Bonifacio Sends Valenzuela to Rizal in Dapitan
© by Jensen DG. Mañebog/ MyInfoBasket.com
During his life as an exile in Dapitan (1892-1896), not just once did Jose Rizal, the Filipino hero, learn that his ‘enemies’ sent spies to gather incriminating proofs that Rizal was a separatist and an insurgent. Perhaps disturbed by his conscience, a physician named Matias Arrieta revealed his covert mission and asked for forgiveness after he was cured by Rizal (Bantug, p. 115).
In March 1895, a man introduced himself to Rizal as Pablo Mercado. Claiming to be Rizal’s relative, this stranger eagerly volunteered to bring Rizal’s letters to certain persons in Manila. Made suspicious by the visitor’s insistence, Rizal interrogated him and it turned out that his real name was Florencio Nanaman of Cagayan de Misamis, paid as secret agent by the Recollect friars.
But because it was raining that evening, the kind Rizal did not command Nanaman out of his house but even let the spy spend the rainy night in his place.
In July the next year, a different kind of emissary was sent to Rizal. Doctor Pio Valenzuela was sent to Dapitan by Andres Bonifacio—the Katipunan leader who believed that carrying out revolt had to be sanctioned first by Rizal.
Disguised as a mere companion of a blind patient seeking treatment from Rizal, Valenzuela was able to discreetly deliver the Katipunan’s message for Rizal.
But Rizal politely refused to approve the uprising, suggesting that peaceful means was far better than violent ways in obtaining freedom. Rizal further believed that a revolution would be unsuccessful without arms and monetary support from wealthy Filipinos.
He thus recommended that if the Katipunan were to start a revolution, it had to ask for the support of rich and educated Filipinos, like Antonio Luna who was an expert on military strategy (Bantug, p. 133).
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Visited by loved ones
Rizal was in Dapitan when he learned that his true love Leonor Rivera had died. What somewhat consoled his desolate heart was the visits of his mother and some sisters.
In August 1893, Doña Teodora, along with daughter Trinidad, joined Rizal in Dapitan and resided with him in his ‘casa cuadrada’ (square house). The son successfully operated on his mother’s cataract.
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At distinct times, Jose’s sisters Maria and Narcisa also visited him. Three of Jose’s nephews also went to Dapitan and had their early education under their uncle: Maria’s son Mauricio (Moris) and Lucia’s sons Teodosio (Osio) and Estanislao (Tan). Jose’s nieceAngelica, Narcisa’s daughter, also had experience living for some time with her exiled uncle in Mindanao.
In 1895, Doña Teodora left Dapitan for Manila to be with Don Francisco who was getting weaker. Shortly after the mother left, Josephine Bracken came to Jose’s life. Josephine was an orphan with Irish blood and the stepdaughter of Jose’s patient from Hongkong. Rizal and Bracken were unable to obtain a church wedding because Jose would not retract his anti-Catholic views.
He nonetheless took Josephine as his common-law wife who kept him company and kept house for him. Before the year ended in 1895, the couple had a child who was born prematurely. The son who was named after Rizal’s father (Francisco) died a few hours after birth. (For detailed discussion on Rizal-Bracken relationship, read “Josephine Bracken: Jose Rizal’s Dear and Unhappy Wife”.)
Copyright © 2013 by Jensen DG. Mañebog
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