Life and Works of Rizal (GEd 103)

Position Paper: Dr. Jose Rizal’s Retraction Controversy

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Course Requirements for the course subject Ged 103
Life and Works of Rizal

By:
Fernandez, Maryvhin Rose D.

December 2022
 I. Executive Summary
Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Realonda Alonso, famously known as Jose
Rizal is one of the country’s most prominent people in history. With his works and
movements, he made a great contribution to the Philippines, especially in the
Philippine Revolution. The said national hero is known for his nationalism and beliefs
that were against the leadership and influence of the Spaniards back then. With that,
he published his two novels; Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as a standing
ground to rebel against the injustices done by the Spaniards in the Philippines at that
time.
In his last days, alleged retraction arises and became one of the most
controversial issues in Philippine History. It has been said that Jose Rizal allegedly
retracted and wrote a note that states his reversion to the Catholic Faith and all other
issues that follow such as his marriage to Josephine Bracken. It was a heated debate
between two claims; some issues were claimed by the Roman Catholic defenders but
asserted to be deceptive by anti-reactionists. Many stood up and claim that the
retraction document is a forgery and that Rizal would not even think of doing that,
however, handwriting experts claimed and concluded a long time ago that it is
authentic and genuine. Hence, this paper will take a position on the side that claims
Jose Rizal did not retract before his dying day at Bagumbayan.

II. Introduction
Retraction is a public statement made about an earlier statement that
withdraws, cancels, refutes, or reverses the original statement. In doing so, someone
is taking back what he has stated against the Catholic Church and in the Philippines
and the Friars.

Jose Rizal got Filipinos to glorify and respect him for many years due to his
sacrifices and huge contribution to the Philippines as a patriotic local citizen and an
honest propagandist with his beliefs. However, his unwavering reputation as the
"Pambansang Bayani ng Pilipinas" stirs doubts about the issues that float which
contradict the main reason why our country hailed him as the National Hero of the
Philippines, as to also why the Filipino people glorify and express their gratitude to his
efforts and existence. Rizal's statement, "I retract with all my heart whatever in my
words, writings, publications, and conduct have been contrary to my character as a
son of the Catholic Church.", arises the most intriguing issue in Philippine history. The
issue revolves around where Rizal allegedly retracts his reversion to the Catholic Faith
together with his marriage to Josephine Bracken which all happened before his
execution that happened on the 30th of December, 1986. Given Rizal's statement that
has been mentioned above, a lot of heated arguments dividing into two sides float up.
This issue was backed up by four major reasons why Rizal retracted. First is Rizal
wanting to marry Josephine Bracken and to make her his legally wedded wife. The
second one is Rizal wanted to protect his family, while the third one is Rizal wanted to
reform the Spanish Government. Lastly, as per se, he wanted to heal the sickness of
the Catholic Church. All of these reasons that formed a theory behind the national
hero’s retraction said that it came from the retraction document that was written by
Jose Rizal himself.
Some sources claimed and stated that Rizal’s alleged retraction did not actually
happen. According to them, the document that contained Rizal's statement is a blatant
forgery as there are friars who visited him within twenty-four hours prior to his execution
and convinced him to confess the sins they accused him of committing; it was said that
the main motive behind the visit is to make Rizal admit his errors against religion to
retract all of them. It was also stated that at least seven (7) Jesuits visited Rizal at
various times during the course of the day. While others defend that it is authentic and
that Dr. Jose Rizal is the only one who can write and sign the retraction document.
With that being said, there are arguments found that defend both sides.

III. Body

Just like any other story that is being shared, like a coin, there will always be
two sides to the story. According to a professional when it comes to local hero’s writings
and other handwriting experts, Teodoro Kalaw, the document that contains Rizal’s
retraction statement was originally written by himself, and the document has been
analyzed and judged by them through their deep study. Along with Kalaw were the
other Philippine Historians that uphold the authenticity of Rizal’s retraction such as
Gregorio Zaide, Nick Joaquin, Nicolas Zafra, and many more. Per them, they consider
the witnesses when Rizal wrote the retraction paper, those who signed the book of
prayers of the Catholic, and recited the prayers of the said religion. According to them
as well, there were also people who saw Rizal kiss the crucifix before his execution at
Bagumbayan. It was also claimed that Rizal did four (4) confessions, beheld by
different qualified historians, newspapers, and witnesses including the leader of the
Spanish Supreme Court. Additionally, this affirmation was stated by the great-nephew
of Jose Rizal.

Contrary above, there were statements as well that oppose the claim that Rizal
actually signed his statement of Retraction. Some claimants stated that there is proof
of Rizal not actually retracting even on his dying days. The alleged retraction papers
were only revealed about thirty (30) years after Rizal’s death which raised a matter of
concern wherein two statements of the declaration were recognized and both had a lot
of differences. Some claim that one of the statements was fabricated, while the other
side rebuts that the original copy was aged and rotten in the grasp of Spanish Catholic
friars, and what everyone saw was a copy done by one who could imitate Jose Rizal’s
handwriting while the original which was almost eaten by termites was kept by some
friars. With the issue that’s been uprooted, Ricardo Pascual, a chairperson, and
professor from the University of the Philippines analyzed six major documents of Rizal
and later on concluded that the retraction document, which has been said that it was
discovered in 1935, was not Rizal’s handwriting. Moreover, Senator Rafael Palma, a
former President of the University of the Philippines, and a prominent Mason reasoned
that a retraction is not in keeping with Rizal’s character and life beliefs. He called the
retraction issue and its story a “pious fraud”.
 An additional claim that Rizal did not retract is about his burial. Jose Rizal was
not buried in a Catholic cemetery and he was listed as a suicide case, and his lifeless
body was neglected along with the persons with unknown causes of death. If he did
retract and the Catholic Church claimed his retraction and reconciliation with the
religion, then what could possibly be the reason Rizal did not receive any proper decent
burial for himself after the Catholics acknowledge his retraction and confession to the
friars? A great deal as well, strongly believes that Jose Rizal could not have had any
reason to retract what he had started and firmly fight for from the very beginning. A
man of his character with great devotion and patriotism towards his beloved country,
the Philippines, and moreover, his willingness to die for the country would not make
him break down in a moment and write the alleged retraction. Jose Rizal was known
as a nobleman who would not stoop so low and lower his ground to follow those whom
he initially was writing against.

Furthermore, opinions and takes on this controversy would not be the same for
reason that there will always agree and will not agree.

IV. Conclusion

In my humble conclusion, it was the priestly authorities at that time who were
afraid and did not want Rizal’s writings to affect and “poison” them and more of
their people as well, hence, the retraction was fabricated and fogged to make Dr.
Rizal look like he was humbled and defeated by the Catholic Church. If it was true
that Jose Rizal retracted and turned his back on that one thing that he was fighting
for ever since he had his eyes wide open to the reality of what the Spaniards has
been doing to his country, including all those efforts and sacrifices he made to
spread the message to his fellow Filipinos at that time, all of his writings would and
should be voided. Because he should be deemed a national hypocrite instead of a
national hero.

We may never be fully certain if an event in our history did really occur or not.
The people who were passed down these stories have the power to obscure nor
believe an occurrence and deceive others. And among those stories is about Rizal
and how he stands on what he believed in and could not be cowered by the threat
of eternal damnation from anybody, With his character. I believe he is clever
enough not to give those Spaniards the upper hand on him. There are many
documents and loopholes that could debunk the claim and idea of retraction. If he
truly retracted before his scheduled execution, the Catholic Church could have
buried him properly, yet, he wasn’t. He was buried in the place for those who are
against the Catholic Church. If the church claimed his retraction, then at least they
should have given him a proper and decent burial that he deserves after, as they
claimed, his confession of his sins against the religion. Another statement claimed
that the retraction was made for his desire to make Josephine Bracken his legal
wife, however, there is no marriage certificate of Jose Rizal and Josephine that is
presented up to this date.
 With that, I believe Dr. Jose Rizal did not retract before his execution date.
However, whether Rizal retracted or not, it is not a hidden fact how his works led
the Filipinos to fight for their rights as it stirred nationalism and patriotism in the
hearts of his fellow countrymen and help future generations.
 V. References
An excerpt from The Last Hours of Rizal by Coates, paragraph 2, as cited by
www.geocities.com/rizalretraction
An excerpt from The Last Hours of Rizal by Coates, paragraph 3, as cited by
www.geocities.com/rizalretraction
An excerpt from The Retraction, paragraph 25 as cited by www.joserizal.ph
Cavanna, Jose Ma. 1956. Rizal’s Unfading Glory: A Documentary History of the
Conversion of Dr. Jose Rizal. Manila.
Profile, V. M. C. (n.d.). Jose Rizal’s retraction: the controversy.
http://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2013/06/jose-rizals-retraction-
controversy.html
Summary Of Jose Rizal’s Retraction Controversy | ipl.org. (n.d.).
https://www.ipl.org/essay/Summary-Of-Jose-Rizals-Retraction-Controversy-
F37Y6WH4SCFR
Understanding the Impossibility of a Retraction by Rizal. (2020, July 21). Regarding
Several Things. https://noedyb.wordpress.com/2020/07/21/understanding-
the-impossibility-of-a-retraction-by-rizal/
Vol. 8, No. 3, Rene ESCALANTE | CSEAS Journal, Southeast Asian Studies.
CSEAS Journal, Southeast Asian Studies |. https://englishkyoto-
seas.org/2019/12/vol-8-no-3-rene-escalante/
30 Dec Rizal’s Last Hours. (2022, December 30).
https://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/articles/rizals-last-hours/