Rizal's views on revolution

FOR two Sundays in a row, my good friend Father Bede Hechanova, OSB, asked me why Jose Rizal was exiled to Dapitan town in Mindanao. I answered that then, as now, Dapitan was such a desolate spot (except, of course, for today's famous Dakak Beach Resort), it was a suitable place of exile. Perhaps my answer was not convincing, which was why I was asked the same question a second and third time.

Thinking of Rizal and Dapitan made me remember a painting by the late National Artist Carlos "Botong" Francisco that now hangs in my office at the National Historical Institute, showing Rizal and Pio Valenzuela sitting under a tree in Talisay town and discussing the Philippine Revolution being planned by Andres Bonifacio and the Katipunan. Looking at this artistic treasure made me remember a time when Valenzuela was merely a name in a History textbook to me.

All that changed when the late Amadeo C. Valenzuela gave me a yellowing mimeograph copy of his father's memoirs. While these memoirs are an English translation of a Tagalog original that I have yet to locate, they provide fascinating reading. Valenzuela was a close associate of Bonifacio and his memoirs are a primary source, especially on Rizal's views on reform and revolution.

Valenzuela was sent to Dapitan by Bonifacio in order to get Rizal's support for the revolution. Unfortunately, Valenzuela has two conflicting accounts of the same meeting, but for the purposes of this column we will draw from his memoirs, not from the 1896 interrogation of Valenzuela where Rizal was quoted as saying, "No, no, no, a thousand times no!" when asked to support the Philippine Revolution.

Valenzuela presents his conversation with Rizal in dialogue form. We cannot be sure if Rizal is quoted correctly, because Rizal left no record of their meeting. While much has been written for and against Rizal's views on the Revolution, one part of the conversation is often overlooked, and this contains the plans to spring Rizal from his place of exile:

"Valenzuela: I wish to let you know that some members of the Katipunan, among whom is Candido Tirona, are thinking of taking you out of here clandestinely on a ship well supplied with coal and conduct you to Japan through the Pacific Ocean.

"Rizal: If the ship is small, it will lack coal to reach Japan; in which case it is better to send it to the nearest foreign port -- Hong Kong.

"Valenzuela: It will have sufficient coal to take you to the port where you are to disembark."

At this point, Rizal led Valenzuela to the beach, the best part of his huge estate that was acquired using funds from one-third of a winning lotto ticket he had invested in. Rizal then pointed to a spot where the escape ship could drop anchor. Walking back to his house afterwards, Rizal said:

"Tell our countrymen that at the same time that we are preparing for a war against Spain, I desire to see a college established in Japan which will be converted later into a university for Filipino youths. I shall be greatly pleased to be the director of said college.

"Valenzuela: I shall bear in mind all what you say and counsel but I believe you would rather direct the revolution than manage the college.

"Rizal: I am ready for both."

Did Rizal really want to open a college or university in Japan for Filipino youths? This sounds quite odd, like another quotation earlier in their conversation where Valenzuela quoted Rizal hoping for Japanese support of the Philippine Revolution:

"The Philippines does not reckon yet with the help of Japan. I hope she helps us, because it will be difficult to stage a second revolution after the first fails. When I was in Japan, a Japanese minister put at my disposal three merchant ships with which to transport arms to the Philippines. I wrote to a rich Filipino in Manila asking him to lend me 200,000 pesos for the purpose of buying firearms and munitions, but the rich Filipino refused me the loan. I returned to my native land so that I could unite myself with my brother Filipinos. Being united, we could manage to procure all that is necessary for our emancipation."

Of course, Valenzuela asked who was the rich man who refused to lend Rizal money. Rizal declined to answer but a footnote in the memoirs identified the man as Francisco L. Roxas, who was later framed by the Katipunan for refusing to contribute to its coffers. Rizal's travel diary shows his admiration for Japan and its people, though I really wonder if he would have sought Japanese intervention to get the Spaniards out of the Philippines. At any rate Valenzuela assured Rizal of his escape saying:

"As soon as we have arms and munitions we shall try to take you out of Dapitan before the revolution starts in order that the Spaniards may not get you and shoot you.

"Rizal: As soon as you obtain arms, start the war against Spain right away; do not bother about me for I will know how to get out of here by any craft with the help of the Moros [native Muslims]. When it comes to the redemption of the country, you must not look behind for just one man.

"Valenzuela: If the revolution breaks out before schedule and you are still in Dapitan, the Spaniards will hold you and have you shot.

"Rizal: To die and conquer is pleasant; but to die and be conquered is painful."

Famous fighting words indeed. The question is: How reliable are Valenzuela's memoirs?

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