Case Study 3: Examining Jose Rizal's Alleged Retraction

CASE STUDY 3 “EXAMINING THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING JOSE RIZAL’S ALLEGED RETRACTION”  Topics  Introduction  Did Rizal Retract?  The Balaguer Testimony  The Testimony of Cuerpo De Vigilancia  Analysis  Conclusion INTRODUCTION Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippine...

CASE STUDY 3 “EXAMINING THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING JOSE RIZAL’S ALLEGED RETRACTION”  Topics  Introduction  Did Rizal Retract?  The Balaguer Testimony  The Testimony of Cuerpo De Vigilancia  Analysis  Conclusion INTRODUCTION Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines, has been subject of controversy regarding his alleged retraction from his revolutionary writings. This presentation aims to examine the evidence and testimonies surrounding this issue. DID RIZAL RETRACT? Rizal's retraction has been a topic of debate among historians and scholars. Four versions of the alleged retraction document exist, but only one eyewitness account, from Jesuit priest Fr. Vicente Balaguer, supports its authenticity. 4 VERSION OF ALLEGED RETRACTION: Fr.Balaguer's testimony and Cuerpo de Vigilancia's testimony (1896) The Dapitan Retraction(1897) The Simoun Retraction(1900) The Jesuit Retraction(1897)  THE BALAGUER TESTIMONY Fr. Balaguer's testimony claims that Rizal woke up several times, confessed four times, attended mass, received communion, and prayed the rosary before signing the retraction document. However, many question the credibility of this account, such as: Confessed four times Attended mass Received communion Prayed the rosary THE TESTIMONY OF CUERPO DE VIGILANCIA An eyewitness account from the Cuerpo de Vigilancia corroborates that Rizal spoke with priests about religion but refused to sign a prepared retraction. This testimony contradicts Fr. Balaguer's account and raises doubts about the retraction's authenticity, such as: Rizal spoke with priests Refused to sign prepared retraction ANALYSIS OF THE RETRACTION DOCUMENT Comparing the different versions of the retraction document reveals significant discrepancies. COMPARIS THE BALAGUER TESTIMONY THE TESTIMONY OF CUERPO DE ON VIGILANCIA RIZAL’S RIZAL CONFESSED 4 TIMES RIZAL SPOKE TO A PRIEST BUT REFUSED CONFESSION TO SIGN A RETRACTION DOCUMENT RIZAL SIGNED RETRACTION NO RETRACTION WAS SIGNED DATE/TIME DECEMBER 29, 1896 DECEMBER 30, 1896 LOCATION FORT SANTIAGO FORT SANTIAGO(NO SPECIFIC LOCATION) WITNESSES FR. VICENTE BALAGUER, FR. UNKNOWN PASTELLS RIZAL’S CALM AND SERENE EMOTIONAL AND DISTRESS STATE SOURCES: PRIEST ROLE HELPED RIZAL PERSUADE RIZAL TO SIGN A RETRACTION “Balaguer Testimony: "La Retractación de Rizal" by Fr. Vicente Balaguer (1897) Cuerpo de Vigilancia Testimony: "Diario de Manila" newspaper, January 1, 1897 CONCLUSION The controversy surrounding Jose Rizal's alleged retraction remains unresolved due to conflicting narratives from Fr. Vicente Balaguer's testimony and the Cuerpo de Vigilancia's account. While Balaguer claims Rizal signed a retraction document and confessed four times, the Cuerpo de Vigilancia asserts Rizal refused to sign and was emotional and distressed. These discrepancies raise questions about the testimonies' authenticity and reliability. The contradictions may be attributed to different interpretations, possible document fabrication, and biases. Therefore, it is challenging to conclude definitively whether Rizal retracted or not. Further research and critical analysis are necessary to shed light on this pivotal moment in Philippine history. Ultimately, the truth about Rizal's alleged retraction may never be known with certainty. However, the Cuerpo de Vigilancia's account supports the notion that Rizal remained faithful to his principles until the end. REFERENCES https://prezi.com/p/3nusfwuy7jrz/case-study-3- did-rizal-retract/ “Balaguer Testimony: "La Retractación de Rizal" by Fr. Vicente Balaguer (1897) Cuerpo de Vigilancia Testimony: "Diario de Manila" newspaper, January 1, 1897