Rizal Series: In commemoration of Jose Rizal’s 150th birth anniversary
Paciano Rizal: The Other Rizal
By By Renato Perdon, Sydney, Australia
All photos from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines
Sat 28th May 2011
On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary commemoration of Jose Rizal, we are writing another less known facts about his life. I am referring to his eldest brother, Paciano Rizal, whose contribution to the Philippine revolution has been overshadowed by the greatness of his younger brother, Jose Rizal.
The only photo of Paciano Rizal.
Not many are aware that Paciano Rizal served as one of the generals of General Emilio Aguinaldos revolutionary army who fought the Spaniards and then the Americans. Of the same mould and mettle the elder Rizal served the race with that familiar heroic sheen.
Paciano was reserved. He was a man of few words. Although he participated in the propaganda movement earlier than Rizal, he shied away from the limelight. Jose Rizal described Paciano as more refined and serious than he. Paciano was tall, slender and fair-complexioned and he had an aquiline nose.
Born on 9 March 1851, in Calamba, Laguna, Paciano Rizal was the second to the eldest of the 11 children of Francisco Rizal Mercado and Teodora Alonso, both scions of reputable and wealthy families of Laguna and Manila.
Francisco Mercado, father of Rizal
Because of hard work and perseverance his father rose form a mere tenant farmer of the Dominican estate in Calamba to a wealthy landowner.
On the other hand, Pacianos mother belonged to a dignified and respectable family from the district of Santa Cruz, in Manila. Her father Lorenzo Alberto Alonso, was at the one time a delegate to the Spanish Cortes (Spanish legislature). An exceptionally intelligent woman, Teodora taught Paciano the rudiments of reading and writing.
Teodora Alonso, mother of Rizal
Paciano had his final taste of formal education in Bian, under the tutelage of Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz. After completing his studies in Biang he was sent to Manila where he enrolled in the College of San Jose. Here he became a student of Fr. Jose Apolonio Burgos, who was then active in the secularisation movement.
Paciano became close to Father Burgos. He was the priests favourite acting as his personal messenger in matters concerning the secularisation campaign. He even acted as collector of the contributions to the movement.
His close association with the secularist priest was believed to have greatly influenced his attitude toward his country and his compatriots. When Fr. Jose Burgos, Fr. Mariano Gomes de los Angeles and Fr. Jacinto Zamora were executed on 17 February 1872, as an aftermath of the Cavite mutiny of 20 January 1872, Paciano could not help expressing his sentiments on the execution of the innocent priests.
This event was considered a turning point in Pacianos life. His attitude toward the friars was changed. He denounced them for the injustice committed against the famous Filipino triumvirate. For this the school authorities, who were also the religious, decided to give him a lesson by preventing him from taking his examinations. Frustrated Paciano returned to Calamba.
Turning his back on schooling, Paciano devoted his time to assisting his father in managing their farms and the business interest of the family. He became a good agriculturist and businessman on the side.
A few months after the infamous execution of the three priests Paciano, with the help of his father, arranged the trip of Jose Rizal to Manila for the latters studies in the Ateneo de Manila.
From then on Paciano performed the duties of a second father to his sisters and his brother. He was always at their side whenever his help was most needed. Paciano guided Joses studies until his brother completed his education in the Ateneo de Manila, in 1877.
When Jose Rizal decided to leave the Philippines for advance studies, Paciano, without the knowledge of their parents, asked Antonio Rivera, an uncle, to help in facilitating the travel of Jose Rizal abroad.
Paciano himself engaged in the propaganda movement. When Marcelo H. del Pilar founded the Diariong Tagalog, a nationalist vernacular paper, in 1882, Paciano eagerly assisted those behind the paper. He helped the paper by soliciting subscription in his province (Laguna) and in the neighbouring towns of Batangas.
During this time Paciano kept Jose Rizal informed about events happening in the country. Aside from attending to the needs of the Rizal family, Paciano regualarly corresponded with Jose in Europe regarding such local problems as land troubles, crop failure, increased land rentals, the decrease in the price of sugar and even the worsening agrarian disputes in Calamba. Pacianos land dispute with the friars resulted in his exile to Mindoro for one year in 1890.
During Jose Rizals away abroad, Paciano met and fell in love with Severina Decena, a beautiful lass from Los Baos, Laguna. They had two childrena boy, who died during infancy, and a girl they named Emiliana.
When Jose Rizal was arrested in 1896 Paciano was also arrested and detained. This was to insure the incrimination of Jose Rizal. The older Rizal was tortured and asked to sign a statement linking his younger brother to the Katipunan and to the Philippine Revolution, which had broken out in August of that year. After three days of fruitless interrogation Pacinao was released.
Before the end of 1896 the Philippine Revolution spread like wildfire to the province south of Manila. Laguna joined the fight for liberty. The emergence of Paciano Rizal as a revolutionary leader was something that could not but draw attention.
The Spanish forces gained momentum in the pursuit of the revolutionists, for which reason General Paciano followed General Aguinaldo to Bulacan. The general and his men transferred their camp to Biyak-na-Bato.
In December of 1897 the famous truce of Biyak-na-Bato was signed, ending the 1896 Philippine Revolution. In pursuance to the provisions of the agreement, General Aguinaldo and several ranking officers of the revolution surrendered their arms and exiled themselves to Hong Kong.
The revolutionary leader left in the country were instructed to comply with the other provisions of the treaty, like the surrender of arms and ammunitions. In this connection General Aquinaldos generals were sent to various provinces to arrange for the surrender of the remaining revolutionists who were now scattered. General Artemio Ricarte was sent to Cavite, Gen. Jose Natrividad to Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Pampanga, General Miguel Malvar to Batangas, and Gen. Paciano Rizal to Laguna.
Complying with orders, General Paciano Rizal, on 14-15 January 1898, surrendered the following to Spains General Ricardo Monet for the province of Laguna: 1 Mauser, 3 Remingtons, 46 muskets, 42 blunderbuss, 3 lantakas, 21 saber and 26 bolos.
The truce failed, however, resulting in General Aguinaldos return to the Philippines.
The United States and Spain declared war on each other. Flipinos who had returned to their place under the Spanish government and those who had settled down in their farms activated their fight against the Spanish government and became part of the forces of General Aquinaldo.
Among the revolutionary generals who responded was General Paciano Rizal. He again led the fighting in Laguna as the military commander of the area.
Battles were fought openly in Spanish-held towns. In the fastness of Laguna, General Paciano Rizal actively led the onslaught against the Spanish troops.
On 31 August, two weeks after the surrender of Manila to the Americans, the Spanish civil official of Laguna Province and a group of Spanish soldiers surrendered to General Paciano Rizal in Santa Cruz, the provincial capital.
On 12 June 1898, the revolutionary leaders proclainmed to the whole world the birth of the Philippine Republic, the first republic in Asia.
The following year the Filipino- American War broke out. Well-trained and well-armed American soldiers prevailed over the ill-quipped Filipino revolutionists. The fight was one-sided.
The loss of many battles was attributed to the revolutionists life of hunger and sickness. General Paciano Rizal was afflicted with malaria and he had become weak, he was captured in Laguna by the Americans. The year was 1900.
After the war Paciano led a passive private life and retired to his farm in Los Baos, Laguna. He passed away on 13 April 1930, at the age of 79.
--------------------------------------------------------
See also:
Josephine Bracken: Rizals de facto wife
The man who saved the Noli
Paciano Rizal: The Other Rizal
All photos from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines
Sat 28th May 2011
On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary commemoration of Jose Rizal, we are writing another less known facts about his life. I am referring to his eldest brother, Paciano Rizal, whose contribution to the Philippine revolution has been overshadowed by the greatness of his younger brother, Jose Rizal.
The only photo of Paciano Rizal.
Not many are aware that Paciano Rizal served as one of the generals of General Emilio Aguinaldos revolutionary army who fought the Spaniards and then the Americans. Of the same mould and mettle the elder Rizal served the race with that familiar heroic sheen.
Paciano was reserved. He was a man of few words. Although he participated in the propaganda movement earlier than Rizal, he shied away from the limelight. Jose Rizal described Paciano as more refined and serious than he. Paciano was tall, slender and fair-complexioned and he had an aquiline nose.
Born on 9 March 1851, in Calamba, Laguna, Paciano Rizal was the second to the eldest of the 11 children of Francisco Rizal Mercado and Teodora Alonso, both scions of reputable and wealthy families of Laguna and Manila.
Francisco Mercado, father of Rizal
Because of hard work and perseverance his father rose form a mere tenant farmer of the Dominican estate in Calamba to a wealthy landowner.
On the other hand, Pacianos mother belonged to a dignified and respectable family from the district of Santa Cruz, in Manila. Her father Lorenzo Alberto Alonso, was at the one time a delegate to the Spanish Cortes (Spanish legislature). An exceptionally intelligent woman, Teodora taught Paciano the rudiments of reading and writing.
Teodora Alonso, mother of Rizal
Paciano had his final taste of formal education in Bian, under the tutelage of Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz. After completing his studies in Biang he was sent to Manila where he enrolled in the College of San Jose. Here he became a student of Fr. Jose Apolonio Burgos, who was then active in the secularisation movement.
Paciano became close to Father Burgos. He was the priests favourite acting as his personal messenger in matters concerning the secularisation campaign. He even acted as collector of the contributions to the movement.
His close association with the secularist priest was believed to have greatly influenced his attitude toward his country and his compatriots. When Fr. Jose Burgos, Fr. Mariano Gomes de los Angeles and Fr. Jacinto Zamora were executed on 17 February 1872, as an aftermath of the Cavite mutiny of 20 January 1872, Paciano could not help expressing his sentiments on the execution of the innocent priests.
This event was considered a turning point in Pacianos life. His attitude toward the friars was changed. He denounced them for the injustice committed against the famous Filipino triumvirate. For this the school authorities, who were also the religious, decided to give him a lesson by preventing him from taking his examinations. Frustrated Paciano returned to Calamba.
Turning his back on schooling, Paciano devoted his time to assisting his father in managing their farms and the business interest of the family. He became a good agriculturist and businessman on the side.
A few months after the infamous execution of the three priests Paciano, with the help of his father, arranged the trip of Jose Rizal to Manila for the latters studies in the Ateneo de Manila.
From then on Paciano performed the duties of a second father to his sisters and his brother. He was always at their side whenever his help was most needed. Paciano guided Joses studies until his brother completed his education in the Ateneo de Manila, in 1877.
When Jose Rizal decided to leave the Philippines for advance studies, Paciano, without the knowledge of their parents, asked Antonio Rivera, an uncle, to help in facilitating the travel of Jose Rizal abroad.
Paciano himself engaged in the propaganda movement. When Marcelo H. del Pilar founded the Diariong Tagalog, a nationalist vernacular paper, in 1882, Paciano eagerly assisted those behind the paper. He helped the paper by soliciting subscription in his province (Laguna) and in the neighbouring towns of Batangas.
During this time Paciano kept Jose Rizal informed about events happening in the country. Aside from attending to the needs of the Rizal family, Paciano regualarly corresponded with Jose in Europe regarding such local problems as land troubles, crop failure, increased land rentals, the decrease in the price of sugar and even the worsening agrarian disputes in Calamba. Pacianos land dispute with the friars resulted in his exile to Mindoro for one year in 1890.
During Jose Rizals away abroad, Paciano met and fell in love with Severina Decena, a beautiful lass from Los Baos, Laguna. They had two childrena boy, who died during infancy, and a girl they named Emiliana.
When Jose Rizal was arrested in 1896 Paciano was also arrested and detained. This was to insure the incrimination of Jose Rizal. The older Rizal was tortured and asked to sign a statement linking his younger brother to the Katipunan and to the Philippine Revolution, which had broken out in August of that year. After three days of fruitless interrogation Pacinao was released.
Before the end of 1896 the Philippine Revolution spread like wildfire to the province south of Manila. Laguna joined the fight for liberty. The emergence of Paciano Rizal as a revolutionary leader was something that could not but draw attention.
The Spanish forces gained momentum in the pursuit of the revolutionists, for which reason General Paciano followed General Aguinaldo to Bulacan. The general and his men transferred their camp to Biyak-na-Bato.
In December of 1897 the famous truce of Biyak-na-Bato was signed, ending the 1896 Philippine Revolution. In pursuance to the provisions of the agreement, General Aguinaldo and several ranking officers of the revolution surrendered their arms and exiled themselves to Hong Kong.
The revolutionary leader left in the country were instructed to comply with the other provisions of the treaty, like the surrender of arms and ammunitions. In this connection General Aquinaldos generals were sent to various provinces to arrange for the surrender of the remaining revolutionists who were now scattered. General Artemio Ricarte was sent to Cavite, Gen. Jose Natrividad to Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Pampanga, General Miguel Malvar to Batangas, and Gen. Paciano Rizal to Laguna.
Complying with orders, General Paciano Rizal, on 14-15 January 1898, surrendered the following to Spains General Ricardo Monet for the province of Laguna: 1 Mauser, 3 Remingtons, 46 muskets, 42 blunderbuss, 3 lantakas, 21 saber and 26 bolos.
The truce failed, however, resulting in General Aguinaldos return to the Philippines.
The United States and Spain declared war on each other. Flipinos who had returned to their place under the Spanish government and those who had settled down in their farms activated their fight against the Spanish government and became part of the forces of General Aquinaldo.
Among the revolutionary generals who responded was General Paciano Rizal. He again led the fighting in Laguna as the military commander of the area.
Battles were fought openly in Spanish-held towns. In the fastness of Laguna, General Paciano Rizal actively led the onslaught against the Spanish troops.
On 31 August, two weeks after the surrender of Manila to the Americans, the Spanish civil official of Laguna Province and a group of Spanish soldiers surrendered to General Paciano Rizal in Santa Cruz, the provincial capital.
On 12 June 1898, the revolutionary leaders proclainmed to the whole world the birth of the Philippine Republic, the first republic in Asia.
The following year the Filipino- American War broke out. Well-trained and well-armed American soldiers prevailed over the ill-quipped Filipino revolutionists. The fight was one-sided.
The loss of many battles was attributed to the revolutionists life of hunger and sickness. General Paciano Rizal was afflicted with malaria and he had become weak, he was captured in Laguna by the Americans. The year was 1900.
After the war Paciano led a passive private life and retired to his farm in Los Baos, Laguna. He passed away on 13 April 1930, at the age of 79.
--------------------------------------------------------
See also:
Josephine Bracken: Rizals de facto wife
The man who saved the Noli