Ka Ed Punzalan is a man on a mission. Since 1995 and up to the present, he has been deep in research, compiling facts and figures so that he could finally bring to the court of justice the killers of Dr. Jose Rizal—114 years after the hero was shot by a firing squad. The hero was executed here in Bagumbayan (now Luneta) at exactly 7:03 am, on December 30, 1896 by order of the Spanish Military Tribunal for the charges of sedition and rebellion against the government.Ka Ed believed--and rightly so--that Rizal's trial was a farce.
Fast forward December 30, 2010— Ka Ed was standing on the very ground where Rizal fell, distributing leaflets to people, giving impromptu speeches, and promising that he will re-open the Rizal murder case. This was where I met Ka Ed, as I was also on a pilgrimage to the exact execution ground of the Philippine National Hero.
A native of Pampanga, Philippines, Ka Ed grew up with stories of Rizal’s heroism and greatness embedded in his young mind. Although he didn’t get past Grade Six, Ka Ed was a voracious reader of history. As a young man, he read the various biographies of Rizal and became a staunch admirer of the dead hero. Fifteen years ago, he started his crusade to research on available resources so that he could prove once and for all there is still a case against those responsible for the patriot's death.
Earlier in the morning, Ka Ed attended the memorial ceremonies at the Rizal Monument led by President Benigno Aquino III. Ka Ed wanted to have an audience with President Aquino so that he could personally present his case to P-noy, but he could not get through the tight security around the president. I told him that presidents have daily schedules that should be followed and one cannot just go through him at whim.
Ka Ed was complacent. “I will go to Malacanang one day and ask for an appointment”, he said. Meanwhile he started giving out to pedestrians and tourists brochures documenting his various researches. “Here”, he said to me and some of the curious onlookers who stopped by to listen to his impromptu speech,“are the facts that we could use to sue the killers of Rizal.”
I could not for the moment believe what he was saying. Rizal has been dead for many years; whoever killed the hero couldn't still be around today. No mature person alive in 1896 could still be living in 2010. I was here in the Luneta to pay homage to the national hero; but meeting Ka Ed and knowing his strange case is totally unexpected. Indeed, I expected to meet some Rizalistas here as I have in the past—those who believe that Rizal is God and therefore still alive--they always flock to the Luneta on December 30 and June 19 to honor God Rizal. But Ka Ed is not the usual Rizalista you would meet in the Luneta, Calamba, and Mount Makiling. He doesn’t believe that Rizal is God. He believes that Rizal is only a human being like you and me—but a great one, and Rizal was wrongly executed on December 30, 1896 on false charges. Ka Ed is very determined to set the facts straight and correct the injustice. He will exert every effort to re-open the Rizal murder case.
Admittedly, I find Ka Ed’s thinking quite unique, if not downright bizarre. Here was a man trying to put Rizal’s killers to justice. This is the first time I have ever heard a man trying to pursue this long-forgotten, albeit obviously neglected murder case. Ka Ed may be a lone crusader but he was a very determined one. He produced several photocopied sheets of his researches. I was astounded they ran into hundred pages, obviously a task that required a lot of time and energy. I am not prone to judge a person, but Ka Ed doesn’t exactly fall into the category of lunatic—he was quite a sensible man—though his mission is quixotic and unusual.
One of Ka Ed’s audiences said: “Malabo na ho yang sinasabi nyo. Matagal na hong patay si Rizal. At isa pa, patay na rin yung mga pumatay sa kanya. Sino pa ang ikukulong natin?”
The audience smiled but Ka Ed quickly replied, “Tama ka, pero makakakuha tayo ng damages para sa pagpatay nilang ginawa kay Dr. Jose Rizal”.
“Eh sino po ba ang pumatay kay Rizal, di po ba mga Gwardiya Sibil?” said a young man, presumably a college student and one who already took a Rizal course.
“Napag-utusan lang ang mga Guwardiya Sibil. Hindi sila ang may kasalanan kungdi yung mga mastermind”, said Ka Ed quite emotionally.
“E sino po yung mga mastermind?”
“Aba e di yung Gobernador Heneral, yung Hari ng Espanya, at Papa sa Roma noong panahon na yun. Si Gobernador Heneral Camilo Polavieja, Haring Alfonso XIII, at Papa Leo XIII. Patay na sila pero mahahabol pa natin ang bansang Espanya at Roma na magbayad sa atin ng damages”
“Magkano naman po ang damages”, asked another listener.
“We will demand that they pay us 333 Billion U.S. Dollars for the 333 years that they occupied our country. That’s 1 billion every year”, Ka Ed said.
Suddenly a wild applause from the audience erupted and Ka Ed was visibly pleased. But for me, I was getting a little tired of this. After making some excuses, I prepared to leave. But Ka Ed wanted me to wait, because on this very day, he would go to the Department of Justice to file a case to against Rizal’s killers. Fortunately, December 30, 2010 is a working holiday and all the government offices were open. The only problem is that Ka Ed didn’t know where the Department of Justice office was located. I said it’s in Padre Faura street, in Malate.
“Can you accompany me?” Ka Ed said.
Right then and there I would have said no, and instead just give him directions, but I supposed if I helped him go to the Department of Justice (DOJ), and possibly meet with Secretary Leila De Lima, the country’s chief attorney could advise him to stop his fantasies. This way he could retire from his mission (he was already 70) and perhaps embark on another worthwhile and more realistic mission (say, find the true killer/s of the Vizcondes).
So we went to the DOJ. We walked the convoluted Ermita streets, stopping by a few moments to buy crackers and soft drinks from a sidewalk vendor. In half an hour, we were at the gates of the DOJ. The kindly guards at the gates inquired where we wished to go. Ka Ed could barely contain his excitement. He said “I am going to file a case to re-open Rizal’s murder case and bring to justice those who killed him”.
The guards looked at one another, but they realized that Ka Ed was serious and surmised I was a reporter with a camera. The guards requested us to log in our names and directed us to the second floor of the DOJ building so we can meet Secretary De Lima. Unfortunately, the secretary was in an important meeting that could not be disturbed, even for such a momentous case as the murder of Rizal. We were directed instead to the office of one of the government prosecutors.
A kindly middle-aged woman warmly greeted us. “How can I help you sir?” asked the lady who happened to be one of the DOJ’s prosecutors (she declined to give her name though after realizing I was a reporter)
“Madam”, said Ka Ed “I want to file a case”.
“Is it criminal or civil?” asked the lady prosecutor.
“It’s criminal madam!” said Ka Ed, barely containing his enthusiasm “I want to file a criminal case against the killers of Dr. Jose Rizal!”
Now, the lady prosecutor was very matter of fact, very professional, as one could expect from a lawyer--not a little bit shocked by Ka Ed’s statement. She said without a hint of exasperation: “Sir, Rizal was killed in 1896, a period of 114 years. The prescriptive period for a criminal case has already elapsed. For a murder case to be pursued, one must file a case twenty years from the commission of the crime.”
Undaunted, Ka Ed replied: “If it’s not possible to file a criminal case here in DOJ, then I will go to the International Court of Justice to file this case”.
“Well, you certainly can sir. But I doubt if your case will be entertained”, said the lady prosecutor.
“At least I will give it a try, and I'm the only Filipino who have tried to get justice for Rizal” said Ka Ed proudly. Ka Ed asked the lady prosecutor a file form so that he could still file a murder case. The lady gave him one and Ka Ed enthusiastically filled up the blanks. In the blank where it asked what case was being filed, Ka Ed wrote: "Murder Case Against the Killers of Rizal".
Unfortunately,or rather fortunately I do not know where the International Court of Justice is. I thought that I had helped him enough. While I was about to walk away, Ka Ed said to me “Thank you ha? Ite-text kita pag nanalo itong kaso. Kailangan nating bigyang katarungan ang kamatayan ni Rizal!”
I smiled and wished him the best.
Going to the DOJ
Explaining to the DOJ security guards his important case to bring to justice Rizal’s killers.
Filing the murder case for the “heinous crime of murdering Rizal”
Ka Ed with a new supporter, Princess Bae Catiguman
Lecturing the people about Rizal and why it’s important to put to justice those responsible for killing Rizal and other Philippine heroes like Diego Silang, Gabriela Silang, the Thirteen Martyrs of Cavite, and the Three Martyred Priests Gomburza.
***This article originally appeared at the Philippine Online Chronicles, the world's leading online news magazine about the Philippines. For more interesting articles and news please visit our website here.
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