Chapter 9: Rizal’s

Second Home
Coming
 In Hong Kong June 20, 1892,
Rizal wrote his first letter
addressed to his beloved parents
and friends. He gave the letter to
Dr. Lorenzo Pereyra Marquez closed
and sealed for safe keeping and so
with the second letter addressed to
his countrymen.
 Arrival in Manila
June 26, 1892- Rizal arrived in Manila
accompanied by his widowed sister Lucia (wife of
the late Mariano Herbosa).
- He met the carabineers headed by their
commandant, a captain, and a lieutenant of the
Guardia Civil Veterana. Rizal came down with his
luggage and inspected him at the custom house.
- Rizal and his sister registered to the Hotel De
Oriente, the best and the modern hotel at that time.
 - In the afternoon four o’clock, Rizal went to
the Malacanan Palace, residence of Governor
General Eulogio Despujol. But Rizal was told to
come back at the night at 7:00 pm. Promptly at
7:00 pm, Rizal returned to malacanan and was
able to confer with Governor General Despujol
who agreed to pardon his father’s deportation
but not to his brother nor his brother-in-law
Antonio Lopez.
 - Governor General Despujol told Rizal to return
on Wednesday June 29 for another meeting.
- After the meeting with Governor General
Despujol, he visited his sisters Narcisa and Saturnina.

June 27, 1892- Rizal boarded a train in Tutuban

Station and visited his friend in the following places,
Malolos, Bulacan - San Fernando PamPanga - Tarlac,
Tarlac - Bacoor, Pampanga
 June 28, 1892- Rizal returned by train to
Manila whether he knew it or not, he was
shadowed by government spies who watch
carefully his every movement.
- The homes he had visited were raided
by the Guardia Civil which seized some
copies of the Noli and Fili and some
subversive pamphlets.
 June 29, 1892 (Wednesday) - Rizal went to
Malacanan for his appointment with the
Governor General Despujol.
- The interview lasted for two hours but
did not succeed in obtaining the freedom
for his brother. But gave hope to Rizal with
regards to his sisters. As it was the feast of
St. Peter and St. Paul.
 - June 30, 1892 - Rizal had another meeting
with Governor General Despujol but this time, the
matter on Borneo settlement was taken up.
Despujol expressed strong opposition to the idea.
- July 3, 1892 - Rizal went personally to thank
the Governor and to inform him that his father and
brothers were arriving by the first boat available.
- The Governor General ask Rizal if he would
like to go abroad to Hongkong and Rizal replied
affirmatively.
 - On the night of July 3, Rizal went to the house of
Doroteo Ongjungco where the organization La Liga Filipina
was founded.
- Rizal explained the objectives of the Liga Filipina, a civic
league of the Filipinos. He presented the constitution of the
Liga which he had written in Hongkong. The patriots were
impressed and approved the establishment of the Liga.
* Objective of the Liga Filipina
“A civic league of Filipinos, which he desired to
established and its role on the socio- economic life of
the people. “
 July 5, 1892 - all the houses Rizal had
previously visited were search by the police.
Suspicion arose from the fact that all the
houses visited by him were inhabited by
Masons.
- The police found some denunciations
against the Friars, some masonic signs and
some copies of the Noli and Fili.
 July 6, 1892 - Despugol ask Rizal again whether he
still wished to return to Hongkong and again Rizal
replied affirmatively.
- Despujol inquired if Rizal had brought in his
baggage some leaflets against the friars. Rizal
emphatically denied having those leaflets.
- Despite his denial and insistent demand for
investigation, he was placed under arrest and
escorted to Fort Santiago by Ramon Despujol the
nephew and aide of Governor General.
 From July 6 to 14 - Rizal was in a state of
incommunicado.
- The same night that Rizal was held in
communicado at Fort Santiago, a group of resolute
men secretly met in the house of Deodato
Arellano. - The group was composed of
Arellano, Andress Bonifacio, Valentine Diaz,
Teodoro Plata, Jose Dizon, and Ladislao Diwa. It
was been said that it was in this meeting that the
Katipunan was founded.
 Rizal Deported to Dapitan
- Rizal was visited by the nephew of
Despujol to inform him that at 10 o’clock
of the night, he was to leave for Dapitan.
- Rizal prepared for his baggage, but
when the men who were supposed to
take him did not come at the appointed
time, he went to sleep, an indication that
he is not worried at all.
 - At 12:15 in the morning, they woke him
up and the attendant took him to the sea wall
in the same coach that had taken him to Fort
Santiago.
- 1:00 in the morning, Jose Rizal boarded
the ferryboat “Cebu” bound to Dapitan.
- General Ahumada, next in Rank to
General Despugol showed up, together with
some other persons.
 July 17, 1892 – At seven in the evening, they
arrived in Dapitan.
-This was the beginning of an epoch of
Rizal’s life which was lasted for four years.
- The climate, the solitude, the lack of
social relationship, the heavy feeling of
injustice committed against him – all these
hung heavily on him and left their imprint on
his very sensitive spirit.
 Dapitan – the small town to which Rizal was in
exile was a little port situated at the northern
part of the island of Mindanao.
- Previously under the care of the
Recollects but later its jurisdiction was taken
over by the Jesuits.
- Dapitan then constituted a politico-
military district, with the Category of a
commander’s headquarters.
 - The captain of the Cebu carried instruction
for Captain Ricardo Carnicero regarding the
treatment of the Deportee.
- Rizal was to be given the option to live in
Captain Carnicero’s house or in the mission
house of the Jesuits.
- Rizal chose the latter but quickly change his
mind when Father Obach informs him that if he
stays with them, he had to publicly rectify his
errors, declare himself against the subversion.
 - The fact that as soon as Rizal arrived, Father
Obach had these instructions ready is a proof
that there was convenience all along between
Father Pastells and Despujol.
*Two tasks simultaneously undertaken by Carnicero:
- The 1st task was to soften Rizal.
- The 2nd was to convert him.
 - Rizal decided to stay at the house of Ricardo
Carnicero where he was told to oversee his activity daily.

- Rizal was given the freedom to go anywhere and

even permitted to cultivate the land near the plaza.
- At least once a week, Rizal is reporting to the
captain.
- The Captain was delighted with Rizal’s fine
personality and quality as a person.
 August 30, 1892 – Ricardo Carnicero
informed Governor General Eulogio
Despujol that Jose Rizal wanted reforms in
the Philippines but does not want Friars to
be evicted.
 - Carnicero reported Rizal’s conviction that the
leaflets found in the pillows of his sister were place
there in Manila. If Rizal were the one interested in
smuggling them into Manila, he would have place
them close to his person or probably in his socks.
- He added that he could seek the help of Pi y
Margall or Linares Rivera as Lawyer, but did not
wish to create obstacles in their campaign for
reforms for the Philippines.
 September 21, 1892 – Captain Carnicero
submitted another report to Gov. General
Despujol informing him about reforms, these
were freedom of religion and of the press.
- Captain Carnicero also reported that
Father Obach had informed Rizal of the
acquittal of those involved in the Calamba
case including Paciano.
 - Rizal won the second prize in lottery.
The price was shared equally one third each for Captain Carnicero,
Francisco Equilor (resident of Dipolog) and Rizal himself.
*Each of them got 6000 and Rizal used it to:
- Gave the amount of Php 2000 to his father who was still in
Hong Kong.
- Gave the amount of Php 200 to his friend Basa, who was
based in Hong Kong.
- The rest, he planned to build a small house in Dapitan.
 In early 1893 – Rizal left his quarter with
the captain, having been granted some
lands of kilometer away from Dapitan.
- Rizal now had his own hacienda, with
lansones, mango, cacao, santol and
mangosteen.
- The site of his new home was called
“Talisay”.
 March 8, 1893 – Rizal’s own house was completed. It was simply
constructed with nipa roof, post and rafters of unhewn woods, as
he himself describes it in his poem “Mi Retiro”.
- Since there was no regular supply of fish for the town’s
consumption, he went into partnership with the Spaniard Miranda
in a fishing Project.
* In the first few months of 1893, many changes took place.
- Father Pastells was replaced by father Ricart.
- In February, Father Sanchez’ term in Dapitan came to an
end.
- In May 4, Carnicero left for Manila, a result of pressure
exerted by the new Jesuit superior who blamed the failure of the
attempts to convert Rizal on Carnicero’s liberal thinking as well as
his overly generous treatment of the rebel.
 - The minister of the colony Maura, asked Despujol to
resign and when Despujol refused, Maura dismiss him.
- The Jesuit’s action to have Despujol removed may have
been based on the fact that he has been have ordered the
investigation of the notorious anti-friar leaflets which were
discovered and printed at the printing press of the Friars. This
was the reason for the deportation of Rizal.
- Pablo Mercado, assumed name of the Spy who visited
Rizal at his house and pretended to be his relative by showing a
photo of Rizal and a pair of buttons with the initial P.M. as
evidence of kinship.
 Rizal’s encounter with the Friar’s Spy
- The spy stayed in Dapitan and spread talks among
the people that he was a relative to Rizal. Rizal went
to the comandancia and reported the impostor to
Captain Juan Sitges (successor of carnicero). Sitges
ordered Pablo Mercado’s arrest and told Anastacio
Adriatico to investigate him immediately.
- Florencio Namanan a.k.a Pablo Mercado, single and
about 30 yrs. old who was hired by the Recollect
Friars to spy on Rizal’s activities. The secret mission of
Pablo Mercado was not an assassination attempt but
espionage only.
 Josephine Bracken
- The last day of February 1893, three
passengers arrived and one of them would change
the monotonous life of Rizal in Dapitan.
- The new comers were George Taufer
Josephine Bracken (his adopted daughter) and
Manuel Orlac, a friend of a churchman from the
Cathedral of Manila.
- Taufer who came from honking was a blind man.
 - Six Years after his marriage in 1876, He adopted the
daughter of an English soldier by a Chinese woman. The
soldier was a married man and when his wife died, he
registered his illegitimate child, Josephine Bracken, as the
legitimate daughter of his recently deceased wife.
- Taufer’s blindness was not due to a cataract
according to Rizal. It might have due to a complication of
the nervous system brought about by his syphilitic
condition.
 - In a letter to Blumentritt, Rizal wrote that the disease
was incurable.
- Rizal observe Josephine day by day and with his natural
intuition, his confidence in her grew as time passed. Rizal was
nature inclined to fall in love, but this time it was a
combination of physical and spiritual attraction.
- Taufer was blind but not deaf, it is a known fact that
when one sense was lacking, other senses are sharpened.
And he realized that Rizal and Josephine were in love with
each other. He wanted to find out the truth and when he
did, he threatened to take his life with a razor which he had
in his hand unless they swore to break up their relations.
 - This incident which could have ended in tragedy
broke up the engagement of Josephine with Rizal, but it
did not leave him without hope.
- Josephine accompanied Taufer to Manila.
- The sister of Rizal did not favor the union because
they feared for Rizal’s safety in view of friendship
between Josephine and Orlac.
- In the middle of May 1894, when Josephine
returned to Manila, Rizal went to see father Obach
about their marriage.
 - The reply of father Obach was harsh, if there was no
retraction, there would be no marriage.
- The Bishop of Cebu was consulted but the Bishop
supported the decision of Father Obach.
- Rizal sent a letter of retraction, without signature, but
the bishop rejected the draft.
- Since no Priest would marry them, Rizal and Josephine
held hands together and married themselves before the eyes
of God. They lived as man and wife.
- Josephine was suspected of being a spy in Rizal’s family
but after she fell in love with Rizal, the suspicion was found
to be without basis.
 - Coates (1992) stated that Josephine was
pregnant during the last part of 1895, but as a
consequence of some incident which
frightened her, she had a miscarriage. This
unfortunate happening filled her cup of
sorrow to the brim.
 - In 1896, Rizal’s life events began with
bitterness. He wrote to his mother that he had
many enemies and that they working for the
extension of his stay in Dapitan.
- July 1896 – Governor Blanco sent a
communication to Rizal acceding to his wishes
of going to Cuba as a physician of the Military
Health Corps.
 - Pio Valenzuela, a young doctor arrived in Dapitan.
Valenzuela invited Rizal to head the revolution, for which
purpose they would arrange for his escape. Whether he
accept or not the leadership, when the revolt broke out,
reprisal against him was inevitable.
- Rizal rejected the invitation, because for his
opinion, they lacked the necessary logistics, the money,
forces, prepared plans to guarantee the success of the
revolt.
Thankyou for listening!!