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NUEVA ECIJA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND

San Isidro Campus, San Isidro, Nueva Ecija, Philippines
ISO 9001:2015 CERTIFIED

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
The Characters

SIMOUN – The continuation of the character of Crisostomo Ibarra disguised as a wealthy jeweler, bent on

starting a revolution. Using his wealth, he encouraged the people who experienced abuse to join him in his

rebellion against the church and the government.

BASILIO- Sisa’s son and was adopted by Kapitan Tiago, boyfriend of Juli and an aspiring doctor.

ISAGANI- poet and Basilio’s best friend; portrayed as emotional and reactive student leader; PAULITA

GÓMEZ- boyfriend before being dumped for fellow student Juanito Pelaez.

KABESANG TALES- a former Cabeza de Barangay (Barangay Head) who was known as a Luzon bandit

Matanglawin.

DON CUSTODIO- a famous “journalist” who was asked by the students about his decision for the Academia de

Castellano. In reality, he was quite an ordinary fellow who married a rich woman in order to be a member of

Manila’s high society.

PAULITA GOMEZ- The girlfriend of Isagani and the niece of Doña Victorina, the old India who passing (racial

identity) passes herself off as a Peninsulares. In the end, she and JUANITO PELÁEZ- were wed, and she

dumped Isagani, believing that she will have no future if she marries him.

FATHER FLORENTINO- Isagani’s godfather, and a secular priest; was engaged to be married but chose to be

a priest after being pressured by his mother, the story hinting at the ambivalence of his decision as he chose an

assignment to a remote place, living in solitude near the sea.

JULI- Juliana de Dios, the girlfriend of Basilio, and the youngest daughter of Kabesang Tales.

BEN ZAYB- Abraham Ibañez is his real name. He is a journalist who thought he was the “only” one thinking in

the Philippines.

PLACIDO PENITENTE- a student of the University of Santo Tomas who was very intelligent and wise but did

not want, if not only by his mother’s plea, to pursue his studies.

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NUEVA ECIJA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND
San Isidro Campus, San Isidro, Nueva Ecija, Philippines
ISO 9001:2015 CERTIFIED

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

QUIROGA- a Chinese businessman who dreamt of being a consul of a “Consulate of China” in the Philippines.

He kept Simoun’s weapons inside his house.

TANDANG SELO- Father of Kabesang Tales. He raised the sick and young Basilio after his mother Sisa had

died.

FATHER FERNANDEZ- the priest-friend of Isagani. He promised Isagani that he and the other priests will give

in to the students’ demands.

ATTORNEY PASTA- one of the great lawyers of mid-Hispanic Manila.

CAPTAIN-GENERAL- (no specific name) the powerful highest official in the Philippines.

PADRE SIBYLA- Hernando de la Sibyla, a Filipino friar and now vice-rector of the University of Santo Tomas.

SYNOPSIS OF EL FILIBUSTERISMO

The story in El Filibusterismo revolves around its main character Simoun who is an affluent jeweler. Simoun is

actually Crisostomo Ibarra of the Noli whom everyone thought had been killed by the Guardia Civil at Laguna de

Bay. He had escaped, fled to Cuba, become wealthy, and made connections with influential Spanish officials.

Upon his return to the Philippines after many years, he becomes very influential as the governor general, who

owes so much to him, consults him in making decisions.

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In reality however, everything Simoun does is just part of his grand plan to take revenge against the Spanish

officials and rescue Maria Clara from the convent. Planning to stage a revolution, he smuggles arms and looks for

followers, mainly from the exploited and abused natives.

One of his recruits is Basilio, the son of Sisa, who with Capitan Tiago’s help was able to study in Manila. Simoun

also makes an alliance with the revolutionary group of Kabesang Tales, a former ‘cabeza de barangay’ who

suffered maltreatments from the hands of the friars. Using his influence, Simoun encourages corruption,

decadence, and more oppressive government policies so that the citizens may become more infuriated. However,

one night, the planned revolt was not carried out because Simoun, upon hearing that Maria Clara died in the

nunnery, decided not to give the signal for the outbreak of the uprising.

Another plan was made some months later. At the venue of the wedding reception of Juanito Pelaez and Paulita

Gomez, Simoun planted many explosives-enough to kill the invited guests, primarily the friars and government

officials. According to the plot, the big explosion shall be started by the gift he would give to the newlyweds at

the reception-a kerosene lamp with an explosive. When the lamp flickers and someone turns the wick, it will

result into a big explosion that will become a signal to the revolutionary troops to simultaneously attack all the

government buildings in Manila.

During the reception, Simoun gives his gift to the newly- weds. Before hurriedly leaving the venue, he leaves a

piece of mysterious paper bearing the message “You will die tonight” signed by Juan Crisostomo Ibarra.

Meanwhile, Isagani, the rejected lover of Paulita, is standing outside the reception. His friend Basilio tells him to

leave the place because the lamp will soon blow up.

When Father Salvi identifies the handwriting in the note and confirms that it was indeed Ibarra’s, the guests begin

to panic. When the lamp flickers, Father Irene tries to turn the wick up. But Isagani, wanting to save Paulita’s life,

rushes into the house, grabs the lamp, and throws it into the river where it explodes.

Simoun’s revolutionary plot was discovered and he’s hunted by the Guardia Civil. He managed to escape but was

seriously wounded. Carrying his jewelry chest, he finds shelter in the home of Padre Florentino. Learning of his

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 Republic of the Philippines
NUEVA ECIJA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND
San Isidro Campus, San Isidro, Nueva Ecija, Philippines
ISO 9001:2015 CERTIFIED
presence in the house of the priest,COLLEGE
the lieutenant ofOF
the Guardia Civil informs Padre Florentino that he will come
EDUCATION
in the evening to arrest Simoun.

Simoun then takes poison that he would not be caught alive. As the poison’s effects start to take toll on his body,

he confesses to Florentino his true identity and his of revenge through bloody revolution. After the emotional and

agonizing confession of the dying man, the priest absolves the dying man from his sins, saying: “God will forgive

you Señor Simoun.” He knows that we are fallible. He has seen that you have suffered… He has frustrated your

plans one by one… first by the death of Maria Clara, then by a lack of preparation, then in some mysterious way.

Let us bow to His will and render Him thanks!”

The story ends with the priest throwing Simoun’s treasures into the sea so that they would not be used by the

greedy. The priest hopes that when the right time comes, they would be recovered and used only for the good.

-The End of the Story

Reference

Marvin Cabañero. (2021, May 4). EL FILIBUSTERISMO (Characters and Summary) [Video]. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8c1lAytCpk

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