Question

Which among the accounts or analyses of the retraction of rizal do you consider the most convincing and reliable?

Answer 1

The issue of José Rizal's retraction is a topic of ongoing debate among historians and scholars. The accounts vary, and each has its own set of supporting evidence:

1. **Father Vicente Balaguer's Testimony**: According to Father Balaguer, a Jesuit missionary who befriended Rizal during his exile in Dapitan, Rizal accepted a shorter retraction document prepared by the superior of the Jesuit Society in the Philippines, Father Pio Pi⁴.

2. **The "Original" Document**: The "original" document of Rizal’s "retraction" was found in the archdiocesan archives in 1935, 39 years after having disappeared the day Rizal was shot⁵.

3. **Analysis of Rizal's Retraction**: At least four texts of Rizal’s retraction have surfaced². The first text was published in La Voz Española and Diaro de Manila on the very day of Rizal’s execution, Dec. 30, 1896².

Each of these accounts provides a different perspective on the event, and their reliability may depend on one's interpretation of the available evidence. It's important to critically evaluate these sources and understand the context in which they were written. Ultimately, the question of which account is the most convincing and reliable is subjective and may vary from person to person..

Source:
(1) Rizal’s retraction: Truth vs Myth | The Varsitarian. https://varsitarian.net/news/20111004/rizals_retraction_truth_vs_myth.
(2) Filipinas Heritage Library | Rizal’s Last Hours. https://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/articles/rizals-last-hours/.
(3) Jose Rizal [The Retraction]. http://www.joserizal.ph/rt03.html.
(4) (PDF) Did Rizal Retract?: Uncovering the Controversies ... - ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358752110_Did_Rizal_Retract_Uncovering_the_Controversies_of_the_National_Hero's_Last_Moments.
(5) Retraction of Jose Rizal - Retraction of Rizal By Fr. Vicente ... - Studocu. https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/university-of-st-la-salle/accountancy/retraction-of-jose-rizal/16522715.
(6) undefined. https://bit.ly/3cfDiiW.
(7) undefined. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Freemasonry.
(8) undefined. https://bit.ly/3CkddKm.
(9) undefined. https://bit.ly/3qJvwGI.
(10) undefined. https://nyti.ms/3qIgTDj.
(11) undefined. https://bit.ly/3HojwQL.
(12) undefined. https://bit.ly/3oQ3tmr.
(13) undefined. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358752110_Did_Rizal_Retract_Uncovering_the_Controversies_of_the_National_Hero.
(14) Getty Images. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/jose-rizal-filipino-reformer-nationalist-polymath-and-news-photo/1371352212.