1. .

Chapter 21 Second Homecoming And The Liga Filipina

2. Arrival in Manila with Sister At noon of June 26, 1892 Rizal and his widowed sister Lucia ( wife
of the late Mariano Herbosa) arrived in Manila. A meticuluos diarist, he described his second
homecoming as follows: > I arrived at Manila on 26 June (1892), Sunday, at 12:00 noon. I was
met by many carabineers headed by a major. There were in addition one captain and one
sergeant of the Veteran Civil Guard. I came down with my luggage and they inspected me at
the customhouse. From there I went to Hotel de Orient where I occupied room No. 22, facing
the church of Binondo </li></ul><ul><li>In the afternoon, at 4:00 oclock, he went to
Malacanan Palace to seek audience with the Spanish governor general, Gen. Eulogio
Despujol, Conde de Caspe. He was told to come back at that night at 7:00 oclock. Promptly at
7:00 p.m. he returned and was able to confer with Gen. Despujol, who agreed to pardon his
father but not the rest of his family and told him to return on Wednesday (June 29) </li></ul>
3. 3. <ul><li>At 6:00 P.M. of the following day (June 27), Rizal bourded a train in Tutuban Station
and visited his friends in Malolos (Bulacan), San Fernando (Pampanga), Tarlac (Tarlac) and
Bacolor (Pampanga). He was welcomed and lavishly entertained at the homes of his friends.
These friends were good patriots, who were his supporters in the reform crusade, and he took
the opportunity to greet them personally and discussed the problems affecting their people.
</li></ul><ul><li>Rizal returned by train to Manila on the nest day, June 28, at 5:00 oclock in
the afternoon. Whether he knew it or not, he shadowed by government spies who watched
carefully his every movement. The homes he had visited were raided by the Guardia Civil
which seized some copies of the Noli and El Fili and subversive pamphlets. </li></ul>
4. 4. Other Interview with Despujol <ul><li>After Rizals visit to his friends in Central Luzon, he
has other interviews with Gov. Despujol. These interviews were vividly recorded in his diary, as
follows: </li></ul><ul><li>On Wednesday (June 29) at 7:30, I saw His Excellency. I did not
succeed to have the penalty of exile lifted, but he gave me hope with regard o my sisters. As it
was the feast of St. Peter and St. Paul our interview ended at 9:15. I was to come again the
following day at 7:30. </li></ul><ul><li>The following day, Thursday (June 30), we talked about
the question of Borneo. The general was opposed to it, very much opposed. He told me to
come back Sunday. </li></ul><ul><li>On Sunday (July 3) I returned, We talked about sundry
things and I thanked him for having lifted the exile of my sisters. I told that my father and
brother would arrive on the first boat. He asked me if I would like to go abroad to Hong Kong. I
told him yes. He told me to return on Wednesday </li></ul>
5. 5. Founding of the Liga Filipina <ul><li>On the evening of Sunday July 3, 1892, following his
morning interview with Gov. Despujol, Rizal attended a meeting of the patriots at the home of
the Chinese-Filipino mestizo, Doroteo Ongjunco, on Ylaya Street, Tondo, Manila.
</li></ul><ul><li>Rizal explained the objectives of the Liga Filipina, a civic league of Filipinos,
which he desired to establish and its role in the socio-economic life of the people. He
presented the Constitution of the Liga which he had written in Hong Kong and discussed its
provision. The patriots were favorably impressed and gladly approved the establishment of the
Liga. </li></ul>
6. 6. Constitution of the Liga Filipina <ul><li>The aims of the Liga Filipina, as embodied in its
Constitution, were the following: </li></ul><ul><li>To unite the whole archipelago into one
compact and homogenous </li></ul><ul><li>Mutual protection in every want and necessity

7.

8.

9.

10.

</li></ul><ul><li>Defense against all violence and injustice </li></ul><ul><li>Encouragement

of education, agriculture, and commerce </li></ul><ul><li>Study and application of reforms
</li></ul><ul><li>The motto of the Liga Filipina was: UNUS INSTAR OMNIUM ( One Like All)
</li></ul>
7. <ul><li>The government body of the league was the Supreme Council which had jurisdiction
over the whole country. It was composed of a president, a secretary, a treasurer, and a fiscal.
There was a Provincial Council in every province and a Popular Council in every town.
</li></ul><ul><li>All Filipinos who have at heart the welfare of their fatherland are qualified for
membership. Every member pays an entrance fee of two pesos and a monthly due of 10
centavos. </li></ul><ul><li>The duties of the Liga members are as follows:
</li></ul><ul><li>Obey the orders of the Supreme Council; </li></ul><ul><li>To help in
recruiting new members </li></ul><ul><li>To keep in strictest secrecy the decisions of the Liga
authorities </li></ul><ul><li>To have a symbolic name which he cannot change until he
becomes president of his council </li></ul><ul><li>To report to the fiscal anything that he may
hear which affects the Liga </li></ul>
8. <ul><li>To behave well as befits a good Filipino </li></ul><ul><li>To help fellow members in
all ways </li></ul><ul><li>On Wednesday, July 6, Rizal went to Malacanan Palace to resume
his series of interviews with the governor general. During the interview Despujol suddenly
showed him some printed leaflets which he allegedly found in Lucias pillow cases. This
incriminatory leaflets were entitled Pobres Frailes ( Poor Frairs ) under the authorship of Fr.
Jacinto and printed by the Imprenta de los Amigos del Pais, Manila. They were satire against
the Dominican friars who amassed fabulous riches contrary to their monastic vow of poverty
</li></ul>
9. <ul><li>Rizal vigorously denied having those leaflets in either his or Lucias baggage which
had been thoroughly searched upon their arrival from Hong Kong by the customs authorities
who found nothing. Despite his denial and insistent demand for investigation in accordance
with the due process of law, he was placed under arrest and escorted to Fort Santiago by
Ramon Despujol, nephew and aide of the governor general. In Fort Santiago, he was kept
incommunicado, as he related in his diary: </li></ul><ul><li>They assigned me a fairly
furnished room with a bed, a dozen chairs, one table, a wash basin, and a mirror. The room
had three windows; one without grill which opens on a patio, another with grills which looks out
on the city walls and the beach and another which was the door closed with a padlock. Two
artillery men as sentinels guarded it. They had orders to fire on anyone who might signal from
the beach. I could not write nor speak with any one except the officer on duty . </li></ul>
10. Arbitrary Deportation to Dapitan <ul><li>The same issue of the Gaceta ( July 7, 1892)
contained Gov. Gen. Despujol decree deporting Rizal to one of the islands in the South. The
gubernatorial decree give the reasons for Rizals deportation, as follows:
</li></ul><ul><li>Rizal had published books and articles abroad which showed disloyalty to
Spain and which were frankly anti-Catholic and imprudently anti-friar. </li></ul><ul><li>A
few hours after his arrival in Manila there was found in one of the packagesa bundle of
handbills entitled Pobres Frailes in which patient and humble generosity of Filipinos is
satirized, and which accusation is published against the customs of the religious orders.
</li></ul>

11. 11. <ul><li>His novel El Fili was dedicated to the memory of three traitors, and on the title
page he 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. </li></ul><ul><li> The
end which he pursues in his efforts and writings is to tear from the loyal Filipino breasts the
treasures of our holy Catholic faith. </li></ul><ul><li>Shortly after the midnight of July 4, 1892
(12:30 a.m.) Rizal was brought under heavy guard to the steamer CEBU which was sailing for
Dapitan. This steamer under Captain Delgras departed at 1:00 a.m. of July 15, sailing south,
passing Mindoro and Panay, and reaching Dapitan on Sunday, the 17 th of July, at 7:00 in the
evening. </li></ul><ul><li>Captain Delgras went ashore and handed Rizal over to Captain
Ricardo Carnicero, Spanish commandant of Dapitan. That same night, July 17, Rizal began his
exile in lonely Dapitan which would last until July 31, 1896, a period of four years.