1. Jose Rizal saw poltergeists in DapitanApparently, even the Philippines foremost hero was not immune to otherworldly hauntings. While in exile in Dapitan, Rizal wrote to a Jesuit priest about one of his houses being haunted by a poltergeist. In this case, the poltergeist was said to be targeting his significant other Josephine Bracken who also believed that it was the spirit of her dead father. Rizal wrote that many of their household items had been broken by the poltergeist. When Josephine asked the spirit what it wanted,All her cups, tea kettles, saucers, etc. fell down at the same time. All the boys and I saw it. Rizal requested the priest, Father Obach, to come over and perform an exorcism. The haunting reportedly stopped afterwards. However, noted historian Ambeth Ocampo advises everyone to take the story with a grain of salt since it would not make sense for Rizala known critic of superstitionsto even believe in haunting2. Rizal cured himself of tuberculosis, and was later recognized as atuberculosis expert. 3. He had psychic abilities. On his journal entry dated January 1, 1883, he shared about a frightful nightmare he had two nights before (i.e. December 30). In this dream, Rizal was imitating a dying actor and felt his breath was failing and his vision became very dim. Interestingly, Rizal would be executed 13 years later at the exact same date. Austin Coates, Rizals biographer, also underscored that there were many incidents written in bothNoli Me TangereandEl Filibusterismothat eventually happened to Rizal in real life.

4. Rizal stuffedunknown papersin his pockets and shoes on the eve of his execution.He did this, assuming that his corpse would be turned over to his family after the execution. But as we all know, his body was dumped by Spanish officials in an unmarked grave in Paco cemetery. The papers had since deteriorated, the contents of which were never identified.5. Rizal played a key role in the identification ofOncomelania cuadrasi,a Philippine snail that harbors the parasite that causesschistosomiasis.The said snail was named after a certain Mr. Cuadrasi, a known naturalist in Manila and to whom Rizal sent his specimens of animals and insects for identification.

6. While in Dapitan, Rizal wrote an extensive written discourse onkulam.EntitledLa curacion de los hechizados(The treatment and cure of the bewitched), this lesser-known work of Rizal explores the psychological treatment forkulamand even explained that witches were not always women who are old or ugly. He also discussed the difference betweenhiloanonof the Visayas, who gives poison to her victims, and themanggagaway,the traditional witch who uses rag doll and pins.

7. He experimented with drugsTo be fair, Rizal was NEVER a drug addict. However, that did not stop him from trying some for the sake of science. While just an 18-year-old, Rizal once usedhashishhe bought from a drugstore. At the time, the druga hallucinogen more potent than marijuanacould be easily bought over the counter along with cocaine, morphine and heroin.

However, Rizal later justified his use ofhashishin a letter he wrote to German scientist Adolf Bernhard Meyer, saying he just tried the drug for experimental purposes. Aside from hashish, Rizal was also known to use mustard plasters and sudorifics (drugs which cause sweating) to treat torticollis (stiff neck) when he was just a boy.

8. Rizal once had a run-in with a Chinese merchant and vowed never to buy anything from the Chinese again.According to Ocampo, Rizal was once involved in a lawsuit with a Chinesesari-saristore owner in 1895. It aggravated him so much that he told his mother he would never buy anything from the Chinese again. Interestingly enough, Rizal was also part Chinese.Rizal had another unfortunate run-in with thesari-saristore owner at the Dapitan Stocking Market of 1896. When a priest decreed that women should attend mass in shoes and stockings, women came in men's socks instead-bought for three reales a pair, presumably from the Chinese merchant. Rizal also wanted to cash in on the demand, and once he had his own stocks to sell (two dozens sent by his sister), the trend ended. The merchant had sold most of his while Rizal had, as Ocampo put it, nearly 10 years worth left.

9. One of his lovers,Suzanne from Belgium, called him a little bad boy.This is self-explanatory, considering how many women hes dated in his life.

10. Guillermo Tolentino, a Rizal historian, allegedly made spiritual contact with the National Hero, and according to him, Rizal did not like how Filipinos have abandoned their native tongue, as referenced by his earlier quote:Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika, daig pa ang hayop at malansang isda. (He who does not love his own language is worse than an animal and smelly fish). This is quite the irony, as Rizal knows and speaks more than 20 languages throughout his life.

11. Quite unusual for a man about to be executed, but his pulse proved to be normal when the Spanish surgeon general requested to take his pulse moments before Rizals execution.