Attorney Alcocer- give the summary of
the charges
 Rizal’s own-brief memorandum of
points of facts
1. I could not be guilty of rebellion
because I even advised Dr. Pio
Valenzuela in Dapitan not to rise
revolution
2. The revolutionist used my name
without my knowledge. If I were
guilty, I could escaped from
Singapore
3. If I had the hand in revolution I
could escaped from Moro vinta and
would not build a house and
bought land in Dapitan
4. If I were the chief in revolution
why was I not consulted by the
revolutionist?
5. La Liga Filipina does not live long,
after the first meeting , I was
deported to Dapitan and it died out
6. If La Liga Filipina was reorganized
nine months later, I did not know
about it
7. It was true that I write the
Constitution and By Laws of the La
Liga Filipina but this is only a civic
organization not a revolutionary
society
8. While it was true that there were
some bitter statements in my letter, it
was because they were
Written when my family was being
persecuted, dispossed of their land
and home, my brother and brother-
in-law were deported without due
process
9. It is not true that the revolution was
inspired in one of my speech in the
house of Doroteo Ongjunco
10. My life in Dapitan had been
exemplary as evidenced by my
productive activities
 Rizal was a civilian but tried by
military tribunal composed of
military officials
 No due process
 Rizal was not given the right to

face his accusers and the witness

against him in an open court
 Rizal could not expect to have a

fair, honest and impartial justice

 No prosecution witness was
allowed to testify so the defense
could not ask questions on cross-
examination
 Procedure of trial

1. prosecution’s brief was read

before the court by the
prosecutor
2. Andrade present the defense
brief on December 25
3. Rizal completed the process by
reading his “Addition to my
defense” on December 26
 December 23- Rizal and Andrade

receive the brief for the

presecution
 December 26- trial begin, 2 days

preparations only, Innocents

Day,military courts submit verdict
on the charges against Rizal
To Gov. Gen. Polavieja who
affirmed the death sentence and
decreed that Rizal should be
executed before a firing squad at
7am on December 30,1896 on the
field of Bagumbayan with all the
formalities required by the law
 December 29- Rizal received the

judgement