CHAPTER V

RIZAL IN EUROPE
This chapter focuses on the journey and experiences of Dr. Jose Rizal in Europe.
The First Trip to Europe
 Rizal had prepared well for his departure, and, as per his agreement with Paciano and his Uncle
Antonio, he left the Philippines on May 1, 1882, soon after the end of the school year 1881-1882, and
one and a half months before his 21" birthday. Before he left the Philippines without permission from
his parents, he wrote them a letter, begging for their forgiveness.
 The journey was a secret only to his parents, but not to his friends and other relatives. About all his trips
he wrote, describing the passengers, incidents, and circumstances of life aboard the ship, always in a
poetic way, inspired by the seascape. Rizal was the only indio on the Salvadora.
 On May 19, Rizal arrived in Singapore, where all the passengers disembarked as the salvadora was
not going any further.
 In May 1882, the passengers transferred to the Djemnah. Rizal was fascinated by the unusual
cleanliness of the ship. He did not waste time, he befriended the Frenchmen so he could improve his
French.
 On May 14, they arrived at Punta de Gales (New South Wales) and from there sailed to Colombo, the
Senegalese capital. Here, he rented a coach and hired a guide for the trip from Colombo to the Cape of
Guardafui in the African peninsula of Somalia They experienced seven days of stormy weather and
endured the attendant dizziness.
 On June 2, they arrived at Suez Canal, where they were quarantined for 24 hours. Rizal thus travelled
for 47 days or about 1/2 months.
Barcelona
 Rizal boarded a train going to Barcelona on June 15, 1882 and was warmly welcomed by the Filipino
expatriates there. He did not have a good impression of the city, though, partly because he lodged at
the narrow and dirty Calle de San Pablo at Fonda de España. Rizal nonetheless gradually learned to
put up with his situation. As he arrived during the summer vacation, he could not enroll; he thus
attended to his correspondence instead and fulfilled his promise to the administrator of the paper
Diariong Tagalog that he would send him an article, which he entitled Amor Patrio, the first essay Rizal
wrote in Europe, when he was 21 years old. He signed as Laong Laan, a pen name that meant
"prepared long since" or "predestined". It was published in the no 20 August 1883 issue
 Rizal's excellence in writing caught the attention of the people. He was thus invited to every forum that
tackled the conditions in the Philippines then. He enjoyed great prestige not only among the Filipinos in
Europe but also among the Spaniards in Spain, with whom he had amicable relations
Madrid
 Rizal moved to Madrid to continue his education. There, he saw an opportunity for the Filipino
expatriates to express their grievances against the Spaniards in the Philippines and to expose the
realities in the Philippines then. On the other hand, Rizal was disappointed by the kind of life being led
by majority of the Filipino students there, who spent their days either in cafés or in gambling dens. Rizal
hoped that every Filipino would manifest exemplary conduct and would do all that they could to develop
their capacities
 Rizal was gladdened by the news that Circulo Hispano-Filipino had been founded. The organization
had about 30 members, 20 of whom were students. The rest were elderly individuals (businessmen,
military men, and proprietors). Circulo published a magazine to which Rizal contributed whenever his
schedule permitted him. Circulo did not become very successful, though, as some of its members had
personal motives for joining. There was also a lack of unity among the members, and a number of the
Filipino expatriates who were part of the organization were addicted to gambling and womanizing.
  During Rizal's stay in Madrid, his pension arrived irregularly, and there were days when he had to live
on a measly 35 centavos for food. Further, he bought secondhand clothes. His sufferings made him
very homesick, but he managed to drown them in hard work. He frequently exchanged letters, though,
with his family at home. He poured all his feelings then into a tender poem that he wrote for his dear
mother: Me Piden Versos ("They Ask Me for Verses"). He personally recited the poem during the New
Year's Eve reception of the Madrid Filipinos held in the evening of December 31, 1882.
Paris
 When Rizal turned 24 and became a full surgeon, he went to Paris to specialize in ophthalmology so he
could operate on his mother, whose eyesight was failing. On his way to Paris, he stopped at Barcelona
to visit his friend Maximo Viola, a medical student who was from a rich family in San Miguel, Bulacan.
 Rizal worked as assistant to Dr Louis de Wecker for four months. From October 1885 to the latter part
of January 1886, he learned as fast as he could the technique of eye operations, paying special
attention to cataract operation. Dr. Wecker found Rizal very competent as an assistant. By then, he was
already proficient in French and Italian
 After his work hours, Rizal visited his friends. At the studio of Juan Luna, he spent many hours trying to
improve his talent in painting. He also helped Luna by posing as a model in several of his paintings,
including as an Egyptian priest in Death of Cleopatra and as Sikatuna in The Blood Compact, with
Trinidad Pardo de Tavera posing as Legaspi.
 In spite of the solid support given him by Dr. Wecker, Rizal left for Germany. He bade Wecker farewell
and went back to Heidelberg. Before leaving the city, though, Rizal had already completed one-fourth of
his first novel, Noli Me Tangere.
Heidelberg
 In 1886, Rizal arrived in Heidelberg. He lived in a boarding house with some German Law students
who, having discovered that Rizal was a good chess player, made him a member of the Chess Player's
Club. He became popular among the German students because he joined them in their chess games
and drank beer with them.
 A few days later, Rizal transferred to a boarding house near the University of Heidelberg. He worked at
the University Eye Hospital under the direction of Dr. Otto Becker, a distinguished German
ophthalmologist, whose lectures he attended
 Rizal was fascinated with the beautiful spring flowers of Heidelberg, which reminded him of the flowers
at the garden of his home in Calamba. His homesickness then prodded him to write a beautiful poem
entitled "To the Flowers of Heidelberg He also wrote a letter to his younger sister, Trinidad, where he
described the characteristics of German girls.
Wilhelmfeld
 Rizal left Wilhelmfeld Heidelberg to honor for the invitation extended to him by Rev. Karl Ullmer, whom
Rizal met one day in the woods with his (the pastor's) wife, daughter Eta, and son Freidrich. Rizal then
spent his three-month summer vacation in Wilhelmfeld, a small town near Heidelberg. He stayed in the
house of the Protestant and developed a bond of friendship with him. His personality and talents in
languages and sketching also made him a bosom friend of the pastor's wife. He studied the German
country life and practiced speaking good German with the Ullmer family. In June 1886, though, Rizal
left Wilhelmfeld for Heidelberg.
Leipzig
 In Leipzig, Rizal attended lectures on history and psychology at the University of Leipzig. He became a
friend of Prof. Ratzel, a famous German historian, and of Dr. Hans Meyer, a German anthropologist.
Professor Ratzel wrote the following of Dr. Jose Rizal: "Rizal has accumulated the wisdom of three
continents and has acquired the vast scientific horizon that he needed to determine the true conditions
of his country and to plan his intellectual development."
Dresden
 Rizal arrived in Dresden in the morning, and he visited Palacio Japonais and many other interesting
places therein. He met Dr. A. B Meyer, naturalist at Dresden University, who showed him a number of
interesting things he had taken from Palaos Islands and from certain tombs in the Philippines.
 He left Dresden the next morning for Berlin. In the station, he was nearly cheated by the taxi driver. An
old postcard of Zwinger in Germany showing what Rizal had seen during his visit to Dresden
Berlin
 Rizal planned to stay in Berlin for six weeks to publish his first novel, Noli Me Tangere While he was
in Germany, he also spent time improving his German. He met Dr. Feodor Jagor, a German
scientist, traveler, and author of Travels in the Philippines, a book that Rizal had read and admired
during his student days in Manila. Dr. Jagor introduced Rizal to Dr. Rudolf Virchow, a famous
German anthropologist, and to the latter's son, Dr. Hans Virchow, a professor of descriptive
anatomy. He also met Dr. W. Joest, a noted German geographer.
 Rizal led a frugal life in Berlin. He worked as an assistant in the clinic of Dr. Schweigger, a well-
known German ophthalmologist. At night, he attended lectures in the University of Berlin. He spent
his leisure time touring the countryside around Berlin, keenly observing the customs, dresses,
homes, and occupations of the peasants. Finally, he finished the manuscript of Noli Me Tangere on
February 21, 1887, after undergoing much suffering.
 After the publication of Noli Me Tangere, Rizal and Viola agreed to visit places in Europe. Rizal then
decided to return to the Philippines after a five-year absence. He left Berlin by train on May 11,
1887, making a stop at Dresden to visit important places therein
Dresden
 Rizal and Viola went to the regional floral exposition in Dresden, after which they visted Dr. Adolph
Meyer, who was overjoyed to see them. Then, in the Museum of Art, the two behel Bohe painting of
Prometheus Bound. Finally, Rizal and Vil sailed for Lestmerizt, Bohemia where, for the first time, Rizal
met Blumentrit, an Austrian linguist and the Director of Ateneo de Leitmeritz, Austria from 1989. 1895,
whom Rizal came to know via correspondence. They greeted each other in German, and Blumentritt
helped Rizal and Viola get a room at Hotel Krehbs, after which he brought them to his home and
introduced them to his wife and family.
 Blumentritt became Rizal's very close friend. Their friendship started when Rizal sent Blumentritt a
book, Aritmetica, which was being used in the Philippines then. In gratitude, Blumetritt sent Rizal a
book about Austria, and their long correspondence and friendship began. A total of 59 well-preserved
letters between the two had been found and are presently under the safekeeping of the National
Historical Commission of the Philippines. Later, Blumentritt called Rizal not only "the greatest Filipino"
but also "the greatest of the Malayan race."
Prague
 After Leitmeritz, Rizal and Viola visited the historic city of Prague, where they visited the tomb of
Copernicus, the famous astronomer; the Museum of Natural History, the Bacteriological Laboratories,
and the famous cave where San Juan Nepomuceno, the Catholic saint, was imprisoned.
Vienna
 On May 20, Rizal and Viola arrived in the beautiful city of Vienna. They stayed at Hotel Metropole and
visited the interesting places in the city, such as churches, museums, art galleries, and public parks.
Lintz
 Rizal and Viola left Vienna on a river boat to see the beautiful Danube River. During the trip, Rizal
observed the river, the barges loaded with products, and the boats with families living on them.
Rheinfall
 After Lintz, Rizal and Viola travelled overland to Munich to personally taste its beer, considered the best
beer in Germany then. they also visited Ulm Cathedral, the tallest building in all of Germany and the
world then. Rizal and Viola climbed its many hundred steps. They also saw the breath taking waterfalls
of Germany, widely regarded as the most beautiful in Europe.
Geneva
 Rizal and Viola crossed Leman Lake in Geneva, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe
 Rizal and Viola spent 15 delightful days in Geneva.
Italy
 Rizal then went to Italy and visited Turin, Milan, Venice, and Florence. He also visited Rome, the
"Eternal City," also called the "City of the Ceasars. On the feast day of St. Peter and St. Paul, Rizal
visited the Vatican, considered the "City of the Popes and the "Capital of Christendom, for the first time.
He also visited St. Peter's Basilica and beheld the rare works of art therein, the vast St. Peter's Square,
and the colorful papal guards. After a week of wonderful travels in Rome, he prepared to return to the
Philippines, having already written to his father that he was coming home.
Rizal's Decision to Return to the Philippines
Copies of Rizal's Noli Me Tangere were smuggled into the Philippines, and eventually, some reached the
authorities. Rizal then became a marked man. All his friends and relatives at home advised him not to come
back to the Philippines, but he decided to do so nonetheless, after staying for five years in Europe, for the
following reasons: epidemics were ravaging the islands, his father was being deprived of his property: he
wanted to operate on his mother's cataracts; and he received sad news about his fiancée, Leonor Rivera. He
sailed for the Philippines on July 5, 1887 by way of the Suez Canal and reached Manila on August 3. He
stayed in the city for a short time to visit his friends and found Manila the same as when he left it five years
earlier.

First Homecoming in Calamba

Rizal reached Calamba on August 8. His family welcomed him with tears of joy welling from their eyes. His
family was very much worried about his safety, though. His father would not let him go out alone, and Paciano
did not leave him since his arrival.
During the six months that he stayed in Calamba after coming back from Europe, Rizal opened a medical
clinic. The first thing that he did, though, was to operate on his mother, who was almost already blind at that
time. The operation, the first of its kind in the Philippines, was a complete success. His fame soon spread, and
patients from all over the country flocked to his clinic. Rizal, who came to be called "Doctor Uliman" because
he came from Germany, acquired an advanced medical practice. Within a few months, he was able to earn
P900.00 as a physician.
Rizal also opened a gymnasium for his fellow citizens to discourage them from engaging in cockfighting and
gambling. Rizal failed to see Leonor Rivera during the six months that he stayed in Calamba after his return
from Europe, due to his parents' advice that he not visit her in Dagupan because Leonor's mother did not want
him to be her son-in-law.
Rizal Leaves the Philippines
Rizal received a summons from Governor Terrero, who told him that it was best for him to leave the country.
Rizal promised to leave but did not give a definite date for his departure. He departed from Calamba weak with
fever, but he was assisted by his cousins and brothers-in-law, who gave him physical and moral support and
assured him that they would do everything they could to protect him if the need for such arose.
Rizal left Manila on February 3, 1888, his heart filled with pain. He was not afraid of any man and was not
afraid to die (Zaide, 1999), but he was forced to leave for two reasons: his presence in Calamba was
jeopardizing the safety and happiness of his family and friends, and he could fight his enemies better and
further his country's cause with greater efficacy by writing in a foreign land.
Before Rizal left Calamba in 1888, he wrote a poem dedicated to the industrious workers of Lipa. The poem
was entitled Himno al Trabajo ("Hymn to Labor').

THE SECOND TOUR TO EUROPE

This chapter discusses Rizal's second tour after leaving the Philippines.
Hong Kong
 On February 3, 1888, after spending six months in Calamba, Rizal left Manila and went to Hong Kong.
During his stay in Hong Kong, Rizal made the following observations:
 The Dominican order was the richest religious order in Hong Kong. It owned more than 700 houses for
rent and many shares in foreign banks. It deposited million of dollars in banks.
 There were cemeteries in Hong Kong for the Protestants, the Catholics, and the Muslims, respectively.
The Protestants' cemeteries were the most beautiful because of their well-tended plants and clean
pathways. The Catholic cemetery had the most expensive mausoleums, and the Muslim cemetery was
the simplest, containing only a little mosque and tombstones with Arabic inscriptions.
Rizal Arrives in Japan
 Rizal went to Yokohama and stayed at the Tokyo Hotel. There, he was visited by the head of the
Spanish Legation, Juan Perez Caballero. Rizal agreed to leave the hotel and to stay at the
headquarters of the Spanish Legation. Rizal and Juan Perez Caballero then became good friends. He
stayed in Japan for one month and within that time mastered and wrote in the Japanese language.
Rizal's Impression of Japan
Rizal was impressed by Japan. He observed the culture, customs, and lifestyles of the prople. What
particularly impressed Rizal about Japan were as follows:
the beauty of the country;
the cleanliness, politeness, and industry of the Japanese people;
the picturesque dress and simple charm of the Japanese women;
the fact that as there were very few thieves in Japan, the houses remained open day and night, and in the
hotel rooms, one could safely leave money on the table; and
beggars were rarely seen in the city streets, unlike in Manila and other cities.
Rizal's Arrival in San Francisco
 When Rizal arrived in San Francisco, California, he was quarantined for six days aboard the Belgic,
anchored off San Francisco Bay. He then boarded at Palace Hotel.
 Rizal went around to observe the city. From San Francisco, he started his trip across the American
continent, passing through Reno, Ogden, Denver, Farmington,Salt lake city Prong, Colorado,
Nebraska, and finally, Chicago. He then reached Albany and later traveled along the bank's of the
Hudhon River. This ended his intercontinental trip arriving at New York in the morning, he boarded at
Fifth Avenuae Hotel.
 Rizal had good and bad impressions of the United States. His good impressions were the material
progress of the country, as shown in the great citles' huge. farms, flourishing industries, and busy
factories, the natural beauty of the land; the high standard of living and the opportunities for a better life
offered to the poor immigrants. Rizal's bad Impressions of America, on the other hand, was the fact that
there was racial equality therein. There existed racial prejudice, which was inconsistent with the
principles of democracy and freedom that it was known to expose.
London
 Rieal arrived in London by train on May 25, 1888. He chose to visit this English city because it was the
grentest political power in the world at that time. Rizal wanted to study the country, particularly its
cuntoms and politics, a field that was relatively new to him. He also wanted to improve his knowledge of
English and to study and annotate Morga's Sucesos de Las Islas Filipinas , a rare copy of which he
heard was available at the British Museum.
 While in London, Rizal came to know Dr. Reinhold Rost, the librarian of the Ministry of Foreign affairs of
England then, and a famous Malayologist, through a letter from Dr. Blumentritt.
 In August 1888, Rizal was acimitted to the reading room of the British Museum of London. He copied
Morga's book, Sucesos de Las Islas Filipinas, and annotated it for publication, as his gift to the
Filipinos. Aside from such book, he also wanted to publish Blumentritt's Tribes of Mindanao, including
some new documents that he found at the British Museum.
Paris
 In Paris, Rizal was intending to board at Hotel del Restaurant de Rome, but having received bad news
from home, he accepted the invitation of his Filipino friend to stay at the latter's house instead so he
could forget such news. Then, on September 10, 1858, he left Paris and went back to London to
continue copying Morga's book at the British Museum.
Back In London
 Rizal went back to London to finish copying the whole book of Morga. He was admitted to study at the
Deparment of Coreek and Roman Antiquities in the British museum of London.
Rizal and La Solidaridad
 Graciano Lopez-Jaena served as the first editor of La Solidaridad in Barcelona. This was a fortnightly
periodical that served as the organ of the Propaganda Movement. It aimed to attain the following: (1)
Philippines representation in the Spanish Cortes; (2) Filipinos' right of amsembly; (3) Filipinos' right of
association and freedom of thought and speech; (4) Filipino participation in the government of the
Islands; and (5) assimiation of the Philippines to Spain, as its province. The goals of the propagandists
were inspired by the principles of the bourgeols revolution of 1789.
 The first article that Rizal wrote in La Solidaridad was entitled "The Filipino Farmers" It came out in
issue no. 3, dated March 3,1889, In the article he censured the petty authorities of the Philippines then,
who molested and harassed the farmers as they suspected them of rebelling against the Spanish
colonial government in the Philippines.
  Another important article that Rizal wrote in La Solidaridad was "Barrantes and the Tagalog Theatre,
"which appeared in issues 9 and 10 in June 1889. In this article, Rizal exposes Barrantes's ignorance of
the Tagalog theatrical art.
 The article "The Philippines a Century Hence" can be considered among Rizal's best writings in this
article, Rizal analyzes the history of the Philippines from the start of the Spanish rule and ducusses how
things deteriorated gradually through three centuries of the regime until reveals the poorable state it
was in at the time the article was written. The article reveals the political ideology of Rizal in 1889,
including Bis prophetic vision that the Philippines would gain its independence in the hands of the
United States.
 Rizal's article entitled Llanto y Risas ("Tears and Laughter") and dated November 30, 1889 was a
denunciation of the Spanish racial prejudice against the brown Filipinos.
 Another article written by Rizal, Diferencias ("Differences"), dated September 15. 1889, was a reply to a
biased article entiled "Old Truths" published in La Patria on August 14, 1889, which ridiculed the
Filipinos who were asking for reforms.
Rizal in Brussels, Belgium
 In Brussels, Rizal busied himself writing articles for La Solidaridad. He also worked in a clinic to earn
additional income. In April 1891, Rizal wrote a letter to Jose Ma. Basa, borrowing money from him so
he could immediately leave for Hong Kong and provide assistance to his brother-in-law who had been
deported there by the Spaniards. He sent two letters to the Philippines through Jose Ma. Basa: one for
Buencamino and another for his family in Calamba. Before he left Brussels, though, Rizal finished
reviewing the manuscript of his second novel, El Filibusterismo, and waited for money to defray the
publication expenses.
Paris
 From Paris, Rizal sent a letter to Jose Ma. Basa, where he indicated that he was definitely going to
Hong Kong. He also wrote Marcelo H. del Pilar about the detailed cause of their misunderstanding and
why he could not return to Madrid. He intimated to Blumentritt that he would no longer write for the
propaganda to avoid schism among the Filipinos in Madrid.
Rizal in Hong kong
 Rieal arrived in Hong Kong on November 19, 1891. He sent Manuel Camus in Singapore 20 capies of
his novel El Filibusterismo, six copies of his annotations to Morga's book, and four copies of Noli Me
Tangere. He was welcomed by the Flipino residents there, espectally by his old frend Jose Ma. Basa.
Basa provided him with a rented room at the heart of the city of Victoria, on Duddell Street.
 During his stay in Hong Kong, Rizal opened a medical clinic. With the help of a Portuguese physician,
Dr. Lorenzo P. Marques, Rizal Gained many patients.
Family Reunion in Hong Kong
 On December 6, without previous notice, Rizal's father, his brother Paciano, and his brother-in-law
Silvestre Ubaldo, who had escaped from the Philippines to avoid persecution, arrived in Hong Kong to
join him. Their mother could not do the same, however, because she had been detained. Not long
afterwards, though, his mother amd sisters Lucia, Jefa, and Trinidad were also able to leave for Hong
Kong, arriving there shortly after Christmas. The Rizal family was thus reunited and once again tasted
happiness all together.
Borneo Colonization Project
 During Rizal's trip from Marseilles to Hong Kong, he discussed the idea of colonization with the
Englishman W.B. Pryer who, along with his wife, was on his way to North Borneo, a temitory Rizal was
attracted to. The Sultan of Jolo had ceded the territory to North Borneo Company in 1878, as
recognized by Spain, Germany, and England, in exchange for Spanish sovereignty over the island of
 Jolo. It is a very fertile land, with good inlets and coves for shelter, as well as a warm and regular
temperature.

 Rizal wanted to make Borneo the base of his operations given its proximity to the Philippines (only 500
kiometers from Mindanao). He thus planned to establish La Liga Filipina and a Filipino community in
Borneo while still in Hong Kong.
 Rizal negotiated with the representatives of North Borneo Company for permission to establish a
Filipino colony in Borneo and was granted permission by the British governor to found a settlement on a
190,000-acre property. When he drafted the plan, he presumed that the Filipino settlement would be a
free and independent entity. He thus entered into an agreement that guaranteed the liberty of the
Filipino settlers therein as well as the security of their lands, their right to retain their citizenship, and the
protection of their rights. The colony was to be under the protectorate of North Borneo Development
Company, following the same conditions as those provided in the treaty with the local Bornean rulers.
 The plan was disapproved by Governor Eulogio Despujol, however, because the Philippines was short
of manpower then, and because he considered it improperand impractical for the natives to cultivate
other lands while the Philippines itself was still underdeveloped.
From Hong Kong, Rizal continued writing to certain people in Spain, including the Queen, protesting against
and seeking a remedy for the abuses of the Spanish officials in the Philippines, which were agitating the
Filipinos and pushing them to stage a revolution against their colonial masters. Rizal was convinced, though,
that education and not force was the way to progress. He was certain that if the parishes were secularized and
if the religious and state powers were separated, the conditions in the Philippines would improve. Reforms
could then be effected and progress would occur rapidly.
When some Filipinos in Madrid, however, led by Lete, accused Rizal of enjoying himself in Hong Kong and
abandoning his country's cause, he decided to go back to the Philippines. Before leaving Hong Kong, though,
he celebrated his 31" birthday with some of his friends and wrote two letters, the first addressed to his family
and the second to his countrymen, with the instruction that such letters should be opened and published only
after his death. Some portions of his letters, taken from Epistolario Rizalino Volume 3, are shown below.
TO MY PARENTS, BRETHREN, AND FRIENDS
The affection that I have ever professed for you suggests this step, and time alone can tell whether or not it is
sensible. The outcome judges things according to the consequences, but whether the result be favorable or
not may it be said that my duty urged me, so if I die doing it, it will not matter....
A man ought to die for his duty and his principles. I hold fast to every idea that I have advanced and shall
willingly die for it, and even more willingly will I sacrifice all to secure justice and peace for you....
With pleasure, then, I risk my life to save so many innocent persons.....
Should fare go against me, you will all understand that I shall die happy in the thought that my death will end all
your troubles...
Till the last moment of my life, I shall be thinking of you and wishing you all good fortune and happiness.
The next paragraphs were taken from Rizal's second letter, as follows:
TO THE FILIPINOS
The step that I am taking or rather am about to take is undoubtedly risky, but it is necessary to say that I have
considered it for some time. I understand that almost everyone is opposed to it, but I know also that hardly
anybody else understands what is in my heart. I cannot bear the sight of my sisters and their families treated
like animals. I prefer death and cheerfully shall relinquish life to free so many innocent persons from such
unjust persecution.
I wish to show those who deny us the boon of patriotism that we know how to die for duty and principle. What
matters death if one dies for what one loves, for one's native land that is held dear?....
Always have I loved our unhappy land, and I am sure that I shall continue loving it till my last moment, in case
men prove unjust to me.My career, my life, my happiness-all I have sacrificed for it. Whatever my fate be, I
shall die blessing it and longing for the dawn of redemption.
In these two letters, particularly the one addressed to his parents, brothers, sisters, and friends, Rizal stated
that "a man ought to die for his duty and his convictions." In the other letter, the one addressed to his
countrymen, Rizal stated that he was doing his duty to his conscience, and that it did not matter if he died for
what he loved, for his motherland, and for the beings he adored.
Meanwhile, before departing from Hong Kong for the Philippines, Rizal wrote a third letter to Governor-General
Despujol, informoing him that he was to return to the Philippine and that he would place himself under the
protection of the Spanish colonial government, 'Thus, on June 21, 1892, with a apecial passport issued by the
Spanish consulate, Rizal and his sister Lucia bid the British crown colony farewell. Not known to Rizal, though,
a trap had been set for him by Governor-General Despujol and the Spanish consul-general in Hong Kong.
Back to the Phillppines
 On June 26, 1892, Rizal and his sister Lucia arrived in Manila. Upon their arrival, their baggages were
searched and the Spanish officials claimed to have found a package of seditious papers and leaflets
therein. The following reasons were then cited for the Spanish officials' decision to exile Rizal to
Dapitan In Mindanao:
 A bundle of handbills entitled Pobres Frailes, in which the patient and humble generosity of the Filipinos
was satirized and which contained an accusation against the customs of the religious orders, had been
found in Rizal's baggage.
 Rizal's novel El Filibusterismo was dedicated to the memory of three "traitors" (GOMBURZA), and on
the title page, Rizal wrote that in view of the vices and errors of the Spanish administration, "The only
salvation for the Philippines was separation from the mother country."
 Rizal had published books and article abroad that showed disloyalty to Spain and that were "frankly
anti-Catholic" and "imprudently anti-friar."
The Founding of La Liga Filipina
Rizal attended a reunion that was held in the house of Don Ong-junco, a Chinese mestizo who was living on
Calle Ylla in the district of Tondo, to discuss the proposed La Liga Filipina. Here, he met many Filipinos who
were later also arrested and executed. Among those present were Pedro Serrano Laktaw (Panday Pira), a
Mason and school teacher; Domingo Franco (Felipe Leal), a Mason and tobacco shopkeeper, Jose A. Ramos
(Socorro), an engraver and printer, owner of Bazar Gran Bretana, and the first Worshipful Master of Nilad, the
first Filipino Masonic lodge; Ambrocio Salvador, the gobernadorcillo of Quiapo and Mason; Bonifacio Arevalo
(Harem), a dentist and Mason; Deodato Arellano, the brother-in-law of M. H. del Pilar and a civilian employee
in the army, Ambrocio Flores (Musa), a retired lieutenant; a certain Salvador (Araw), a contractor and Mason;
Luis Villareal, a tailor and Mason; Faustino Villaruel (Ilaw), a pharmacist and Mason; Mariano Crisostomo, a
landlord;
Numeriano Adriano (Ipil), a notary public and Mason; Estanislao Legaspi, an artinan and Mason; Teodoro
Plata, a courtclerk and Mason; Andres Bonifacio, a warchouse employee; Apolinario Mabini (Katabay), a
lawyer and Mason; and Juan Zulueta, a playwright, poet, and government employee.
In such reunion, Rizal explained the objectives of La Liga Filipina, a civic league of Filipinos that he wanted to
establish, and its role in the socioeconomic life of the Filipino people. He presented the constitution of the
organization, which he had written in Hong Kong, and discussed its provisions. The patriots were very much
impressed and gladly approved of the establishment of the organization.
The officers of La Liga Filipina were the following:
President: Ambrosio Salvador
Secretary: Deodato Arellano.
Treasurer: Bonifacio Arevalo
Fiscal: Agustin dela Rosa