TRAVEL OF RIZAL 
EXILE IN DAPITAN
RIZAL IN FORT SANTIAGO
Jose Rizal was ordered to reside at the parish
convent while he was in exile. But he chose to
stay at the house of Commandant Ricardo
Carcinero. Carcinero was a Spanish government
official in Dapitan.
The Spanish government gives conditions
to Jose Rizal while he was in exile.
Jose Rizal established a good relationship
with Ricardo Carcinero. Likewise, Carcinero
also admired Rizal’s intelligence and kindness.
Captain Carcinero gave him the freedom to
live like a free man in Dapitan. As a manifestation
of his gratitude to the Spanish officer, he
composed a poem entitled “A Don Ricardo Carcinero.”
While he was presenting his proposals for socio-political reforms, Governor-General Despujol
presented pamphlets that contained subversive leaflets written by Father Jacinto. One of these
pamphlets was entitled “Pobres Frailes” (Poor Friars), which contained the Dominican friars' luxurious lifestyles.
Jose Rizal denied the accusation of Despujol that neither he nor Lucia possessed the subversive
materials. He argued that they were cleared even before they arrived in the Philippines from Hong Kong.
Three days after his last meeting with Governor-General Despujol, Rizal was arrested and detained in Fort Santiago.
LUCK IN LOTTERY
Rizal gambled a bit more than usual in Dapitan. He, Ricardo Carcinero, and Francisco Esquilor won the second prize in the Manila Lottery, which amounted to 20,000
pesos. Manila Lottery was the government-owned gambling corporation. The winning lottery ticket
number was 9736.
The result of the Manila Lottery was carried by a mail boat named Butuan. Carcinero mistook it as a
vessel of a high Spanish official. The mail boat was decorated with colored pennants soaring in the sea breezes.
The cash prize was divided into three. Jose Rizal got his share with the amount of 6,600 pesos. Jose
Rizal spent half of the prize money acquiring, tilting, and developing a neglected piece of seaside
property. He sent the other half to his father.
SCIENTIFIC RIZAL AND DR. ALEMAN IN DAPITAN
The discovery of Draco rizali, Apogania rizali, and Rhacophorus rizali took place when Jose Rizal
facilitated an education tour with his students in the jungles and coasts of Talisay (a village in Dapitan).
It was also synonymous with discovering his other expertise; he had this intellectual capability in natural science.
Aside from his gambling hobby, Rizal also engaged in a productive debate about religion with Father
Pablo Pastells while he was in Dapitan.
The debate between Jose Rizal and Father Pastells started when the friar asked him to
refrain from practicing his anti-Catholic beliefs. Father Pablo Pastells was a Jesuit priest and
a former teacher of Rizal in Ateneo.
While in Dapitan, Father Pablo Pastells attempted to bring back Rizal into Catholicism.
The debates, through letter-writing, happened from September 1892 to April 1893.
It should be noted that Jose Rizal had nothing against the Catholic faith. What he protested
was the capricious exercise of the friar’s religious powers and used the Catholic faith as “a
shield, a weapon, castle, fortress armor, etc.” (Zaide: 221).
Rizal added that every individual has a sense of
judgment. This judgment, according to him,
comes from God. It should also be used as an instrument to illuminate gray areas in religion,
knowledge, and wisdom.
A side from Father Francisco de Paula Sanchez, he also asked Fathers Jose Vilaclara (cura of Dipolog) and Obach (cura of Dapitan) to “bring back Rizal within the Catholic fold."
He was a victim of arbitrary arrest. Rizal was escorted by Ramon Despujol (a close relative of Governor-General Eulogio Despujol) in his prison cell.
The Gaceta de Manila wrote an article about the unlawful arrest of Dr. Jose Rizal in Fort Santiago.
This perpetuated violent reactions from Filipinos who admired him.
That Rizal publicly retracts his errors concerning religion and make statements that were pro-Spanish and against the revolution.
That he perform the Church rites and make a general confession of his past life.
That subsequently, he conducts himself in an exemplary manner as a Spanish subject and a
man of religion.
"Scientific" Rizal
He also collected rare species of shells, plants, snakes, birds, frogs, and lizards. Rizal sent these organisms to the Dresden Museum. As a sign of gratitude, the museum gave him books and surgical instruments essential to his studies and practice.
Jose Rizal also studied Conchology (a branch of zoology dealing with the study of seashells and the animals that inhabit them), which showcases various kinds of shells (a total of 346 pieces) representing 203 species
He also busied himself by studying geography, geology, archaeology, ethnography, and anthropology.