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
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.
He was a Mason and an Ilustrado. Both societies at that time were only available to people of sound financial standing and education.
definitely bourgeois!
My "theory" about JPR motive is his mother. he later found out that her mother is going blind and he decided to pursue medicine because of this.
Due to being poor and with not enough funds he manage to study by killing women. LOL. some theory.
To all of the posters I would like to point out not all points are being considered by a single one. You are all approaching this with modern brains, lessons, and thought processes.
Early on in this topic I read one of you say "Do you think a court in the world would convict on such circumstantial evidence." The simple answer is yes.
Now, let's curve those heat pumps if you actually read this thread any more, but look honestly at this response. Courts through out worldly history have convicted on less! The world is not as perfect as we may like to scrutinize it. In worldly history, people have been convicted, judged, and even executed on things as simple a mole on their body being a marker of being a witch, their eyes not blue enough and hair not blond enough, and we can look in history for many examples of this.
So by the scope of public convictions, yes there is enough circumstantial evidence to convict any one. All it took was the two points of matching, time and knowledge of the medical type of knowledge.
Why focus on the negative of this man? Jose Rizal was a national hero. Why? Mastering twenty-two languages is pretty impressive even by today's standards. Published author. he was an architect, artists, businessman, cartoonist, educator, economist, ethnologist, scientific farmer, historian, inventor, journalist, linguist, musician, mythologist, nationalist, naturalist, novelist, surgeon, poet, propagandist, psychologist, scientist, sculptor, sociologist, and theologian. All by time he was twenty- nine.
Filipino's have the unfortunate history of being repressed country. Jose Rizal despite his wealth also was repressed in his own country. Still for the Filipino people, Jose Rizal, proved that the Filipino has ability to equal even exceed those who would treat them as their property.
I am a Caucasian woman. From a country that is considered "free" of America. I have little actual interest in Jack the Ripper, yet have grown up with the knowledge of his acts. I can create a lot of circumstantial evidence linking the man in question to the crimes, but would rather instead consider what he has done for society.
There is no reason with enough power to have me want to find the person responsible for an old crime. Let's instead look to our fellow human beings, and accept the differences. Up hold our universal crimes between us, and lay down the ignorance that continues us to strive to argue, demean, and bicker.
Nice article, many great points in arguments, but still something is truly lacking. Let's try a different view ok?
It was concerned that said "it would not hold up in a court of law." You are right, people have been convicted for much less. What concerned wants is "in-your-face" evidence lol which is pretty much impossible since it's a 100+ year old case.
I've been doing much research and I'm not quite ready to publish (I'm still young @ 28, I have lots of time!) but one little thing I'd like to point out is that, according to past accounts, serial killers need not kill all the time. So, this idea that if he killed in London, he must kill in other cities or countries is totally false. Also, "killer profiles" cannot be considered truth, they are opinions as well.
I'm interested to know what you know "linking the man in question to the crimes!" I believe this discussion has come to this type of research. On the surface, I think finding who JR was might seem irrelevant, but I feel that a breakthrough like this could have consequential breakthroughs in psychology, philosophy, criminology, etc. Breaking this case could possibly lead to other unsolved cases being broken.
Best regards,
eon
In then end when we express our opinions, beliefs, or ideas over a matter such as this. We must take to heart and remember what it is we could be destroying. In saying the man is plausibly a serial killer. We are destroying the heart of an entire nation and population. Even if it does not seem an issue to us. It would be like for us Americans, someone saying Martin Luther kind was a serial rapist. Could you imagine the hysteria this would cause in America? Now could you imagine the massive depression, hopelessness, and other associated actions that would come from this? This is the issue this very topic and discussion is doing to the Filipino people.
I do agree with your idea on serial killers though. Just because they kill in one time and location, doesn't mean they will necessarily kill later. Many serial killers have preferred targets. Triggers that for some reason inspire their acts. Most people after the fact of the crime seem to focus on the how many, the hows, and other minut details like this. They forget the who and why. Like...
Ted Bundy, David and Catherine Birnie, Gregory Brazel
To the cases in question a trigger could possibly be as simple as cultural diversity. So if the person was somewhere like this. In Britannia, possibly the type of woman he preferred to work on was in fact his trigger. JTR clearly had a preference in his first five, actually confirmed acts. Lower society, women, and they probably had the attitude to match. How many Brits do we know who act like a American? How many Filipinos behave like a Brit?
Long story short, if the person was a foreigner visiting, well it can be seen how in stress, educational as previously mentioned, or just a combination of reasons to why they chose as they have. Then if they were to leave. The culture they now exist in does not offend or stimulate that same reasoning. OR If it is easier to hide the acts. Then it makes perfect sense that they would not be known to kill again.
In the end we must remember the world of death and mutilation, no matter the age of the case, can cause far worse consequences to "break the case." It's almost as dark of a wish to continue this, as to actually commit the crime itself. Keep this in mind in your work, presentation, wording, and future. You must also learn the culture the accused initiates. The Filipino's in general have a very traditional code. Even into dating and courtship. To read of it isn't enough really. You have to experience it. Is the truth one hundred years later worth devastating the inspiration of one single person now?
Shakespeare for example, is accused of being a phony. There was never a record of him ever leaving England(how could he describe such cities in his plays as he did!), he did not own a library to at least research those cities, he did not know how to spell, and his daughters were illiterate (Hamnet died at age 11).
Bill Clinton had an affair while in office and he lied about it under oath, but he is still respected throughout the world and is still thought to have been a good President. Hell, North Korea welcomes Bill Clinton more than they do Obama.
Even if MLK was a serial rapist, would you deny him all the great that he did? Yes, he did wrong, but one thing we could learn from that is that people are people. We are human beings, no matter how intelligent one becomes, that person, as everyone else in the world, are products of their experiences. We are not perfect nor do we live perfect lives.
Another example I will give you is John Forbes Nash, Jr. He attended Princeton and eventually was awarded a Nobel Prize in Economics. He is also known to have a mental illness, paranoid schizophrenia. Does it change all of the good that he did for society?
I think once there is enough circumstantial evidence, or at least a good enough theory, more people will begin to wonder why and start asking questions. Mankind's curiosity is a major, if not the main catalyst to understanding, invention, and innovation.
I believe a truth that has eluded us for 100 years could possibly lead to breakthroughs today. What we didn't see or what we didn't look for in a case for 100 years can now be another tool to help us see today. Take Pythagoras' theory of color for example or the Tibetan use of color to effect moods-truth/knowledge that we are just rediscovering again today. Of course, there is no guarantee that discovering that Rizal was JTR would create breakthroughs in any field, but the possibility is there.
The ultimate question that you ask me is this, would my work, should I complete it, be justifiable? It's like the ending in the graphic novel/comic book, The Watchmen. I really don't know. It really depends on what I come up with in the end. I wish I can shed good light on the situation but right now the work is still unfinished and inconclusive. I believe there a number of possible motives for the murder of those women. It could be frustration, revenge, or maybe to cast light on the situation in Whitechapel for the world to see and inevitably force change.
Did his act, and his acts following his act, ruin him for me?No, I personally as an American never voted for the man. I refused to vote in that presidential election for fact. I had a sick feeling in regards to all the candidates. Especially Bill Clinton. I had a neighbor at the time who loved the man. She and her husband would preach his virtues high and boldly. Upon his scandal this neighbor was crushed! This neighbor was never the same proud person as prior to. I do not care if he is more welcomed by North Korea. This only affirms my mention in the prior post in regard to cultural differences. For America yes Bill Clinton is a shame, not for what he actually did, but for how he behaved in regards to it. This is how most of our culture is, and no amount of reasoning can remove that basic inherent gut feeling left to us by generations of our ancestors.
This is the same with the people of any nation. Where as it maybe acceptable for them to have a liar and affair prone individual as leader as long as the over all people are concerned. They might also be ok with that same person being more one humble with affection. What actually matters is the representation of the culture most represented.
To the JTR cases. The first five victims, supposedly confirmed to JTR, of Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Mitre Square, and Mary Jane Kelly past being prostitutes, what's the unifying similarity? Can you understand why in these names I say supposedly?
I'm not a Clinton fan either, but even in America, I think people have forgiven and forgotten. I mean he's the butt of many jokes, but in my opinion, the majority, including the liberals who truly loved him have forgiven him or at least forgotten about the ordeal. When he is brought up in conversation, in my experience, the economic boom during his tenure is brought up and Lewinski, never.
Even Newt Gingrich, a womanizer, gets more votes than my philosophically sound, RP.
Jose Rizal is the hero of the Philippines but I doubt that he is the face of the nation or culture of the country. I would think Manny Pacquiao is! In fact, there are many people in the Philippines that don't even feel Jose Rizal deserved to be labeled the national hero. They feel Andres Bonifacio was more deserving.
It can be said that George Washington, as the our first President and one of the founding fathers, was the best President. If we found out today that he cheated on his wife with all the women in town, I think we would all be shocked, but our lives will still continue and we will still believe him to be a great, if not the greatest, President of the U.S.
As for JTR, you mention Mitre Square not Eddowes...I'm going to try to figure out what that means as I'm in a rush to run out of work :D. But I do understand why you said supposedly. The canonical five are accepted as such but it's not 100%. Maybe all, maybe some, or maybe one. I thought this in the beginning, especially because Chapman would eliminate Jose Rizal as a suspect if she truly was a JTR victim. I'm trying to make the story fit to Rizal instead of Rizal fitting into the story. If it upholds, I'd have struck gold!
P.S. You mentioned in your very first post about the bickering and stuff, and you know, every time I respond to someone who has read my posts, I feel a little embarrassed. I apologize for the nonsense that came out of me to Concerned and to everyone who read it. I wish you guys would forgive me, being that I was 23, and scientifically at least according to studies, the brain is not fully developed until 25 and I was still considered to be a child 😊 It's very nice to collaborate with you! Good thing you found this site 😊