Status: urban legends
An article from the Philippine Daily Inquirer records some Philippine urban legends: the "White Lady" of Balete Drive, Robina Gokongwei's "snake twin" lurking in department store dressing rooms, the elusive "kapre" that lives in an ancient mango tree near the Emilio Aguinaldo house in Kawit town, and Andres Bonifacio's love child from a place aptly named Libog (now Santo Domingo) in Albay province. None of those mean much to me. But most of the article is devoted to discussing two other Philippine legends that are of more general interest. The first one is that Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines,
"was the father of Adolf Hitler, the result of an indiscretion with a prostitute in Vienna." The second one is that Jose Rizal was also Jack the Ripper:
Rizal was in London from May 1888 to January 1889, in the British Library copying "Sucesos de las islas Filipinas" by hand because there were no photocopying machines at the time. Jack the Ripper was active around this time, and since we do not know what Rizal did at night or on the days he was not
in the library, some people would like to believe Rizal is suspect. They argue that when Rizal left London, the Ripper murders stopped. They say that Jack the Ripper must have had some medical training, based on the way his victims were mutilated. Rizal, of course, was a doctor. Jack the Ripper liked women, and so did our own Rizal. And -- this is so obvious that many overlooked it -- Jose Rizal's initials match those of Jack the Ripper!
If Jack the Ripper did turn out to be Filipino, that would throw a wrench in his status as the
Most Evil Brit of all time.
Related Posts:
Nov 9, 2005:
Japanese Urban Legends
Oct 14, 2004:
Iraqi Urban Legends
Comments
1) Rizal arrived in London several days before the killings. He lived by Regent's Park...a very affluent part of town.
2) The bulk of the killings ended late 1988, before December. Though there were others that are labeled "Jack the Ripper" killings in 1989 but some pathologists who had examined the older victims' bodies disagree it was the same guy. The style was just different.
3)January 1986, St. Pancras, London
While up in the attic putting away boxes of Christmas ornaments,
the present-day owners of #37 Chalcot Crescent stumble across
a dusty old trunk, which (once the lock is pried open) reveals
some /very interesting/ items once belonging to Dr. Jose Rizal.
In particular, a diary wherein he confesses to the Whitechapel
murders; and a glass jar with half a human kidney preserved in
alcohol.
4)He lived with the Becket family. He's also famous for his ties to Ferdinand Blumentritt.
5) Yes, it is documented that he came to London on May 24, 1988, at the aforementioned address (No. 37 Chalcot)
6) Writings on the wall - I was not aware of the Jose Rizal on the wall. The writing on the wall that is fact is the "The Juwes are the men that will not be blamed for nothing." I think this alludes to the threw "Juwes" of Freemasonry - Jubelo, Jubela, and Jubelum. Close to it was also the bloody apron of Catherine Eddowes. The apron is a main symbol of Freemasons.
Enjoy 😊
Rizal also had at least 2 known Masonic Brothers in London at the time. The gentlemen are, Dr. Antonio Regidor and Dr. Reinhold Rost.
Possible accomplices as they are also learned in the rites and rituals of Freemasonry.
P.S. I am not trying to bash Freemasonry, I myself am a Freemason. I am just trying to be as objective as possible and I believe that the truth transcends my fraternity.
I would also like to add, Albert Pike, a famous Freemason, wrote in his book, Morals and Dogma, "The greatest deeds are not done in the glare of light, and before the eyes of the populace."
Although I totally think that eon won hands down, I would have to side with concerned Filipino when he stated that Jose Rizal didn't have a motive. One of his few good arguments, really. If you go to the link that eon provided a few pages back (shortened: http://goo.gl/NdRs), an alternative, and what seems to be a more believable, theory is proposed. Just "Ctrl+F" the page and look for "All Roads Lead to Dorset Street and Mary Kelly". Interesting perspective.
How could you have an "Open mind" if you immediately rule out something when it's not proven to be wrong or right? You are certain it is not him - how do you know? A statement like that is equivalent to saying, "I am certain there is a God" I'm not being offensive, I just question.
As far as motives go, I've already stated possible motives and the effect the killings had throughout the world.
I'm not saying it necessarily applies to this case, but motive is not always existent. Haven't you ever done something and didn't know why you did it?
The conspiracy theory regarding the protection of someone important is in fact a good one 😊 Jose Rizal is not liberated from being a suspect. The conspiracy points to the Freemasons(ritualistic nature of the killings), which Jose Rizal was a part of. He, as a Mason, and being in the vicinity, would've known about these machinations. The span of the murders were during his time there. Being that he was a doctor and a Freemason, he is part of a shorter list of possible suspects(not all Freemasons are doctors).
I didn't rule out anything. I just said that it's impossible to exactly pinpoint who Jack the Ripper was, especially with the lack of incriminating evidence. It could have been Rizal or it could have been someone else entirely.
When I said that I was pretty certain that Rizal wasn't Jack the Ripper, I wasn't stating that as a fact. I was stating that as a personal belief, much like your "I believe in a God" statement.
Plus, I would be pretty sure that Rizal wouldn't just murder at least five women without a motive. Rizal isn't exactly a deranged psychopath (as far as we know).
My dad's a Mason but he thinks that stories like this have been twisted to put their organization in a bad light.
Wait, how about this angle:
A former Freemason had a falling out with the organization and left the fraternity. He wasn't exactly the most right-minded guy, so he thought of a way to get revenge. Boom! He kills five women and does so in ways that point to the Freemasons, putting them in a bad light. Up to now, most of the world thinks that Jack the Ripper was a Mason.
Maybe he was just some low-profile guy whose murders coincided with Rizal's stay in London. And maybe, his Freemason enemies were regular customers of the five women (who were prostitutes). Kind of like hitting two birds with one stone: tarnishing the Freemason name and depriving his enemies of sexual satisfaction with these women.
Just a thought though.
I didn't state "I believe in a God," I stated that your statement is equivalent to, "I am certain there is a God." Being that it is unproven, you cannot exactly say you are "certain" about something. Certainty is borderline factual. Let me give you an example of a usage of the word certain : "I don't remember what the PH of water is, but I'm pretty certain it's 7." Actually, if you look up the exact meaning of "certain," you find that it means : fixed, indisputable, known to be true, etc.
Anything is possible, anything could have happened. I'm not saying Joes Rizal had to have done it! 😊 I'm just saying his case is strong enough to not escape suspicion.
Remember one thing, Jose Rizal is a revolutionary. Many revolutionaries, not all, are very capable of killing for a cause, because to them, the cause is greater. Reading Rizal's works shows that he is capable of well-contemplated machinations - The main character tried to bomb a house filled with both civilians and targets. That's terrorism. Therefore, in reality, I cannot exactly say our hero is 100% incapable of wrong when his mind and writing clearly shows he is knowledgeable of terrorism.
I myself and a Freemason. My uncle is a Freemason, he even belonged to the Grand Lodge of the Philippines (I found out when he told me he was a Mason - For many years I wanted to become one, but I had no clue he was.) As a Mason, let me tell you, the majority of people in it do not know anything. They pay their yearly dues, hang out with other Masons, perform charitable works etc. Real Masonry is reserved for the adepts; The Princes of Freemasonry - those who seek, shall find. Unfortunately, many of the members simply do not seek. I've witnessed it first hand. I've been to many different lodges, regardless of race, etc and they have no clue - even as to the beginning of it all. I am not saying your father doesn't know anything. I'm just saying that a seeker would not rule it out.
Food for thought : Albert Pike was a truly great man both in mind and in practice. However, he was a part of the Ku Klux Klan (records say he was a founding father). How could that happen? The man even preaches equality. Look deep enough and you will understand. Just as in Jose Rizal's case.
Your theories regarding the angry Freemason is possible of course. Who though? We need a man who has close ties and with the motive you illustrated.
Possible motives of Rizal as I've stated before :
1. Bring world attention to the poor living conditions in Whitechapel (which succeeded).
2. No motive - motive is not always necessary.
3. Possibly crazy(very far fetched) but you know what they say, there is a thin line between genius and insanity.
Being "pretty certain" actually means that you have no doubt as to something being true. I used the word certain in that context. You could have easily said something wrong like, "I don't remember what the PH of water is, but I'm pretty certain it's 8" and still have no doubt as to the truthfulness with what you said. Certainty in that context doesn't rest on facts, it rests on the person's belief that what he is saying is true.
Still, I'd think that Jack the Ripper was very familiar with the area since he was able to hide from the authorities. Maybe he even knew the activities of the police and timed his murders when he was sure he wasn't going to get caught.
I think there's a bigger possibility of Jack the Ripper being more than one person or a person whose murders were orchestrated by an affluent group of people.
Think about it this way: a wealthy group of individuals contrive a clever plan to bring attention to the poor conditions in Whitechapel. The Freemasons were famous for being involved in revolutions, so they could have been involved. Thus, Jose Rizal could have known of the plans and thus be an accomplice to the crimes.
I don't know why but it seems that every time I research on the background of the murders, I get think of a new theory.
About the lamp-bomb scene in El Fili, I don't know if Jose Rizal really meant for the bomb to not explode. The movie "Jose Rizal" had the hero talking with his character Simoun in his head. Simoun wanted Rizal to change the ending where the governor-general and the other big guys would get blown up. I'm not very sure though. But the "Jose Rizal is knowledgeable on terrorism" theory is valid, he was a revolutionary after all and I never denied that.
But seeing that Jack the Ripper wasn't caught and there weren't any definitive leads, I'd conclude that the murders were very well thought out. Not really something that a foreigner who just stayed a few months in London would have achieved (just my opinion). So, it would have been a single person who planned out the murders over a considerable length of time or it was contrived by a group of planners who hid the murderer using their influence and wealth.
So, I'd think that Jose Rizal is more likely to be knowledgeable of the murder plans rather than the actual perpetrator of the crimes.
P.S.
I don't know if this amounts to anything, but my father once mentioned that he had already achieved the level of 32nd degree mason or something like that. I also know that my father is a very "investigative" man, in his being a prosecution lawyer for the government. I would think that he would have researched himself to exhaustion before he made that conclusion. I don't know though, I didn't even join the Order of Demolay...
I've already put the rest to the question of the word "certain." Just look up the exact definition and it means : fixed, indisputable, known to be true, etc. Perhaps your word selection was wrong, but certain means that, you cannot change its meaning.
As far as Jose Rizal being wealthy - he was. He also was connected to his Fraternity Brothers in London - Antonio Regidor and Reinhold Rost - both of whom were doctors also. Of course it's possible, and highly probable that Jose Rizal was not alone. Kudos that you pointed it out and explained it well!
These theories of yours are very good. They do make plenty of sense 😊
Being a 32nd degree is an achievement but it doesn't take too long to become one. There aren't any obstacles or anything like that. Some people have become 32nd Degree Masons in 1 day. You can even ask him, that in reality, 3rd Degree is the highest you can go. 32nd Degree is just an appendant body - the Scottish Rite. It is just extra, but not necessary. If I were to join an appendant body though, it would be Scottish Rite as I find it more philosophical.
I don't mean to insult your father, friend. I just know that there are many that don't know. Masonry just isn't the same anymore - it has become a business. I can't imagine the revolutionaries of old attending to the trivial affairs of today.
You don't have to be Demolay to become a Mason. Is it your desire to become one?
However, I have to agree that eon has some perfect statements. And 'concerned Filipino' didn't really help his case with the mindless rambling of his.
Much of the evidence points at Rizal, but it might've just been an coincidence. Did he simply wanted to blow off some steam?
That remains an mystery,
native.
Perhaps he was frustrated. Noli Me Tangere just came out and it caused much chaos. The friars were censuring it, compatriots are resigning from office, insurrection, his family was being maltreated, etc.
It could have all been a coincidence of course! Who am I to say that it wasn't? I'm trying to gather as much information on the matter to build a stronger case.
Open minded, I was thinking about it and I am definitely ruling out conspiracy. It just wouldn't make sense. If you are trying to protect someone, why bring attention by killing in that fashion? I know that if I wanted to have someone killed, I would want as little ties to myself as possible. It would be discreet and not high profile.
The killings were meant to grab your attention. The alleged letters provoking Lusk and other notable figures, the writing on the wall, the ritualistic manner of the murders, etc. shouts "look at this!"
Thanks for the input! Jack the Ripper was long believed to be left-handed. According to the reports, his attacks were both left and right handed, depending on the position. He used both hands or maybe he just used different angles?
-arch duchess yvette neighfreya neckolayevna
First of all, the killings that happened before Rizal arrived didn't have the same Modus Operandi. Tabram was raped while none of the canonical five were. It was speculated that she could be one of Jack's victims, but very unlikely.
You are saying that Jose Rizal can't be Jack the Ripper because Jack the Ripper calls himself Jack the Ripper in a letter? How does that make any sense? Do you think Jack the Ripper was born with the name "Jack the Ripper?"
Surely, we all know that he wasn't the only doctor in London. It would be preposterous to think that he was the only doctor there. I never said that he is absolutely guilty. Other doctors could be guilty as well.
"He was obsessed by woman, but is not obsessed enough to kill them." How could you possibly make that statement? Were you there? Do you know him personally? Saying that is like saying Bill Clinton can't possibly have sex with Monica Lewinsky. Yes, Jose Rizal was a very talented man, but like all others, he was human; i.e. he was flawed and was capable of doing wrong.
Lastly, you appeal to no one because your statements are unwarranted. If you want to be taken seriously, you will have to come up with better counter attacks. Instead of saying, it's not possible, now believe me because I think what you're doing is wrong.
Who knew, the most interesting things that can be learned are not taught inside the classroom after all 😊
i loved the arguments, from both sides. it's just so irritating how they throw personal insults to each other.
i personally go for eon's side - when it comes to the topic. fact is, he is not assuming. what i like about him is, he is just presenting his research.
but on how to present his arguments, i think concerned is better, and fairer.
concerned filipino is correct, it is eon who started the name-calling. and eon, please, money and socio-economic status isn't the issue here. i think that point didn't helped at all.
yet, hands down for both eon and concerned filipino. both of you are really good critical thinkers.
overall, this is a really intriguing article.(actually, the real fun is in the thread)
with what everyone here has said and from what i've researched, only one thing is clear,
WE CANNOT TELL IF RIZAL IS INDEED RIPPER. --proud to be pinoy
I understand what you are saying. I believe money and status definitely applies because I stated that concerned Filipino is fanatical. In fact, the majority of religious fanatics and uber patriots are indeed from poor backgrounds.
I admit, most of my arguments in the beginning was weak after having read my own words. If you look carefully, the content of my posts have improved/evolved.
It will be really really hard to prove that he was JTR, in fact, it's so hard that no one has been able to prove it. All the while, even though our search for the identity of Jack has been unfruitful, it doesn't mean it cannot happen. As a matter of fact, I've been gathering more information and some findings have been really exciting. This blog has inspired me to write a book about it!
Stay tuned!
I understand what you are saying. I believe money and status definitely applies because I stated that concerned Filipino is fanatical. In fact, the majority of religious fanatics and uber patriots are indeed from poor backgrounds.
I admit, most of my arguments in the beginning were weak after having read my own words. If you look carefully, the content of my posts have improved/evolved.
It will be really really hard to prove that he was JTR, in fact, it's so hard that no one has been able to prove anything about JTR. All the while, even though our search for the identity of Jack has been unfruitful, it doesn't mean it cannot happen. As a matter of fact, I've been gathering more information and some findings have been really exciting. This blog has inspired me to write a book about it!
Stay tuned!
PS I'm on my Droid...didn't get to preview because of laziness! I edited it now...sorry for double post!
Why would jose rizal be the ripper?
this dosent make sense!
mabye there's just sum1 who is framing him.
Rizal was the father of Adolf Hitler.
He was also Jack the Ripper.
In fact anything you can think up about him is true.
Yeah.
And pigs fly.
One more thing, a little advice to anyone who reads this, although this is more likely to affect concerned; It doesn't matter who starts the name calling, what matters is who stops it. I think it's better to just argue on the topic not on your personal lives, well, unless it has something to do with this.
"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbably must be the truth."
Who knows?
Ako din si Superman. Tsaka si Captain Barbel.
Sarado na kaso ni Jack the Ripper di ba?
Di ko tuloy maisip kung ano pa ang punto ng argumento.
At kung totoong ako man si Jack the Ripper, babaguhin ba nun yung mga bagay na nagawa ko para sa ikakabuti ng iba?
Kung para sa Pinoy, siguro.. mababago ang lahat.
Ibababa ako sa trono ko bilang pambansabg bayani.
Isang magandang halimbawa dito ay ang pare kong si Ferdinand Marcos.. Lahat galit sa kanya kasi diktador daw sya at nagnakaw sa yaman ng bayan.
Nakalimutan na mas maunlad ata ang Pilipinas noong sya pa ang pangulo.
Kaya naimbento ang People Power.
Ang hirap kasi, masyado tayong nagpapadala sa mga sinasabi ng iba kahit sa totoo ay hindi natin naintindihan ang ibig sabihin nito.
Pag may sinabing masama tungkol sa Pinoy, magbibigay kaagad tayo ng bayolenteng reaksyon.
Pero kapag Pinoy ang nagsabi ng masama sa kapwa pinoy ay ayos lang.
Kung bigyan kaya ng parangal si Pareng Marcos na "Man of the Universe" o kaya "Most Effective President", ano magiging reaksyon natin?
Amen.
Jack the Ripper at Jose Rizal.. Hahah..
that is why the jack the ripper mystery is still unsolved, because probably, the person who committed wasn't european. eon mentioned about the incisions, and about how J the R kills the prostitutes, jose rizal was a doctor (opthalmologist)
and about the motive, sometimes serial killers (like J the R) don't have motives. they kill because they want to..
trivia, the katipunans were masons accdg. to a philippine history book), so there's a chance that jose rizal, since he was part of the katipunan, is also a mason.
don't get mad if i'm on the side of eon. it's because i'm open minded, even though rizal is our national hero, that doesn't mean he's clean..
Pati si Aguinaldo at Del Pilar.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Freemasons
I really did enjoy reading this. Thanks for the boring job in the office. And wherever you are Rizal, if you were JTR...I forgive you. 😊
(Let's all have an open mind and think before we act. Idol ko si Rizal.)
suggested reading: rizal without the overcoat. nice read!!
I need to read up the posts...as i skimmed through, i saw someone ask for my book. lol...i was on hiatus for a little bit...i got married!
anyway, I'm still doing my research, and trust that I will have my book published whether it sells or not! I'm reading both Rizal's works and bios as well as masonic and jtr books.
I'll keep in touch with the thread, just give me a few to read lol.
@Ruben, the case has been unsolved. It could be unsolved because things were overlooked. Things people thought shouldn't be taken seriously. Balete drive could be a hoax, sure, but just because you don't feel anything, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. To a person without a cellphone, does it mean that the frequency doesn't exist?
@Kaitee, he had the women intoxicated, went for the neck, and made his incisions after death(on the floor).
@Jose Rizal, I believe that a man who has done wrong doesn't make him evil. It doesn't mean everything in his life is wrong/bad. What you have done for the Philippines cannot be erased nor can it be overshadowed.
@Trojan, yes he is indeed a Mason, as well as many other prominent Filipinos at that time.
I have no comment about him being Hitler's father, I do not know enough about it.
In regards to the Diary, I personally wouldn't include it in my book, unless it can be proved or make a really good case in regards to its authenticity. I think that diary or the hoax thereof, at the least, served its purpose in being the catalyst to this entire discussion and to any publications created hereafter. I see it as a stepping stone for us. Through this discussion, peoples' imaginations ran rampant, their voices have been heard, their creativity utilized, and their horizons broadened!
there is a witness "Israel Schwartz"
he said that he saw Jack the Ripper and he was jew. he don't want to testify against a fellow jew...
So if rizal is a jew then he could be one of the 200 suspects...
and one more thing! tang na! mo settle your facts before you post something... gather all of the info..
is rizal a jew?
did he stay in Whitechapel?
and one more thing... I have no recollection of hearing any story saying that Rizal resorted to violence even in his 3rd world story..
So you fkin blogger is just as stupid as maybe how you look like...
duke, it seems it is you are the one who doesn't know anything about the subject.
some say it was a jewish man, one man even said it was a malay. some say it was a polish man, some a russian, etc.
there were many witnesses and many suspects, but the case has never been solved. there is no exact description of jack the ripper.
Jack the Ripper murdered in whitechapel and spitalfields, at least when we talk about the canonical five. You don't have to reside there to kill there, so your argument of did he live there is invalid. For your information, Jose Rizal was in London. The address should be in my earlier posts.
Duke, if you read his books, you would know that he writes about violence and even terrorism. In El Fili, the main character, Simon, sends a bomb hidden inside a lamp.
This will be my last response to questions or remarks like these because they are a waste of my time. However, if there are people out there who can come up with more constructive questions, I will try my best to answer or ponder it with you 😊
you have to look for coincidences...coincidences are also called "leads" in an investigation. If there were no coincidences at all, nothing would connect.
JR supposedly wrote letters to people...isn't that taunting? He wrote on the wall on goulston street. Isn't that taunting? Leaving his initials could be a taunt.
Ayaw nya ng rebolusyon kasi pabor sya sa mga espanyol.