Astillo, Queenie Amor B.

March 25, 2019

BS Management IV PI 100 B | MTh 1:30PM - 3:00PM

Reflection Paper: Heretic and Filibuster

Noli Me Tangere, Chapter 4

On the way to the town of San Diego, a cochero endures abuse and maltreatment from the
Guardia Civil. He is hit with a rifle buttwhen he tells them he has forgotten to bring his cedula
with him. He is detained and beaten up again when the light of his carromatagoes out.
Basilio arrives at San Diego and, after making his way to Capitan Tiago's house, he receives
the news that Cabesang Tales hasbeen abducted by bandits

Sinong says this after having suffered much abuse from the civil guards. He says that
Matusalem could not have reached such a ripe old age if there were civil guards to make
anyone plead death over such unjust painful treatment.

This story was spread by the Spaniards. Bernardo Carpio is a fictional character derived
from a popular tale in Mexico, who came to the Philippines as a character in a song, and as
the years went by became known as a local character and identified as king of the natives.
The Spaniards trapped him under a huge mountain, and for years he has freed himself little
by little. It is said that during the time of Sinong, only Carpio's right leg remained trapped.
The moment Bernardo Carpio is finally free, the Filipinos believe that he will be the one to
lead them in rebellion against the Spaniards. Because of this story that was engraved into
the minds of the natives by the Spanish, the Filipinos lose their will to hope and fight for
freedom because they believe that only until Bernardo Carpio is free can they stand a
chance against the foreign rule.