Jed Martin Sanchez

BSIT3B

jedsanchez2016

Myth # 8: Jose Rizal wrote Sa aking mga Kabata

The hearsay: In 1869, the then eight-year-old Jose

Rizal wrote his first Tagalog poem. Entitled Sa aking
mga Kabata (To My Fellow Children)
Fact check: To this day, no manuscript linking Rizal
to the poem has been identified yet. And lets admit
it, Rizal was probably too busy playing with his dog
and siblings to even thought of making a poem
mentioning the word kalayaan (freedom).
jedsanchez2016

Myth # 7: Jose Rizal was a straight A+

student

The hearsay: Jose Rizal sailed through high school

(Ateneo Municipal) and college (University of Santo
Tomas) with straight excellent grades.
Rizal may have possessed multiple intelligence but in
terms of grades, his performance was anything but jawdropping. In Ateneo Municipal, for instance, Rizal
graduated with a grade of sobresaliente. His records at
UST was not too impressive either. He had a few passing
remarks probably because of the negative atmosphere in
his school or the subjects were just too dry for him.
jedsanchez2016

Myth # 6: Jose Rizal is a fake hero

The hearsay: Jose Rizal was not the hero and patriot we
all think he is.
Fact check: Bonifacio trumping Rizal as the national
hero? Not likely. Still, the rumors about Rizal being a
strong opponent of the Philippine Revolution continue to
spread. Historian Xiao Chua revealed that Rizal, although
forced to describe the revolution as absurd during his
trial, had always been supportive of the Katipunan. In fact,
policeman Martin Constantino testified on September 9,
1896 that Rizal was poised to be the Supreme Head as
soon as the country have claimed independence from
Spain
jedsanchez2016

Myth # 5: Jose Rizal was a foreign spy

The hearsay: Jose Rizal was involved either to a

German or French espionage.
Fact check: Rizal didnt have the same charisma as
James Bonds but nonetheless, German authorities
still suspected him as a French spy. It all started
when a chief of police visited Rizal in his Berlin
apartment and asked for his passport. Turns out,
Rizal was being investigated for his questionable
behavior
jedsanchez2016

Myth # 4: Jose Rizal was gay

The hearsay: Jose Rizal was gaythe reason why he never sired
a child. Yes, Josephine Bracken had a miscarriage but that kid
was not Rizals either. Rumor has it that Josephine was raped
by her own father so the dead child was just a product of an
incest.
Fact check: In his 1884 diary, Rizal wrote a very intriguing I
am gay. But there was nothing homosexual about itafter all,
gay can also mean bright and lively. On the other hand, the
rumor about Rizals fake child is more of an urban legend
possibly started by boredand ill-informedstudents. Or maybe
its because Rizal was close to her mother, successful in his
every pursuit, and very keen on his lookstraits of a
stereotypical closeted homosexual.
jedsanchez2016

Myth # 3: Jose Rizal survived his execution

The hearsay: After his execution in Bagumbayan,

Jose Rizal allegedly rose from the dead due to a
divine miracle.
Fact check: If theres anyone willing to buy this
story, that would be the Rizalistas. But how did this
rumor started? According to Prof. Ambeth Ocampo,
a document from the National Archives reveals a
bizarre incident that happened on March 29, 1897.
Rizals remains purportedly disappeared on the way
to the Paco cemetery.
jedsanchez2016

Myth # 2: Jose Rizal was the father of Adolf

Hitler

The hearsay: While visiting Austria in May 1887, Rizal

allegedly had a one-night stand with an Austrian
prostitute. Dr. Maximo Viola, Rizals companion, wrote
about this event in one of his diary entries. Adolf Hitler,
also an Austrian, was born not long after the passionate
encounter.
Fact check: The original story goes something like this:
Rizal impregnated some unidentified girl while studying
in Heidelberg, University. Rizal left Germany in 1887 and
two years later, Adolf Hitler was born. In other words, the
myth suggests that not only Hitler was German but was
also born a delayed baby.
jedsanchez2016

Myth # 1: Jose Rizal was the real Jack the Ripper

The hearsay: Jose Rizal and Jack the Ripperboth

with initials J.R.are one and the same person.
Fact check: Before anything else, lets examine the
facts that started it all: On May 24, 1888, Rizal was in
Londons British Library to copy the book Sucesos de
las islas Filipinas by hand. During this time, Jack the
Ripper began to terrorize the Whitechapel district,
killing more than 5 victims in the end. Rizal then left
London to publish the book in January 1889exactly
the same time when the murders stopped.
jedsanchez2016


References:
http://www.filipiknow.net/jose-rizal-myths/
Ocampo, A. 1990. Looking back. Pasig, Metro Manila:
Published and exclusively distributed Anvil Pub..
Ocampo, A. 1990. Rizal without the overcoat. Pasig,
Metro Manila: Anvil Pub..

jedsanchez2016