Chapter 21

Second Homecoming and The Liga Filipina

 Return to manila in June 1892, his second homecoming.
 He re-entry into hazardous campaign for reforms; like biblical
Daniel bearding the Spanish lion in his own.
 “the battlefield is in the Philippines” -Rizal because he firmly
believes that it must be fought in the Philippine not in Spain
 December 31, 1892 in his letter to Blumentritt he reiterated this
belief. Rizal quoted “I believe that La Solidaridad is no longer
our battlefield; now it is new struggle …the fight is no longer in
Madrid”.

Arrival in Manila with Sister

 June 26, 1892- Rizal and his sister Lucia arrive in Manila
 He went to Hotel de Oriente and occupied room No. 22, facing
the church of Binondo.
 He went to Malacañan Palace to confer with Governor General
Eulogio Despujol.
 General Despujol agree to pardon Rizal’s father but not the rest
of his family.
 After the interview he went to his sisters first at Narcisa and
later on in house of Saturnina.

Visiting Friends in Central Luzon

 June 27, 1892- he boarded a train in Tutuban Station and visited
his friends in Malolos (Bulacan), San Fernando (Pampanga),
Tarlac (Tarlac), and Bacolor (Pampanga).
 His friend is his good patriots, they support him in his reform
crusade, he greets them and discuss about the problem affecting
their people.
 June 28, 1892- he returns to Manila and from then he knew that
he was shadowed by government spies and watch him carefully.
 His home was raided by Guardia Civil and seized some copies of
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo and some “subversive”
pamphlets.
Other Interviews with Despujol
 June 29, 1892 (feast of St. Peter and St. Paul) - He meet
General Despujol again to discuss about the penalty vested in
his family, although he did not succeed the General give him
hope with regard to his Sisters.
 June 30, 1892- they talked about the question of Borneo, where
the General is very much opposed.
 July 3, 1892- he thanks the General for lifting the exile for
his sisters. Also, the General ask him if he want to go to
Hongkong and he answered yes.

Founding of the Liga Filipino

 July 3, 1892- after the meeting with general, Rizal attended a
meeting of the patriots at home of Doroteo Ongjuco, on Ylaya
Street, Tondo, Manila.
 He is with:
o Pedro Serrano Laktaw (Panday Pira) a mason and teacher
o Domingo Franco (Felipe Real) a mason and tobacco
shopkeeper
o Jose A. Ramos (Socorro) an engraver, painter, owner of
Bazar Gran Bretana and first worshipful master of Nilad -
(first Filipino masonic lodge)
o Ambrosio Salvador the gobernadorcillo of Qiapo and mason
o Bonifacio Arevalo (Harem) a dentist and Mason
o Deodato Arellano Brother in law of M.H Del Pilar and civil
employee in the army
o Ambrosio Flores (Musa) retired lieutenant of infantry
o Agustin de la Rosa a bookkeeper and Mason
o Moises Salvador (Araw) contractor and Mason
o Faustino Villaruel (Ilaw) pharmacist and Mason
o Marciano Crisostomo landlord
o Numeriano Adriano (Ipil) notary public and Mason
o Estanislao Legaspi artisan and Mason
o Teodoro Plate court clerk and Mason
o Andres Bonifacio warehouse employee
o Apolinario Mabini (Katabay) lawyer and Mason
o Juan Zulueta playwrite, poet, and government employee
 He explains the objective of Liga Filipina, a civic league of
Filipinos.
 He presents the constitution of the Liga which he written in Hong
Kong and discussed its provision
 The officers of new league:
o President Ambrosio Salvador
o Secretary Deodato Arellano
o Treasurer Bonifacio Arevalo
o Fiscal Agustin de la Rosa

Constitution of the Liga Filipina

The motto: Unus Instar (One Like All).

1. To unite the whole archipelago the whole archipelago into one compact and

homogenous body.

2. Mutual protect in every want and necessity

3. Defense against all violence and injustice.

4. Encouragement of education, agriculture, and

merce.

5. Study and application of reforms.

Duties of the Liga members are as follows:

(1) obey the orders of the Supreme Council;

(2) to help in recruiting new

members;

(3) to keep in strictest secrecy the decisions of the Liga authorities;

(4) to have a symbolic name which he cannot

change until he becomes president of his council;

(5) to report to the fiscal anything that he may hear which affects the Liga,

(6) to behave well as befits a good Filipino

(7) to help fellow members in all ways.

Rizal Arrested and Jailed in Fort Santiago

 July 6, Rizal went to Malacañan Palace. During interview the Governor General Despujol
suddenly showed him some leaflets. These incriminatory leaflets were entitled Pobres
Frailes (Poor Friars) under the authorship of Fr. Jacinto and printed by the de los Amigos
del Pais, Manila.

 Rizal vigorously denied having those leaflets in either his or Lucia's baggage.
 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 Governor General Despujol.
 In Fort Santiago, he was kept incomunicado, as he related in his diary.

 July 7, the Gaceta de Manila published the story of Rizal's arrest which produced
indignant commotion among the Filipino people, particularly the members of the newly
organized Liga Filipina.

Arbitrary Deportation to Dapitan

 Gaceta (July 7, 1892) contained Governor General Despujol's decree deporting Rizal to
"one of the islands in the South”.

The gubernatorial decree gave the reasons for Rizal's deportation,

as follows:

1. Rizal had published books and articles abroad which showed disloyalty to Spain and which
were "frankly anti-Catholic" and "imprudently anti-friar".

2. A few hours after his arrival in Manila "there was found in one of the packages a bundle
entitled Pobres Frailes in which the patient and humble generosity of Filipinos is satirized, and
which accusation is published against the customs of the religious orders".
3. His novel El Filibusterismo was dedicated to the memory of three "traitors" (Burgos. Gomez,
and Zamora), 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".

4. "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".

 July 14 (that is 12:30 a.m. of July15, 1892), Rizal was brought under heavy guard to the
steamer Cebu" which was sailing for Dapitan.
 Captain Delgras went ashore and handed Rizal over to Captain Ricardo Carnicero,
Spanish commandant of Dapitan.
 That same night, July 17, 1892, Rizal began his exile in lonely Dapitan which would last
until July 31, 1896, a period of four years.