Rizal was detained aboard a ship in Manila Bay and later transferred to Fort Santiago to await trial. He was charged with rebellion, sedition, and illegal association for his alleged involvement with the Katipunan movement. During the trial, the Spanish prosecution presented documentary evidence and testimonies against Rizal. Rizal maintained his innocence, denying any involvement in the revolution or knowledge of the Katipunan's activities. He was ultimately found guilty and sentenced to death by firing squad.

1. The Trial of Rizal
Presented by:
Paola Laureen Q. Vitug

2. Going to Cuba
 Ferdinand Bluemintritt informed Rizal about the Cuban
Revolution, the raging yellow fever epidemic, as well
as the shortage of the Physician to minister the needs
of the Spanish troops and the Cuban.
 Rizal wrote an letter to Governor Heneral Ramon
Blanco on December 19, 1885 to signify his intention
to volunteer as military doctor in the war-torn country.
 Blanco approved Rizal’s Request, he was exultant for
he can travel again in Europe, then to Cuba. From this
he wrote the heartwarming poem “El Canto del Vajero”
(The Song of the Traveler).

3. Going to Cuba
The Espana arrived from Manila from August 6,
1899.
The ship Isla de Luzon that supposed to be the
ship that will take him to Europe had left Europe
had left earlier so he have to wait for the next ship
Isla de Panay.
Blanco sent a Lieutenant Constabulary to meet
him in the tugboat with others not to land.
He was told he was detained but not imprisoned
aboard ship to avoid embarrasment with friends
and enemies.

4. The Arrest
 While the ship was anchored at the Manila Bay, the
Katipuneros hatched a plan to rescue Rizal.
 In executing the plot, Emilio Jacinto, Guillermo
Masangkay and other Katipuneros disguised
themselves as sailors.
 Using the boat named Caridad, the group was able to
go near the ship, confronted Rizal and informed him of
their intention. However, Rizal declined. He refused the
idea of him getting rescued. He stated that he was
aware of what he was doing. He then told the group to
leave the ship.
 Rizal was later transferred to the steamer Castilla while
waiting for the ship Isla de Panay that would take him to
Barcelona.

5. The Arrest
The Spanish authorities made mass arrests of
Katipuneros and their sympathizers in Manila.
 It prompted Bonifacio to summon all leaders of
the Katipunan.
On August 23, 1896, the historic “Cry of
Pugadlawin” took place.
 Bonifacio asked the Katipuneros of their
readiness to fight the Spaniards for whatever cost.
 After cutting the telephone lines in the capital,
Bonifacio and the Katipuneros attacked Manila but
was later forced to retreat to Balara (now Quezon
City).

6. The Arrest
The province of Cavite was fearlessly attacked
and captured by Emilio Aguinaldo and Artemio
Ricarte, while Maximo Viola and his men attacked
government installations in the province of
Bulacan. Although he was held incommunicado
inside the steamer Castilla, Rizal learned about
the outbreak of the revolution including its
skirmishes around Manila through the
newspapers.
 Governor General Blanco, in turn issued a decree
declaring a state of war in the provinces of
Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Manila,
Nueva Ecija, Pampanga and Tarlac which are all
placed under martial law.

7. The Arrest
Rizal was upset because he heard that he
was being blamed for the disturbance in
Manila.
On September 3, 1896, Rizal boarded Isla de
Panay and sailed to Singapore. Some of his
companions like Manuel Camus persuaded
Rizal to stay in Singapore to avoid possible
arrest in Spain due to the outbreak of the
revolution.

8. The Arrest
 Rizal humbly refused the offer and told
them of the safe conduct pass given by
Governor General Blanco.
On September 27, 1896, the Isla de Panay
resumed its voyage to the Mediterra-nean
Sea passing through Port Said via
Colombo, Aden, and Suez Canal.
On September 30, while the Isla de Panay
was sailing in the Mediterranean, a
telegraphic message was received ordering
that Rizal be placed under arrest.

9. The Arrest
On October 3, the Isla de Panay arrived in
Barcelona.
Rizal was sent to the Montjuich Castle to
await the departure of the vessel Colon which
was on its way to Manila.
In his diary dated October 6, he stated that
escorted by Spanish guards, he was made to
walk to the Fort and was jailed in prison cell
number 2. Later, his luggage was searched.

10. The Arrest
 Rizal was presented to General Roman Despujol who
informed him of a telegram from Madrid that he would
be treated as a prisoner and would be sent back to
Manila.
 On the night of the same day, the Colon which was
loaded with Spanish troops sailed for Manila.
 Despite an attempt by Antonio Ma. Regidor and Sixto
Lopez to secure a writ of habeas corpus for Rizal in
Singapore, he remained in Spanish custody.
 They alleged that Rizal was illegally detained aboard
the Colon. The judge in Singapore, Sir Lionel Cox,
ruled that the Spanish vessel was a ship of war and
that the laws of the British Empire who controlled the
island colony cannot apply there.

11. The Arrest
On November 3, he arrived in Manila.
The Trial Upon his arrival, the civil guards
brought and escorted him to Fort Santiago
on orders that he would be detained there
and held incommunicado.
On November 20, 1896, Rizal was brought
before a Spanish military tribunal headed
by Colonel Francisco Olive.

12. Preliminary Investigation
Rizal was subjected to a grueling five-day
investigation.
He was informed of charges against him, he
answered the questions asked by Judge
Advocate, Colonel Francisco Olive, but he was
not permitted to confront those who testified
against him.
There are two kinds of evidence were
presented to him.
1. Documentary and;
2. Testimonial.

13. Documentary Evidences were:
1. A letter of Antonio Luna to Mariano Ponce, dated Madrid,
October 16, 1888, showing Rizal’s connection with the Filipino
reform campaign in Spain.
2. A letter of Rizal to his family, dated Madrid, August 20, 1890,
stating that the deportations are good for they will encourage
the people to hate tyranny.
3. A letter from Marcelo H. del Pilar to Deodato Arellano, dated
Madrid, January 7, 1889, implicating Rizal in the Propaganda
campaign in Spain.
4. A poem entitled Kundiman, allegedly written by Rizal in Manila
on September 12, 1891.
5. A letter of Carlos Oliver to an unidentified person, dated
Barcelona, September 18, 1891, describing Rizal as the man
to free the Philippines from Spanish oppression.

14. Documentary Evidences were:
6. A Masonic document , dated Manila, February 9, 1892
honoring Rizal for his patriotic services.
7. A letter signed Dimasalang to Tenluz (Juan Zulueta’s
pseudonym), dated in Hongkong, dated May 24, 1892, stating
that he was preparing a safe refuge for Filipinos who may be
persecuted by the Spanish authorities.
8. A letter of Dimasalang to an unidentified committee, dated
Hongkong, June 1, 1892, solicitating the aid of committee in the
“patriotic work”.
9. An anonymous and undated letter to the Editor of Hongkong
Telegraph, censuring the banishment of Rizal to Dapitan.
10. A letter of Ildefonso Laurel to Rizal, dated Manila, September 3,
1892, saying that the Filipino people look up to him (Rizal) as
their savior.

15. Documentary Evidences were:
11. A letter of Rizal Segundo, dated Manila, September 17, 1893,
informing an unidentified correspondent of the arrest and
banishment of Doroteo Cortes and Ambrosio Salvador.
12. A letter of Marcelo H. del Pilar to Don Juan Tenluz, dated Madrid,
June 1, 1893 recommending the establishment of a special
organization, independent of Masonry, to help the cause of
Filipino people.
13. Tranrscript of a speech of Pingkian (Emilio Jacinto), in a reunion
of the Katipunan on July 23, 1893, in which the following cry was
uttered “Long live the Philippines! Long live Liberty! Long live
Doctor Rizal! Unity!
14. Transcript of a speech of Tik-Tik (Jose Turiano Santiago) in the
same Katipunan reunion, wherein the Katipuneros shouted:
“Long live the eminent Doctor Rizal! Death to the oppressor
nation!”
15. A poem by LaongLaan, entitled A Talisay, in which the author
makes the Dapitan schoolboys sing that they know how to fight
for their rights.

16. Testimonial Evidences:
1. Martin Constantino.
2. Aguedo del Rosario.
3. Jose Reyes.
4. Moises Salvador.
5. Jose Dizon.
6. Pio Valenzuela.
7. Ambrosio Savador.
8. Francisco Quison.
9. Timoteo Paez.
10. Deodato Arellano.
11. Pedro Serrano Laktaw.
12. Antonio Salazar.
13. Domingo Franco

17. • Colonel Olive
transmitted the records
of the case to
Governor-General
Ramon Blanco who, in
turn, appointed
Captain Rafael
Dominguez as the
Judge Advocate to
institute the
corresponding action
against Rizal.

18. Peña’s Recommendations:
1. Rizal must be immediately sent to trial.
2. He must be held in prison under
necessary security.
3. His properties must be issued with order
of attachment, and as indemnity, Rizal
had to pay one million pesos.
4. Instead of a civilian lawyer, only an army
officer is allowed to defend Rizal.

19. 1st Lieutenant of
the Artillery,
brother of Jose
Taviel de Andrade,
the bodyguard of
Rizal.
Lt. Luis Taviel de
Andrade.

20. Rizal’s Arraignment
(December 11. 1896)
Rizal was charged with a crime of rebellion, and
the formation of illegal association.
 He did not question the jurisdiction of the court.
 He had nothing to amend except that during his
exile in Dapitan in 1892, he had not dealt in
political matters;
 He had nothing to admit on the charges against
him.
 He had nothing to admit on the declarations of the
witnesses, he had not met nor knew, against him.

21. Rizal’s Arraignment
While in Detention, Rizal released a
manifesto that he denounces the
revolution and condemned Katipunan for
using his name without his permission.

22. Actual Trial
(December 26, 1896)
Hall of Banners of the Cuartel de España.
He was accused of 3 crimes: rebellion,
sedition, illegal associations.
Penalty: Life imprisonment-death for
rebellion and sedition, correctional
imprisonment and a fine of 325 to 3250
pesetas for illegal association.

23. Twelve-point Defense of Rizal
1. As testified by Pio Valenzuela, Rizal was against rebellion.
2. He had not written a letter addressed to the Katipunan
comprising revolutionary elements.
3. Without his knowledge, his name was used by the
Katipunan; if he really was guilty, he could have escaped
while he was in Singapore.
4. If he was guilty, he should have left the country while in
exile; he shouldn't have built a home, bought a parcel of land
or established a hospital in Dapitan.
5. If he was really the leader of the revolution, the revolutionists
should have consulted him.
6. He did not deny that he wrote the by-laws of the La Liga
Filipina, but to make things clear, the organization was a
civic association, not a revolutionary society.

24. 7. After the first meeting of La Liga, the association banished because of
his exile in Dapitan, thus, did not last long.
8. If the La Liga was reorganized nine months later, he had no idea about
it .
9. If the La Liga had a revolutionary purpose, then Katipunan should not
have been organized.
10. If the Spanish authorities found his letters having bitter atmosphere, it
was because in 1890 his family was being persecuted resulting to their
dispossession of properties and deportation of all his brothers- in-law.
11. He lived an exemplary life in Dapitan – the politico-military commanders
and missionary priests in the province could attest to that.
12. If according to witnesses the speech he delivered at Doroteo
Ongjunco's house had inspired the revolution, then he want to confront
these persons. If he really was for the revolution, then why did the
Katipunan sent an unfamiliar emissary to him in Dapitan? It is so
because all his friends were aware that he never advocated violence.
Twelve-point Defense of Rizal

25. Governor-General Camilo
de Polavieja
December 28, 1896,
He approved the
decision of the court-
martial and ordered
Rizal to be shot at 7
o’clock in the morning
of December 30 at
Bagumbayan Field.

26. The End.

27. Activity
1. Why did Rizal refused the help of the
Katipuneros?
2. What are the two evidences presented to Rizal
during the Preliminary Investigation?
3. Rizal was charged with a ____________, and
______________.
4. Who is the 1st Lieutenant of the Artillery?
5. Who approved the decision of court-martial
and ordered Rizal to be shot at 7 o’clock in the
morning at Bagumbayan?

28. Answer Key:
1. Because he is aware on what he is
doing.
2. Documentary and Testimonial.
3. Crime of rebellion and the formation of
illegal association.
4. Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade.
5. Governor-General Camilo de Polavieja.