The Great Debate: The

Rizal Retraction
by Ricardo P Garcia

The question that I should like to ask is this:

If Rizal had wanted to retract in Dapitan in 1895 when death was not a hand "in order
ta ayoid public scandal, and out of respect for the custom of the people." was there any
campelling reason why he would not do the same at Fort Santiago a few hours before his
The answer is obvious!
execution
On December 26, 1896, Rizal was accused and tried before a military tribunal for
the alleged crimes of rebellion, sedition, and illegal association. The prosecutor and the

defense finished presenting their arguments that morning. and the sentence of death
was

nronounced that same morning. Two days after, on December 28, to be exact, the Governor
General affirmed the death sentence and set the execution of Rizal on December 39, at
7:00 o'clock in the morning. The death sentence was read to Rizal early in the morning of
December 29.

intriguing part of Rizal's life the last 24 hours of his stay

at
Now we come to the most
from December 29 to 6.30
Fort Santiago. What actually happened inside that infamous fort
issue before us. I will ury to prove the
in the morning of December 30, 1896, is the main
following
1. That Rizal retracted his masonic affiliation.
That he himself wrote down and signed his retraction.
2
3. That he and Josephine were married.

Eyewitnesses
who were privy to what had
I will prove my points by the testimonies of eyewitnesses
in the morning of December 29 to 6:30
happened in Rizal's cell at Fort Santiago from early
in the morning of December 30, 1896.
Llacer who, in the notarial act sworn to by
My first eyewitness is Fr. Vicente Balaguer
him in Murcia, Spain, August 8, 1917, deposes and says in part:

to death, when the chaplain

of the Royal Fort
"That, after Rizal was condemned
convict was, offered his services
for so sad circumstances, the prisoner
Santiago, where the visited by the
told him that he appreciated his offering.
but that he desired rather to be
made this request,
by whom he had been educated. When he
rathers of the Society of Jesus wth the commisston ot His
Grace, the
Rev. Father Superior, Father Pi, in compliance Luis Viza
ne Father Saderra, Rector of the
Ateneo. and Father
Archbishop had already sent
Devember 29, 1896, Rizal
the Fort that morning.
t h e Fort. When these Fathers entered
asked them whether some
of those who had been
affection, and
eceived them with sighs of told him that Father Vilaclara only,
who had
professors were still there in
Ateneo. They in Manila.
told him that I was also
s
before, remained. They
urned to Manila, a few days I had been...a Missionary in Dapitan where he
dealt
since
d he asked that 1 go also, gentleman, and even triendly
towards me."

n me as a friend. He was a very polite

153
 to
consider
the significance ofthe tatement:". wlhen
statemen
.
.

here fora
moment
was, offered his servi services for so
Let us pause where the convict
Fort Santiago, his offering, but that
at e bo
the chaplain of
the Royal that he appreciated
told him Society of Jesus by whom he had been educated
desired
c i r c u m s t a n c e s , the prisoner
Society Jesus by
of
sad Fathersof the
rather to be visited by the
much interestedin Rizal's retract.
Jesuit fathers
had been nce
know that the Rizal's favorite professor, to Dapitan to
We all Father Sanchez,
They had sent several long letters with
his Dapitan days. had exchanged
to retract.
Father Pastells
retraction, why did he ask
far th
persuade him
tne same
If Rizal was really against Viewin
nas only one day to live?
vigor since ne
the purpose.
same
Jesuits with
more
interested in discussino f
s
retraction-minded
believe that
Rizal was
am more
inclined to
Therefore, the probahilit
he
objectively, I his friends,
the Jesuits. nis
retraction with himn.
pro and
con of his was indeed great when he invited the Jesuits to visit
retraction at Fort
Santiago
on December 29. When his sister Man
decided to retract
matteroffact,Rizal had
Asa bade him tarewell, he told her: "Maria
that day to
visited him at Fort
Santiago on
Josephine."
going to mary
Father Balaguer continues
Father Vilaclara and I went to Fort Santiago
At about ten
o'clock in the morning,
received us with great affection and embraced
of the convict was. He
where the chapel cell
when the Archbishop sent his commission to
us. I think it
convenient to point out that,
in case of conversion, before ministering
the Sacraments to
the Ateneo, he remarked that, him in words and
a retraction of errors publicly professed by
him. Dr. Rizal should make Father Superior of
the Catholic faith. To this effect, when the
writings, and a profession of
he brought by way.of precaution a retraction
the Mission went to the Archbishop's Palace,
what he thought ought to be exacted from
and profession of faith, concise, but including
sufficient. He said, however, that he
Dr. Rizal. The Prelate read it, and declared it to be
extensive one.
would prepare or order to be prepareda more
instructions
Before going to the Fort, I went to the Palace in order to receive orders and
from the Prelate. The Archbishop gave me the formula of retraction and profession of faith,
and
composed by Rev. Father Pio Pi. He told me to wait for the other more extensive one;
to present to the convict either of them, according to his personal disposition. At any rate,
t was enough to admit the shorter and concise formula of Father Pio, since His Grace
cOmsidered 1 suficient in order to administer the Holy Sacraments to him.

Therefore, when we, the two Fathers, met him in the chapel, after exchanging greetings
win him and talking on various matters, I, who knew the history and errors contained in

eoks, order toAtfulill

5his Ideas in delicate mission, asked Rizal to give an explanation of
our
on
religion. the outset he appeared a Protestant, because of certain phrases
manitesting love and respect for Jesus Christ. Nay, he came to say more or less expliciuy
Inat his rule of faith was the word of God contained in the Sacred Scriptures. I tried to make
dlm see false and indefensible such a criterion was, in as much as without the authorny
E Church he could not be sure of the authenticity of the Holy Scriptures or of the books

y revealed by God; how absolutely impossible it is for the individual reason to

interprc
tns wil the word of God. Then he declared himself openly a rationalist, or freethinker,
wilingiy to admit any other criterion of
truth than the individual reason.
 then pointed out to him the absurdity of rationalism for
i m m e n s e

majority o humankind, and for the absurd the lack of instruction or n

est sages and monstrous errors y the
greatest sages of
«
paganism. I tried to convince
him with protesseu
can
or c
nor there be.
a n there be, a more
rational criterion than irrefutable arguments that in
not, supematural
anted by the infallible authority of the Church:
warranted by that suchfaith andclear
is the divine revelauo of
testimony
ason. history and motives of credibility offered with evidence by the Church. Constrained
these invincible arguments, he came to say to me that he was guided by the reason God
by these invincibl

given him, adding with a self-possession that curdled my blood, that he was going to
ear thus betore
ppear before the tribunal of God, with a clear consciencefor having fulfilled his duty
a srational
I man. When I attacked him with the arguments of Catholic doctrine, he began to
ound the objections of the heretics and rationalists, a thousand times refuted
expour
alreaay
We had to discuss the criterion or rule of faith, the authority of the Church, her
infallibility and divine teaching authority, the power of working miracles, the death penalty
(a subject of so burning an interest in those moments). the death of Ananias and Sapphira.
(a
the Holy Scriptures, the Vulgate, Saint Jeromes's version. that of LXX. Purgatory Churches,
the arguments of Balmes against them, the worship of Saints, and especially the extension
of Redemption, andmany other objections of apologetics, a thousand times refuted with
irresistible arguments. When I attacked him with the logic and evidence of Catholic truth.
I told him with energy that if he did not yield his mind and his reason for the sake of faith.
he would surely be damned. Upon hearing this threat, tears gushed from his eyes. and he
said: "No, Iwill not damn myself."

Yes,"I replied, -- "you will go to hell, for, whether you like it or not. EXTRA
ECCLESIAM CATHOLICAM NULLA DATUR SALUS. Yes: out of the Catholic Church
there is no salvation. Truth is and cannot be but one. As such. truth is uncompromising in
all orders, and much more so in religious order. which is the most transcendental.
Affected by this reproach he said: -"Look here. Father if toplease Your Reverence I
would say yes to everything and would sign everything you present to me without meaning
it, I would be a hypocrite and would offend God."
Certainly," --- I told him --- and we don't want that. But believe me that it is a grief
without equal to see a beloved person obstinate in error, and to see that person about to be
damned and to be unable to prevent it. You take pride in being a sincere man: so believe us
thatif by giving our blood and our lives we could achieve the salvation of your soul. right
now, we would give our lives and offer ourselves to be shot in lieu of you
"But Father"-- he replied with regret - "what would you have me do. since it seems
that I cannot dominate my reason?
Offer," I answered, -- "offer to God the sacrifice of your self-love. Even if it
that God
4gainst the voice of your reason, ask God the grace of faith. which is a git
and is obtained infallibly by humble and persevering prayer. Only
on
Destows abundantly
your part, you should not reject it.
I wilB spend the time that still
Well then, Father," - - -

he said -- "I promise you that

Cmains of my life, asking God for the grace of faith.
over what we have talked about.
ake a rest, then," I told him, - "and ponder
- - -

is in the
Have recou infallible etticacy of prayer. Man's heart
Ourse to the Lord, trusting in the
an of God."
hands
 andthenceI went with Father Viza to the alace. There
Ateneo.i
yict, who
I w e n t to the who oflered some hope for conversion
. .
Then
oftheaction. Hene
condition
convict,
Hence, I requcsted the late for the fomula
he
on the retraction. he
I reported f o r m u l a of finished. Soon he would send it to
for the a s inot yet me.
had asked
was
w
it
that it
that
me
told
and he the Fort. I found Dr. Rizai impatient. He
had promised.

when I artivedat asked

night att last, at about ten o'clock; upon
la
knowing
it, the
It was already
came
This
Pelate.
ofthe Vithout letting me read it first. he called and asked
for the
formula
insistently.
Witho
me for it
nviet asked

it to him. there was stationery and began Upon hear

to read it.
to read
sat at a
desk, where
a desk, where earin
A ane"Father, do not proceed. That style is different from mine
Both of us me: "Fa .1
he told it myself.
the fist
naragraph,
kraise it should
bevause
should be understood that I am writing
cannot sign that. rter and more concise tformula of Father Pi. I read the first
shorter
then the me:That style is as simple as mine. Don't bother, Father, to read
brought
I
paragraph
it all. Dictate
an w hat I ought to profess or express, and I shall write, makina in any case some

remarks.
done. As Isuggested tthe idea, he proceeded to write with steady hand
And thus it
was
some Observation or adding some phrase. Certainly at
and clear letters.
making at times
to the of grace, since he retired into himself
impulse
thedisission. Dr. Rizal was yielding
I hus he appeared to be while writing his retraction
and pravad as he had promised.
formula stated: "T declare myself a Catholic and in this religion I
At the heginning, the
wish to live and die." Dr.
Rizal told me: "Please, add" (and he was already writing, after the
Word "religion"): "in which l was born and educated." as if he wished to make his Catholic
education known.

I continued reading. He continued assenting and writing with some brief indication of
his own, and explanation on my part. He assented then, and admitted everything expressed
in the formula. When we came to the paragraph where Masonry was detested, he showed
some resistanee to subscribe this sentence of the formula: "I abominate Masonry as a
sociery reprobated by the Church." He gave me this reason. He said that he had known
Masons who wee very bad: but those with whom he had been acquainted in London were
businessmen and seemed to be good persons. It seemed also that he meant to say that
he kind of Masony in the Philippine did not require the abjuration of the Catholic faith,
although I am not quite sure of this. Anyhow, it seems that Dr. Rizal was admitted, at all
events. into some
of the first degrees only, in which the members are not obliged to abjure
the tathexplicitly. After some observations, he himself proposed to write and to sign, as
he aid, this formula:
"I abominate
he wrote it. I Masonry as the enemy of the Church." And in this way
continued assenting, with some little
observations.
S0. for instance. it was said at the end: "The Diocesan Prelate
dur 45 the superior ecclesiastical authority, make may".. and he wanted .

OYOS my manifestation" he asked me to allow him topublic this my manifestation.

add "spontaneous and
An
LOd
E me then with great asseveration: voluntary:
heartily: otherwise, I would not
do it."
"Because, believe me, Father, I am doing tnis
Well then, "I told
. him, "*you may put
and hus it spontaneous and it is enough." He finished the
remained. It was half past
ninth. eleven: it was dated December the
twenuy
156
 ais
declaration or Tetraclion
was
Chief ol he
Picket,a
Señor Moure, signed together with Dr. Rizal by Señor
inally, I declare an affirm that, aAdjutant of the
Plaza. Fre no,

he company
Josephine Bracken and little before cane out from the chapel. I left in
was bringing wilh me a
sister of Rival, from
whom m, after a while,
departed,

Cs. Before Rizal reachedRi/al's own handwritten retraction signedd by him and by
entioned document to Father Bagumbayan, 1 went to the Ateneo and
alo tto Archbishop Nozaleda. HisPio Pi, who that very day brou deliverca e
ought it to the Palace and
ales Feijoo, who kept it in the Grace entrusted it to his Secretary. Revd
handed

everend Tomas
Secretary's
G o n z a l e s

last
Thislast fact
fact Iknow through the Office, in the chest of
testimony of His Grace, the reserved
d documents.
zaleda, and o of his Secretary. The other Most Reverend
Reverend Bernardo
Bernara
sonally took part things I have declaredI know
and
because in the said events.
as an
eyewiiness
My second eyewitness is a former Licutenant of the infantry who made the following
affidavit

DECLARACION JURADA
Yo, el abajofirmante, MARIANO MARTINEZ
GALLEGOS Y LASALA. mavor de edad,
6linino, casado y residente en la Ciudad Quezon. declaro
particulares:
y hago constar los siguientes
A fines de diciembre de mil ochocientos noventa
y seis, y va desde el ocho de diciembre
del año anterior, nme encontraba yo en Manila.
graduado en la "REAL
MILITAR" con el rango de Primer Teniente, y estacionado en la Real Fuerza ACADE.MIA
de
presantado servicio en uno de los piquetes como ayudante del comandante Eloy Santiago,
Moure.
El dia veintinueve del expresado mes de diciembre
de mil ochocientos noventay seis
cuando sele leyo al Doctor Rizal la sentencia de muerte estabamos
ademas del
capellan de artilleriay de los comandantes Fresno y Moure. sus dos presents. el teneinte
de artilleria, Martin, y el ayundantes.
compareciente que era teniente de infanteria. Gallegos
Desde aquella hora ambos tenientes Martin
y Gallegos estuvimos de guardia todo el
tiempo que Rizal astuve en capilla, acompañandole despues a
Bagumbay an hasta que se
entrego su cadaver para ser llevado al cementerio de Paco. Estahan tambien de
en el Fuerte
centinelas
Santiago otros tres soldados del cuerpo de artilleria. pero estos se relevaban
de seis en seis horas. Yo, en
cambio, pude ver y oir la mayor parte de los hechos que
Ocurrieron en las veinticuatro ultimas horas del Doctor Rizal: sin
y vacilacion afirmo que
presencie su coversion a la fe catolica y
laspruebas evidentes que dio de ello.
Y la fin de evitar
cualquier reparo que en lo futuro se pueda suscitar conra mi
estmonio, deseo se haga constar por modo autentico y fidedigno los siguientes hechos de
OS
que yo fai testigo de vista pore star presente cuando nuvicon ugar:
-El Dr: Jose Rizal escribio v firmo un document de retractacion y profesion
de fe
Catolica, que firmaeon tambien los oficiales Fresno y Moure como testigos.
Rizal leyo de rodillas, en voz alta. su abjuracion j projesion de fe catolica, asi
como los actos de fe, esperanza y caridad contenidos en un devocionario.
Rizal se confeso varias veces, ovo dos Misas y recibio la sagrada communion con
edificante piadad.
 Bracken
cOn
Josefna
el Rosari
repetia las
c a n o n i c a m e n t e

rezo
maculada.
Inmaculada

4-Rizal se caso

de la
del Sagrudo Corazo.
escapulario
ncibio el la inmagen
beso
Rizal
sugerian, a n t e s de orir: de manera
jaculatorias que el de Santiago,
N el crucifijo
Fucrza
de
c o v e r c i e

de la la sinceridad
su

antes de salir sobre

dudas

que no
dejo lugar
a

AL. firmo el presente

documen1 en fanila, Filipinas,
TERTIMONIO
DE LH CUAL
EN
de 195 MARTINEX GALLEGOS YLASALA
29 de Julio
ho a
Sed MARIANO

REPUBLICA DE FILIPINAS)

SS.
CIUDAD DE MANILA)
a 19 1952, por Don Mariano Gallegos
de Julio de
ante mi hoy
SUSCRITO YJURADO Moo. A-4797518 expedido en Ciudad Oe
Residencia
Certificado de
yLasala con
certificado de clase Balegando estar exento de semejante
is 28 Ahril de 1952 y no exhibe
impuesto.
(Sgd.) ENRIQUE RAMIREZ
Notario Publico

Hasta Diciembre 31, 1952

Doc. No. 496

Pag. No. 84
Lib. No. 22
Serie de 1952

THE BEST EVIDENCE

FINALLY. lt us come to the best evidence of all the document of retraction itself. On
how it was found. let us give Fr. Manuel A. Gracia a
hearing.
in
April. 1935,I was appointed the archdiocesan archivist, a
position which I held until
TwOyears ago. Assuredly, the archdiocesan archives are the richest in the
Philippines.
In 1933, these archives
was
piled up on a few shelves. To look for a document there
were
somew hat trying find a needle in a haystack. I know that by years of
ike to
experience. No wonder, then, that when the personal
controversy on Rizal's retraction arose, it was
practicaly and physically impossible to find the precious document. Some
made but with no
results. And attempts were
Freemasonry kept asking
document. But the document existedrepeatedly
was no trace
of the for the document. There
one as was claimed
person who had seen it. by a thousand and
Again, back in 1935. On our new
ACnbishop's House and Office made fire-proof VAULT, the muchachos and clerks of tne
perfect mound
aatient work of an archivist. Eightabig new papers. I began my work, the
sile
Capers were to put in order. One paper shelves of narra were ordered upon wheu
nich knew
what treasures after another
the Church of began to be caressed by my
the Philippines had in them. The pity is thatnan
158 e
 today thecre has been Filipino interested
no

otfhe Church in thiscountry. In my career as an enough to work exha haustively at the history
theyv did well. Ihope that in the future thesearchivist, I tried to train some
ne seminarians,

pupils will give us at least one genuine

and

of the Church in the

historian
Philippines.
May 18. 1935. The tedious work
continued, giving to me new surprises. As other
one by one
ne through my hands, a bundle
entitled pap
pass.
what that means ans-- A BUNDLE OF
JEWELS FOR
"Masoneria" was in sight. I knew
Aather documents of so many FILIPINO HISTORY. The retraction
and
Filipino Freemasons and heroes who came back to n e
m of Mother Church, were in my hands. I was well
was a professor of History in Manila Seminary.
acquainted with all those names,
nt them carefully. I called His Grace by Long Distance. He My whole being exulted at what I saw.
was in Baguio at the
He ordered me to keep the whole matter secret until further notice. time.

His Grace, Monsignor O' Doherty, and the

late President
M Ouezon had retracted Masonry in 1930.
Quezon were close friends.
His Grace called Quezon to his Palace, and
nded to him the precious bundle of papers. "Oh, my!" exclaimed Quezon on
them. "Your Grace, | think that these
papers
seeing
should be shown to Teodoro Kalaw." And
to call the Director of the National
they
agreed Library.
But they were prudent, both of them, as leaders. They
knew that Kalaw was a Freemason
of the thirty-third degree. They then called the
now General Carlos P. Romulo. who was
at the time Editor of the Herald. And they called me.
precisely at noon. on June 15, 1935.
Romulo and I prepared the atomic bomb for that Saturday afternoon
paper. The Herald. In
wo-inch letters were the headlines: "RIZAL'S RETRACTION FOUND."
Subsequently, General Romulo was able to confer with Kalaw on the Rizal and other
documents found by Father Gracia. He said: "See what we
think ofthem?" have found. Kalav. What do you
Kalaw studied the papers carefully and then admitted enthusiastically. "Why, they are
themissing Rizal's documents.
'Any doubt about them?" queried Romulo.
"None whatever said Kalaw.
But inspite of the opinion of Kalaw, Archbishop O'Doherty was not satisfied. He
requested Prof. H. Otley Beyer, Professot of
Anthropology. in the University of the
Philippines, and curator of the UP museum of archaeology, and a
recognized handwriting
expert, to study and examine the Rizal retraction document to decide
whether or not it was
genuine.
During the Faculty Symposium of the University of the Philippines held at Diliman.
Quezon City, in 1950, Professor
Beyer delivered an extemporaneous speech on the Rizal
relraction which was tape recorded as follows:
Iwill say what I have to state
very briefly. I have no part in this controversy whatsoever-
CSident Palma was one of my best friends in the University of the Philippines at the time
ay say to start with that he never discussed this matter of Rizal's retraction with me no-
did
he know what I
had made a report of it.
examined the document of Rizal's retraction twice. The first time was shortly after th
document was found by someone looking through the marriage records in the Archbishop
 Archbishop O' Doherty, to m:al.
file. I asked by Father Fletcher, the Secretary of
was
know whether or not I thought it
examination of the document and let the Archbishop was
to do that on the understanding:
genuine for his personal information. Andl agreed that
as to the genuinene.
ime that there was to be no publicity
concerning my opinion or

ungenuineness of the document.

I was brought by kather Fletcher to Archhich.
When I went to the Archbishop's Palace.
found in the records
contained this document
bishop
T
O' Doherty. The folder that had been containing a series of documents abo
folder was of the usual Spanish catalan paper
The binding, as I examined it rather carefill.
inch thick, legal documents bound together. illy,
had not been disturbed for decades at least; it seemed to be quite the original binding that

had been put there in the beginning. In that

folder, which contained some 40 or 50 ot
other
by Dr. Rizal. There were contained, as I rememha.
documents, was the documents signed
Bracken. The document has been
documents pertaining to the marriage of Josephine filed
in the marriage file which contained three or four letters from Rizal in addition to the
retraction, requesting marriage to Josephine Bracken and other letters refusing that marriao
unless signed retraction. All of those documents are bound together. This retraction of Rizol
was pinned right in the folder originally as it was to the marriage document of Josephine

Bracken.
Now, when 1 examined the document itself, of which I have a photograph here. I was
not satisfied because, while in this folder were three or four other letters signed by Rizal,
they 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.
Iwould say off hand, from my experience of 30 or 40 years examining handwriting
documents, that there is not the slightest doubt that every word on that sheet of paper
was writen by Jose Rizal except the signatures of the other witnesses below. The who
document is in his normal handwriting.
We have now in my custody in the Museum letters of Rizal writen to Prof. Ferdinand
Blumentritt. One of them is here, the last that he wrote the night before his execution.
Anyone who would compare that the letter with this I think will immediately come to the
conclusion that they are both in the same
handwriting.
Thesignature as far as I can see is normal. Every man writes his signature in several
ditferent ways. IfI write my name 20 times and then line them up the board and look at
them, I will be astonished at the number of
here and one there. No one can
discrepancies that occur between one signature
write his name five times, unless he has a
hand, which people don't copper plate
have, 5 or 6 times, and write it exactly the same. There is always
a difference in
form, but in examining handwriting, there are
important. One is that a man in writing, just two things that are very
particularly when he uses the pen, puts into tnat
writing a lot of unconscious characteristics which
flow out of his hand. He does not know
anything about them, but they are present there in the writing. Little tricks and curves
there but does not think about them
aic
at all but they
anyone attempts represent his characteristic
writing. NOW
forge
to a
piece of writing, the one thing he cannot
even, perhaps, and does not copy, he cannot see
copy, are those little
difficult a lot to do that. characteristics of the original writing. Ts
Furthermore, he takes into his forgery a lot of little
160
characterisu
 has in his own
he writing. So that, I will
questioned ned. because it is too
simall, say that while
and asI one
man's signaturesignatu
ature may always be
dayto V, and month to month and
say a
fo
couple o f af words it 1snot easy to year to
year, and liable varies a at deal from
great
find very change, and so on, there re
to
sheet written by aa man like many of them. If you a
this, I would have, however,
er, a whole
vhocould forge that much venture to say
writing in a way that that there is no one in the world
diately detect.
immediately detect. It is
impossible to forge as any good handwriting
har examiner cannot
other man's writing in a
of any other
way that cannot much writing as there is in
that
nes4 of writing without be detected. Because paper
she getting a lot of you cannot imitate
f original writer s own tricks accuratelyyour own tricks into it and you can t copy a
signatures and the more writings that enough so that they cannot be detected. I ne
more signatures
tellwhether the writing 1S
you have of any
genuine or not. And in the individual the easier it is to
person, wh has had case of anything of
that any long experience in
this sort, I believe
his letter or this document with any of Rizal's examining handwriting.
handwriting, who compares
canclusion that all ot the words on this sheet other documents or letters will compares
come to the
except the witnesses' signatures were writing
by Dr. Jose Rizal. That is allI can say. Now, let us hear the
expert, Dr. Jose 1. del Rosario. "He studied opinion of another handwriting
handwriting
McGovern, the Los Angeles expert. He collaborated withanalysis under the late ChaunceY
the late Albert S. Osborn, the
international authority on Handwriting analysis by
cases submitted to him by the Justices of the preparing the data on certain Philippine
Supreme Court of the Philippines.
I have carefully
compared the handwriting of the retraction not
ADIOS and with the letter written by Dr. Jose Rizal to his
only
with the ULTIMO
de Andrade, as well as with the "Defensor," Don Louis Traviel
manuscript of the farewell addressed to his
mother Doña
Teodora Alonso, dared the thirtieth of
Dr. Jose Rizal now in archives of the
December, 1896, but also with numerous letters of
Filipiniana Division, National
anything in Dr. Rizal's retraction which doesLibrary.
can say that I do not find In honesty. I
not proclaim that the
retraction is in fact and in truth of the authentic and
genuine bandwriting of Dr. Jose Rizal.
The characteristic
points identity between the handwriting of the retraction and the
of
undisputed handwriting of Dr. Rizal check in every respect... The following are perhaps
the most salient individual
characteristics:
1. The execution and
writing movement in capital letters
varieties used, as in the letters "D", "J". "R". "T, "P", including
the different
"V", "S". "C". "M", "D".
which are all by Dr. Jose Rizal.
2. The small letters "h", "d".
"r", "o", "g". "p". j". and "a", are all of the hand
writing of Dr. Rizal, and check in every respect, including the variations of form
whenever they occur, with the form and execution of similar letters in
letters of Dr. Rizal.
undisputed
3. What would have been very significant in point of identity is the constancy in the
comparative slopes of each constituent letter with respect to one another, within a
given combination of words, irrespective of variations in the degree of mean basic
slant in the handwriting under examination, because as Capt. Arthur D. Quirke
states, "This is the only true basis upon which statistics bearing upon slope may
legitimately be employed to determine the identity of handwriting." (See Capt.
Arthur D. Quirke, Forged. Anonymous and Suspect Document., p.49), and these
Tortunately, agree in all of Dr. Rizal's writings including that of the retraction.

161
 4. One point which proves beyond question "retraction is undoubtedl..
that the
caused by "termites dh
old authentic document, is the presence of perforations in the
Over the letter
left corner, and especially the perforation occurring
upper
Creo" found towards the end of the sixth line of the retraction. These perforati in
show that the paper is old, and also that when the paper was attacked by "termito.
tions
es
worms" the writing paper, or else it the writing
must have in the
or "book
recently made as some one wishes us to believe, then the ink would have
was
run
through the perforation and would thus have soiled the reverse of the paper, which
vich
is not the case in the retraction.

5. The ink shows the proper color of old iron gallotannate inks which have been
m
thoroughly oxidized during the course of time by natural agents and there are
no
indications whatever to suspect that the document has been artificially aged.

in this
In conclusion.,
particular case of the retraction of Dr. Jose Rizal, which has
suspected in some quarters as being forged document, all indications and symptoms show
been
that it is a genuine, authentic old document, written and signed by Dr. Jose
Rizal, and 1
have found nothing in it to indicate that it may be a forged or spurious document.

Against this
array of eyewitnesses and documents, the anti-retractionists have
to offer but: "How could Rizal retract his words,
nothing
writings, and publications to his fading
glory?" they asked.
I must admit with candor that to the
unsuspecting, the unwary, and the ignorant, this
query is very convincing. But to those who have read the retraction document and
understand it, the question is absurd. Let who
us examine the text of the retraction, and I
quote:
Me declaro catolicoy en esta Religion en que naci y
eduque quiero vivir y morir.
me
Me retracto de todo Corazon de cuanto
ha habido contrario ami calidad de
en mis
palabras, escritos, impresos y conducta
ella enseña mi someto a cuanto
y
hijo de la Yglesia Catolica. Creeo y cuanto profeso
ella manda. Abomino de la Masoneria, como
es de la
Yglesia, y como sociedad enemiga que
prohibida por la Yglesia. Puede el Prelado Diocesano,
Autoridad Superior Eclesiastica hacer
ono
publica esta manifestacion espontanea mia
para reparar el escandalo que mis actos hayan poodido causar y para que Dios y los
humbres me perdonan.
Manila 29 de Diciembre de 1896

JOSE RIZAL
Eloy Moure
Juan del Fresno

Now, where is the

phrase that means Rizal
to
fading glory? I read this retraction retracted his words, writings, and publications
his
The only several times, but I could not
thing I am sure of that Rizal retracted find it, can you'
Masonry, and his reason was that in this document was his affiliation win
prohibited by the Church. Inasmuch Masonry is the enemy of the Church and as such was
be Mason as he was
the same time. He returning his Church, he could no longe
and a Catholic at to
1orbids it. Why knew that the Church
should the forbade it and
anti-retractionists begrudge Rizal of his return
-

still
to his
162 Churc
Many other great Filipinos like
Quezon, and the Luna brothers retracted their masonic
liation and nothing is said against them. Why single out Rizal?
What else had Rizal done that may be
considered contrary to his status as a son
the Catholic Church? They ol
say that he fought against the
of the Catholic Church he was the
-

hitterest enemy Church. This is

partly true and partly false. It is not true that he fought
a0ainst the Catholic Church. What he had
fought against was Catholicism as practiced in
the Philippines -

not the
Catholic Church and I quote Palma:
-

About May, 1889, Dr: Trinidad

Pardo de Tavera arrived in Paris to see the
Universal Exposition and infornmed Rizal, who had established residence there, that
lifein the Philippines was
becoming impossible, and predicted that if
did not improve there would be a revolution within ten years. He also told Rizal conditions
that he tried to defend him before Father Faura, explaining that, in the attack
upon the friars, the stone was thrown so high and with such force that it reached
religion. "This comparison is not quite exact," Rizal corrected him. "I wished
to throw 1he missile against the friars; but as they made use of the rituals and
superstitions of a religion as a shield, I had to get rid of that shield in order to
wound the enemy that was hiding behind it. 1fthe Trojans had placed the Athenian
goddess Pallas on their fortress and thence, with their arrows, had fought the
Greeks, 1 believe the Greeks would have also attacked the goddess. God should
not be utilized as a shield and protector of abuses, nor should religion be made use
that What in the Philippines is horrible; they abuse the
happens
offor purpose.
seduce an innocent girl, to destroy an
name ofreligion to enrich their haciendas, to
married couple and rob a wife of her honor Why
enemy, to disturb the peace ofa
the basic cause of our miseries and
should I not fight religion like that when it is
those who abuse its name. Christ did the same
tears? The responsibility falls on
when the Pharisees abused it."
thing with the religion of his country
who abused
the Catholic religion; he fought those
In other words, Rizal did not fight the manner the Catholie
the Catholic religion, but against
that religion. Rizal was not against time. Here is a part of his
the friars in the Philippines during his
religion was practiced by of the Catholic religion:
etter to Blumentritt which reveals his opinion
Leipzig, 22 August 18896
the books written by the friars and
know our country through
Dear Sir: You in our villages as l
had and
another Jyou hadgrown up
Spaniards who copied one you would
have a very diffenent idea
hud seen the sufferings of
our
country Jolk, the religions
an opportunity to studr
I have had
Catholicism in the Philippines. sublime. divine:
Catholicism
of Christianity beautiful,
in Europe. There I found poetized and beautiful,
more heautiful

s a m e Christianity,
the dittenmes.
attractive, poetic, do not know these
Protestantism.
Our country folk
than the insipid
the Catholic religion
that Rizal's attacks against
sake of argument Church, and.
But granting for the to his status as a son of the
were contrary for
Philippines his glory? lt did not
Practiced in the what of that? Did it dim
attacks against his
his retraction, because of his
o r e , included in become a national
Aglipay,
reason that
Rizal did not hero, then Gregorio
Smple a national
to become
attack one's religion is
gion.If to 163
 and founded a Filipino
church, would has
yould
have
the Catholic Church
is a great Filipino hec been a
who had attacked

greater hero than

Rizal. I do not deny, though, that Aglipay
because he had attacked the
the Catholic
Catholic because
urch. he
Churo
founded the Aglipayan
Church- but not
sins and abun.
question: Was Rizal expose ofthe
s
the most important uses
Now comes
constituted the social
cancer during hiS time and which nobody ddared y
to
thefriars which death, contrary to his status as a son of the
Catho
touch for fear reprisals and sure retraction?
of is further from the truth ho
his Nothing
Church and, therefore, included in
was his duty to expose the sins and abuses committed:
as a son of the Catholic Church it àby
the friars in order to obtain reforms of
in the administration his Church. It would have ho
been
had his expose been untrue, in which case he himeol
contrary to his status as a Catholic 1self
would have retracted it long before because ofhis obsession for truth. But his expose is tne
true
and admitted by all!
In conclusion, I wish to quote Don Teodoro M. Kalaw:
I know that many Filipinos maintain that such an abjuration is a
mere forgery of the
enemies of Masonry and of Rizal himself; but it is up to those who
of the document, to present their conclusive and
deny the authenticiy
indisputable proofs, as it ought to be
expected
Therefore, it is expected that the books of Nabong, Gardufño,
and Runes-Buenafe in Part Two of Collas, Runes-de la Rosa
this book should
proofs in order to impugn the authenticity of the Rizal present conclusive and indisputable
this so-called document which is the main issue in
controversy. Short of this kind of proofs, the Rizal
retraction stands unrefuted.

*****