Summary
Highlights
The video introduces Case Study 3: Did Rizal Retract?, continuing a discussion on Philippine history's historiographical problems. Rizal, a hero of the revolution, focused his writings on ending colonialism and criticizing the friars as agents of injustice, not the Catholic religion itself. A retraction document, allegedly signed by Rizal before his execution, declares his belief in the Catholic faith and withdraws his anti-church statements, potentially causing significant damage to his revolutionary image.
The alleged retraction document, translated from Spanish, states Rizal's declaration as a Catholic and his desire to live and die in that religion. He retracts his past words, writings, publications, and conduct contrary to his character as a son of the Catholic Church and abhors Masonry. This document was found by Father Miguel Garcia in May 1935.
There are four iterations of the retraction text. The first appeared in two Philippine newspapers, 'La Voz Española' and 'Diario de Manila,' on the day of Rizal's execution, December 30, 1896. The second was published in the Barcelona magazine 'La Juventud' on February 14, 1897, by an anonymous writer later identified as Father Vicente Balaguer. The original text was only found in the архи-diocesan archives in May 1935.
Doubts on the retraction document often stem from Father Balaguer's being the sole eyewitness account of its writing. Another eyewitness account, from 'Quo de Vigilancia,' surfaced in 2016 through Professor Rene R. Escalante's research. This report details Rizal's last hours, including a point where Rizal refused to sign a prepared retraction. However, later in the afternoon, Rizal handed something he had written to Father March, which was then signed by other officials.
The Vigilant's account describes Rizal's final hours: his arrival at death row, breakfast, request for a prayer book, and a long discussion with Jesuit fathers March and Vila Clara. It suggests they presented him with a prepared retraction he initially refused to sign. Later, Rizal wrote something on his own, which he then handed over to Father March, and it was subsequently signed by other officials present. This account also mentions Josephine Bracken's visit and their marriage 'in articulo mortes.'
The Vigilant's account corroborates the existence of the retraction document, lending it credence. However, Father Balaguer is not mentioned in this account, making his testimony a secondary source. The retraction remains a controversy to this day, with no accurate documents definitively proving or disproving it. Despite this, scholars agree that the document does not tarnish Rizal's heroism, as his relevance in inspiring the revolution remains solidified, leading to Philippine independence.
The video outlines potential reasons for Rizal's retraction: to protect his family and town from further persecution, to legalize his union with Josephine Bracken, to secure reforms from the Spanish government, and to help the church.
Rizal's connection to the Katipunan is undeniable. The Katipunan evolved from La Liga Filipina, an organization Rizal founded with Andres Bonifacio as a member. After Rizal's exile, former members formed the Katipunan. Although Rizal was not officially part of the Katipunan, he was admired and used as a password. In 1896, some members informed Rizal of their plans to launch a revolution, but he objected, stating it would be suicidal due to the Spaniards' military advantage. He advised securing support from wealthy Filipinos and recruiting Antonio Luna to direct military movements.