FRIAR BOTOD says a proverb; the day will come and woe to them.

Meanwhile, let us leave everything which prolongs

Graciano Lopez Jaena it.”
17
“This is horrible, worse than China, a thousand times
worse than Warsaw. Ah, let us leave these sad ideas,
1
“Who is Botod?” let us go near and see the rascally friar.”
18
2
“Look at him, there he goes, he is there in the Plaza, “Jesus, Jesus! How terrible, ho ugly! …He looks like
that plump friar who is talking with a woman beside a seal.”
19
the trunk of the almendre tree! Do you recognize “What a comparison friend!”
20
him?” “Yes, yes, a seal, a seal without whiskers.”
21
3
“No.” “Well said.”
22
4
“Look well towards the center of the plaza, look “Let us describe a seal—I mean a friar—so that the
across it, and fix your gaze on that small tower of whole world will know him.”
23
bamboo and nipa that is the belfry of the town. At the Like this.
24
stairs, also made of bamboo and nipa, grow various Friar Botod is not called so because it is his proper
luxuriant young almond trees, and beside the trunk of name nor his family name.
the largest trees and under its shade is Friar Botod,
25
talking angrily with a woman. Do you see him now?” Botod means big abdomen, fat belly. The town
5
“Yes, yes, I see him. He is a barbarian. How he nicknamed him so because of his immense paunch.
26
frowns! The girl is not bad: but by what I see, by his His baptismal name is Ano (anus) because he was
movements and grimaces, Friar Botod, the devil, has a born on St. Ann’s day; but he gets furious and very
bestial look. What do I see? Now he raises his stick angry when he is called Friar Ano, preferring that they
in a threatening manner.” call him Botod rather than Ano.
27
6
“He scares the girl so that she will grant him his It is then Friar Botod or Friar Ano Aragones, son of
wishes.” unknown parentage, who was found near the vicinity
7
“Will this rogue of a friar eat this girl?” of Eber by the stairs of the church of Pilar on a stormy
8
“He is capable of it. See the crowd of small boys who night by a certain mule driver who passed by that
are leaving the parochial school, naked, some from the place on his way from work.
28
waist down, others from the waist up, running towards He educated the boy as well as he could; he wanted to
his Reverence to kiss his hand. The surrounded friar teach the child his trade, but at the age of fourteen the
commands them in a scornful manner; the boys run boy ran away from the house of his aged foster father,
away frightened.” and after walking and walking, he arrived at
9
“But, look, look! The shameless friar has slapped the Valladolid, where he entered the convent of the
girl twice… Hmm… She falls down on her knees at Augustinian fathers.
29
his feet, looks as if she were asking his pardon. She Not quite twenty-one years of age, he was sent by his
kisses his hand. Poor girl. He leads her away… the superiors to the Philippines, to which he brought his
bad friar. What a brute, what a detestable person. But boorish ways.
30
you permit and suffer the same abuses against the He looked like a dead mosquito; but after being
honor of this weak person, victim of the brutal force ordained and singing his first mass, after five years in
of this cynical friar. the country, eating bananas and papayas and being
10
“We are hardened to this sight; it happens all the angry and being called a priest in a town as important
time.” as this, he came out of his shell. He changed
11
“But what does this religious devil do in God’s world? completely. He is a very valuable man.
31
He is the priest of this town.” He knows more than Lope, and he has more grammar
12
“A priest! A friar is a priest! I did not believe that the than Santillan.
32
friars are parish priest in the Philippines. They told There you get a sketch of the birth and novitiate of
me, and I never believed it.” Friar Botod and his stay during his first years in the
13
“then see it for yourself and be convinced.” Philippines.
33
14
In my country there came a time when we kicked [Lopez Jaena here describes the Physical appearance
them out.” of the friar and concludes that Friar Botod looks like
15
“There is no more reedy, my friend; you must give the a well-fed pig who eats, drinks, sleeps and thinks of
morcilla (black sausage) as you give it to dogs.” nothing but how to satisfy his carnal appetites.]
34
16
“All things come to an end and all debts must be paid, Look, he is leaving the convento (parochial house)
 51
again accompanied by that young girl who is sobbing Tilin, tilin, tilin—a loud sound of the bell is heard at
and crying bitterly. Friar Botod is petting her, the door of the convent.
52
consoling her, but she is insensible and indifferent “Open, boy.”
53
toward it all. She continues crying and being The boy brings into the gambling room an old man,
overcome by fear, obeys and follows the friar who walks slowly as if he had come from a long
automatically.” distance.
35 54
This time they don’t leave the convent alone; “Good evening, sir.”
55
following them are some young girls, very beautiful, “What do you want?”
56
very young; others are grown up already, but all are “Confession, sir.”
57
beautiful and well-dressed. He now enters an omnibus “Go and call the assistant, father Marcelino.”
58
to take them for a ride and a picnic.” “Not here, sir.”
36 59
“But who are these young girls and why does he have “What do you want?”
60
them in his convent, the Fray Botod?” “Confession, sir.”
37 61
“These are his canding-canding.” “Go and call the assistant, father Marcelino?”
38 62
“Who are these canding-canding?” “Not here, sir.”
39 63
“In the Spanish language canding means goats.” “What do you mean, not here?”
40 64
“If you don’t explain it to us more clearly I will not be “Father Marcelino, sir, is in the other confessional.”
65
able to unravel the story. Why does this devilish friar “Then wait for him.”
66
have in his power these innocent creatures and why “I cannot wait, sir.”
67
are these angelic-looking girls called little goats?” “Why can’t you wait, you rogue, you savage.”
41 68
They are called little goats simply because in time “Because the sick person, sir, is dying. He will die.”
69
when they mature… you hear it, do you understand “Then let him die and let him go to hell. I am not
now? He has them in his power because they come hearing confessions.”
70
from poor families. Under the pretext of educating “Sir, pity, pity, sir.”
71
them in the Christian doctrine, the Catechism, reading, “Go, tell him to make an Act of Contrition and I will
writing and other skills, he takes them from their give him absolution from her.”
72
homes, fooling the unfortunate parents, or even using “Sir, sir.”
73
force.” “Go rogue, do not bother me anymore. I am losing,
42
“But isn’t there a woman teacher in town?” damn Jack! Oh, brute, go. Boy, open the door for this
43
“Yes, but the woman is of the same tribe as Fray old man.”
74
Botod.” You can have a good idea here of how Fr. Botod
44
“This is unheard of! Horrible! But why don’t they regards his religion—
75
denounce this barbarity of Boboo or this lascivious He leaves a sick Christian who is asking for the last
friar to the government?” rites of the church to die without confession because
of a Jack of Clubs.
45 76
“There is nobody in town who wants to meddle. Oh! After the death.
77
The one who dares… “Sir, that one died.”
46 78
“I do not wonder because since I was born I have not “Well, and what?”
79
left this town but from what I have heard of the others, “The family wants, sir, that three priests get the corpse
it is not venturing too far to infer that this practice is from the house and a Requiem Mass be said for him.”
80
common. “Does the family of the dead person have much
47
“Wretch! What villainy! In that manner the young money?”
81
buds open up near the heartless, soulless, friar, having “No, just enough, sir, the family wants three priests.”
82
the same fate as that of the bayaderas of India.” “I will do it; but you can’t have three priests.”
48 83
[An explanation of the bayaderas of India follows. “The wife, sir, wants Father Marcelino to be the main
They are women kept by the Brahmins, supposedly for priest.”
84
religious reasons but actually for their own “No, I don’t like it. These things belong to me and do
gratification.] not concern the assistant at all.”
49 85
[For entertainment, Botod plays monte and burro with “But, sir…”
86
the town’s rich but he never loses. The indios let him “Nothing doing.”
87
win; otherwise he is in a bad mood.] “Well, sir, how much sir?”
50 88
How does his “Reverence” discharge his duties “One hundred and fifty pesos, second class funeral
towards his parishioners’ souls? with an old cape with silver.”
89 110
“Three priests, sir?” Fr. Botod does not utter a word against these diatribes,
90
“Three? It can’t be; I alone am worth three.” but after three days, the father assistant is called by
91
“Father Marcelino, sir, asks only fifty pesos for three the bishop and locked up in the Seminary.
111
priests, and a first class funeral.” The corpse is given a pompous funeral but the family
92
“You, with your assistant, can go to hell. You are has gone into debt.
112
talking to the wrong party. Father Marcelino is a [As host, he entertains visitors at the expense of the
scoundrel.” townspeople. As money lender, he lends money but
93
“Pardon, sir.” forces the tao to pay him back with cavans of rice, the
94
“Go bring the money. If you do not come with the price of which he dictates.]
113
money, your dead will not be buried. Do you How does he think and boast?
114
understand?” Preaching:
95 115
“Very well, sir, I will consult the family.” “Indios, laborers, we are all rich in Spain. There on
96
“Whom will you consult? No, bring the hundred fifty that soil of the Virgin, nobody is poor. We all wade in
pesos. If not, the corpse will rot in your house, and gold.”
116
you and your whole family will go to jail.” “Jesus, what a liar is this friar.”
97 117
“Sir (in a repentant tone), sir, he does not have much Botod continues.
118
money, sir, the dead person.” “We came here to these barbaric lands to conquer
98
“Go and ask the rest of the relatives to lend you souls for heaven, in order to be dear to our great
money.” Father San Agustin.”
99 119
“They don’t want to lend it, sir.” “Keep still, Manola,” exclaims a Spaniard who
100
“Go away, go away. Sell the dead man’s rice field and happens to hear this nonsense of Fr. Botod.
120
you will have money. Look for a loan company, you He continues the sermon.
121
idler. If not, I won’t bury your corpse.” “We have come to civilize you, serfs, indios, carabaos,
101
“Very well, sir.” and illiterates. You are all slaves of Spain, of Father
102
He kisses the hand of the priest and leaves the poor San Agustin. Do you understand? Amen.”
122
man. Three hours later, the assistant priest, knowing It is the first time that Fr. Botod has occupied the
the friar very well and that he will be the object of pulpit during his fifteen years of being a priest, and all
insults, arms himself with a strong drink and creates a he does is to hurl a lot of insults.
123
scandal. [He eats like a pig and is fond of pepper, luya and
103
With a glass of alcohol and tuba which he mixed well, other sexual stimulants.]
124
Father Marcelino goes straight to the convent. Between a Kastila and his “Reverence”:
104 125
The assistants of the secular order step themselves in “Father Botod, why don’t you educate, provide and
vices to the same extent as the friars themselves. The endow the town with good instruction?”
126
bad examples begin to spread. The Indian priests “It doesn’t suit me, countryman.”
127
follow the examples of their superiors, the friars. “Your mission is to instruct the country which you
They become as wicked as they, or worse. administer spiritually”
105 128
It is said then that Father Marcelino went to look for “Political reasons forbid us. The day when the Indio
Friar Botod, planning to hit the chubby-cheeked becomes educated and knows how to speak Spanish,
“Reverence” in the abdomen. we are lost.”
106 129
Father Botod, foreseeing that his assistant would be “Why, father?”
130
drunk and what he would do, ordered the boy to close “Because they will rebel against us and will fight the
the convent with an expressed order not to let the integrity [sic] of the country.”
131
assistant in. “I don’t believe it. You will be the ones who will lose
107
Father Marcelino, doubly irritated by this measure, your substance and easily get gains, but Spain…”
132
shouts loudly at the door of the convent, shocking the “But why, are we not the same Spain? Go, go, go!
people. The interest of the friars is the interest of Spain. We
108
“Come down, come down, Botod, if you are not afraid, cannot go back to the old ways.”
133
friar without shame, you filthy, stingy vile, bad man, How does the friar punish?
134
see, see what I will do. I will break your neck! Barbarously.
135
Animal! Friar, coward, you do not have a bit of Because a man did not work three days in the
shame.” hacienda, he deprived him of salary and gave the
109
Similar insults and others spurt out of that mouth, unhappy laborer fifty lashes on his bare buttocks.
36
smelling of alcohol andtuba. See it:
137
“Oy, tao, why didn’t you come to work for three
days?”
138
“My wife is sick, sir.”
139
“Oy, boy.”
140
“Sir.”
141
“The bench and the whip, ala, ala, hapa, hapa (stretch
him out, stretch him out).”
142
“Sir, sir, my wife is sick, my wife is sick!”
143
“You lie; ala, hapa!”
144
The poor unfortunate lies down flat keeping his mouth
above the bench. Fray Botod at the same time takes
off the man’s pants and his underwear, tying his head
and feet to the bench.
145
“And you, sacristan, get the whip and give him fifty
lashes.”
146
You should know that the punishment is in three
measures, that is, that it is not fifty but one hundred
fifty lashes.
147
What brutality!
148
“Enough sir, enough sir, aruy, aruy, aruy! It hurts, sir,
enough, sir, enough!”
149
“Keep quiet, brute, animal. Boy bring the hot
peppered vinegar.”
150
Over the body lacerated from the lashes, the inhuman
friar pours the vinegar with the pepper in it, rubbing
the vinegar and making the unfortunate man see stars.
151
“Compassion, compassion sir, enough, Padre, aruy,
aruy, aruy!”
152
The poor laborer is doubling up because of the pain,
trying to untie himself.
153
After such a cruel operation, the sacristan applies the
rest of the lashes until he completes the fifty.

154
Terrible moments! The man doubles up again, a
nervous spasm chokes him—groans, moans die out in
his throat.
155
The friar in his cruelty is amusing himself, laughing
like a fool. Meet the Writer
156
Sad reflections of the past Inquisition! Fr. Botod is
GRACIANO LÓPEZ Y JAENA (December 18, 1856 -
worse than a hyena.
January 20, 1896), was a Filipino writer and journalist in
the Philippine Revolution. He was recognized as the
"Prince of Filipino Orators" who wrote great and striking
articles in the infamous newspaper La Solidaridad in
(1874) Barcelona, Spain. López Jaena was born in Jaro, Iloilo
to Placido López and María Jacoba Jaena. His parents
were poor; his mother was a seamstress and his father a
general repairman. At the age of six, López Jaena was
placed under the care of Friar Francisco Jayme who
raised him.
His parents sent López Jaena to the Seminario de San (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graciano_Lopez_Jaena)
Vicente Ferrer in Jaro which had been opened under the Ang Tanda
administration of Governor General Carlos María de la
Torre. He was appointed to the San Juan de Dios Hospital Dasalan at Tocsohan - Marcelo H. Del Pilar
as an apprentice. Unfortunately, due to financial
problems, his parents could not afford to keep him in
Manila. He returned to Iloilo and practiced medicine in Ang tanda nang cara- i- cruz ang ipangadya mo sa amin
communities. Panginoon naming Fraile sa manga bangkay naming, sa
ngalan nang Salapi at nang Maputing binte, at nang
During this period, his visits with the poor and the Espiritung Bugaw. Siya naua.
common people began to stir feelings about the injustices
that were common. At the age of 18 he wrote the satirical Pagsisisi
story "Fray Botod" which depicted a fat and lecherous Panginoon kong Fraile, Dios na hindi totoo at labis
priest. Botod’s false piety "always had the Virgin and nang pagkatuo gumaga at sumalacay sa akin:
God on his lips no matter how unjust and underhanded pinagsisihan kong masakit sa tanang loobang dilang
his acts are." This naturally incurred the fury of the friars pag-asa lo sa iyo, ikaw nga ang berdugo ko. Panginoon
who knew that the story depicted them. Although it was ko at kaauay ko na inihihibic kong lalo sa lahat,
not published a copy circulated in the region but the nagtitica akong matibay na matibay na dina muli-muling
Friars could not prove that López Jaena was the author. mabubuyo sa iyo: at lalayuan ko na at pangingilagan
However he got into trouble for refusing to testify that ang balanang makababacla nang loob ko sa pag-asa sa
certain prisoners died of natural causes when it was iyo, macalilibat nang dating sakit nang manga bulsa ko,
obvious that they had died at the hands of the mayor of at nagtitica naman acong maglalathala nang dilang
Pototan. López Jaena continued to agitate for justice and pagcadaya ko umaasa akong babambuhin ka rin, alang-
finally went to Spain when threats were made on his life. alang sa mahal na panyion at pangangalakal mo nang
Cruz, sa pagulol sa akin. Siya naua.;
López Jaena sailed for Spain in 1879. There he was to
become a leading literary and oratorical spokesman for Ang Amain Namin
the Philippine reformal issues. Philippine historians
regard López Jaena, along with Marcelo H. del Pilar and Amain naming sumasaconvento ka, sumpain ang ngalan
José P. Rizal, as the triumvirate of Filipino propagandists. mo, malayo sa amin ang kasakiman mo, quitlin ang liig
Of these three Ilustrados, López Jaena was the first to mo ditto sa lupa para nang sa langit. Saulan mo cami
arrive and may have founded the genesis of the ngayon nang aming kaning iyonh inaraoarao at
Propaganda movement. patauanin mo kami sa iyong pagungal para nang pag
papataua mo kung kami nacucualtahan; at huag mo
López Jaena pursued his medical studies at the kaming ipahintulot sa iyong manunukso at iadya mo
University of Valencia but did not finish the course. Once kami sa masama mong dila.
Rizal approached Lopéz Jaena for not finishing his
medical studies. Graciano replied, "On the shoulders of Ang Aba Guinoong Baria
slaves should not rest a doctor's cape." Rizal
countermanded, "The shoulders do not honor the doctor's Aba guinoong Baria nakapupuno ka nang alcancia ang
cape, but the doctor's cape honors the shoulders." Fraile'I sumasainyo bukod ka niyang pinagpala't pina
higuit sa lahat, pinagpala naman ang kaban mong
Rizal noted, "His great love is politics and literature. I do mapasok. Santa Baria Ina nand Deretsos, ipanalangin mo
not know for sure whether he loves politics in order to kaming huag anitan ngayon at cami ipapatay. Siya naua.
deliver speeches or he loves literature to be a politician."
In addition he is remembered for his literary
contributions to the propaganda movement. López Jaena Ang Aba Po Santa Baria
founded the fortnightly newspaper, La Solidaridad. When
the publication office moved from Barcelona to Madrid, Aba po Santa Bariang Hari, inagao nang Fraile, ikao ang
the editorship was succeeded to Marcelo H. del Pilar. kabuhayan at katamisan. Aba bunga nang aming pauis,
ikaw ang pinagpaguran naming pinapanaw na tauong
López Jaena died of tuberculosis on January 20, 1896, Anac ni Eva, ikaw nga ang ipinagbubuntonh hininga
eleven months short of his 40th birthday. naming sa aming pagtangis dito sa bayang
pinakahapishapis. Ay aba pinakahanaphanap naming para (maybahay ni Deodato Arellano), Valentin at Maria.
sa aming manga anak, ilingon mo sa aming ang cara- i Ang tunay na apelyido ng pamilya ay "Hilario". Ginamit
cruz mo man lamang at saka bago matapos ang nila ang apelyidong "del Pilar" alinsunod sa kautusan ni
pagpanaw mo sa amin ay iparinig mo sa amin ang iyong Gobernador Heneral Narciso Claveria noong 1849.
kalasing Santa Baria ina nang deretsos, malakas at
maalam, matunog na guinto kami ipanalangin mong huag Noong Pebrero 1878, pinakasalan ni Marcelo ang
magpatuloy sa aming ang manga banta nang Fraile. pinsang niyang si Marciana (kilala sa bansag na
Amen. Tsanay/Chanay).[6] Sila ay may pitong anak, isang lalaki
at anim na babae: Sofía, José, María, Rosario, María
Ang Manga Utos Nang Fraile Consolación, María Concepcion, and Aníta. Si Sofia at
Anita lamang ang lumaki (ang lima ay namatay noong
Ang manga utos nang Fraile ay sampo: Ang nauna: kabataan nila).
Sambahin mo ang Fraile na lalo sa lahat. Ang ikalaua:
Huag kang mag papahamak manuba nang ngalang Sa murang edad ay natuto si del Pilar mag biyulin, mag
deretsos. Ang ikatlo: Mangilin ka sa Fraile lingo man at piyano, at mag plawta.[7] Magaling din siya sa larong
fiesta. Ang ikapat: Isangla mo ang catauan mo sa arnis. Kapag panahon ng Flores de Mayo ay tumutugtog
pagpapalibing sa ama't ina, Ang ikalima: Huag kang siya ng biyulin. Kumakanta din siya sa mga harana
mamamatay kung uala pang salaping pang libing. Ang (serenata).[8]
ikanim: Huag kang makiapid sa kanyang asaua. Ang
ikapito: Huag kang makinakaw. Anh ikaualo: Huag mo Ang tiyuhing si Alejo ang nanging unang guro ni
silang pagbibintangan, kahit ka masinungalingan. Ang Marcelo. Kumuha siya ng kursong Latin sa kolehiyong
ikasiyam: Huag mong ipagkait ang iyong asaua. Ang paaralan ni Ginoong Hermenigildo Flores. Lumipat siya
ikapulo: Huag mong itangui ang iyong ari. Itong sa Colegio de San Jose at doon ay tinamo ang Bachiller
sampong utos nang Fraile'I dalaua ang kinaoouian. Ang en Artes (Bachelor of Arts).[9]
isa: Sambahin mo ang Fraile lalo sa lahat. Ang ikalaua: Ipinagpatuloy ni Marcelo ang pag-aaral sa Unibersidad
Ihayin mo naman sa kaniya ang puri mo't kayamanan. ng Santo Tomas. Kumuha siya ng kursong abogasya.
Siya naua. Nasuspinde siya sa paaralan nang makipagtalo siya sa
kura ng San Miguel ukol sa bayad sa binyag.[5]
Ipinagpatuloy niya ang kanyang pag-aaral noong 1878.[6]
Ang manga kabohongang asal, ang pangala'i tontogales Natapos niya ang kurso noong 1880.[10]
ay tatlo.
Noong 1 Hulyo 1882, itinatag niya ang Diariong
Tagalog (ayon kay Wenceslao Retana, isang Kastilang
manunulat, ang unang labas ay inilathala noong 1 Hunyo
Igalang mo Katakutan mo Ang Fraile At Pag Manuhan
1882) kung saan binatikos niya ang pang-aabuso ng mga
mo
prayle at kalupitan ng pamahalaan.[5]
iMarcelo Hilario del Pilar y Gatmaitan (30 Agosto Noong 1885, hinimok ni del Pilar ang mga cabeza de
1850 - 4 Hulyo 1896), kilala rin bilang ang "Dakilang barangay (kapitan ng barangay) ng Malolos na tutulan
Propagandista", ay isang ilustrado noong panahon ng ang kautusan ng pamahalaan na nagbibigay ng
Espanyol. Ang kanyang pangalan sa dyaryo ay Plaridel. kapangyarihan sa mga prayle na baguhin ang talaan ng
[1]
Pinalitan niya si Graciano López Jaena bilang patnugot mga nagbabayad ng buwis.
ng La Solidaridad. Sa talaan ng mga prayle ay lumalabas na mayroong
tatlong libo katao ang dapat magbayad ng buwis.
Mayaman ang mga magulang ni Marcelo. Marami silang Kasama sa talaan ang mga taong namatay na, lampas na
palaisdaan at sakahan.[3] Si Julian Hilario del Pilar, ang sa edad o lumipat na ng ibang lugar. Ang mga cabeza de
kanyang ama, ay tatlong beses na naging barangay ay napilitang magpaluwal ng dapat ibayad sa
gobernadorcillo.[4] Naglingkod din si Julian bilang oficial mga taong patay na o wala na doon.
de mesa ng alkalde mayor. Ang ina ni Marcelo ay si
Blasa Gatmaitan. Kilala si Blasa sa bansag na Blasica.[4] Noong 1887, sa hikayat ni del Pilar, ay isinumbong ni
Manuel Crisóstomo, ang gobernadorcillo ng Malolos,
Pang-siyam sa sampung magkakapatid, ang mga kapatid ang dalawang prayleng lumabag sa batas kontra sa
ni Marcelo ay sina: Toribio (paring ipinatapon sa Guam paglantad ng mga patay sa loob ng simbahan. Ito ay
noong 1872),[5] Fernando (ama ni heneral Gregorio del isinabatas ni Benigno Quiroga y López Ballesteros, ang
Pilar), Andrea, Dorotea, Estanislao, Juan, Hilaria patnugot ng pangasiwaang sibil. Dahil sa sumbong na ito
ay inaresto ni gobernador Manuel Gómez Florio ng Katulad ni Andrés Bonifacio, naniwala siya sa
Malolos ang nasabing mga prayle. paghihimagsik. Dahil dito, nagpasya siyang umuwi ng
Tinuligsa ni del Pilar noong taong din yon ang kura Pilipinas upang tumulong kay Bonifacio. Sa Barcelona
paroko ng Binondo dahil sa paglalaan ng piling upuan sa ay nagkasakit siya ng tuberkulosis. Malubha man ang
loob ng simbahan. Ang prayle ay naglaan ng pangit na kalagayan ay tinangka pa rin niya na magtungo sa Hong
upuan sa mga Pilipino at magandang upuan sa mga Kong upang doon man lang ay mapakilos niya ang
mestisong Kastila. kanyang mga kababayan. Ito ay hindi na niya naisagawa
sapagkat namatay siya sa isang maliit na ospital sa
Nagkaroon ng demonstrasyon laban sa mga prayle noong Barcelona, Espanya noong 4 Hulyo 1896 sa gulang na
1 Marso 1888.[7] Ang demonstrasyon ay isinagawa nila 45.[14]
Doroteo Cortés at José A. Ramos. Sumulat si del Pilar ng
isang manipesto na pinamagatang Viva España! Viva el
Rey! Viva el Ejército! Fuera los Frailes! (Mabuhay ang
Espanya! Mabuhay ang Hari! Mabuhay ang mga Hukbo!
Palayasin ang mga Prayle!). Ang pahayag na ito ay
iniharap sa gobernador ng Maynila na si José Centeno.
Ito ay nilagdaan ng 810 na katao.
Noong taong din yon ay binatikos ng Agustinong si José
Rodriguez ang Noli Me Tángere ni Rizal. Sumulat siya
ng polyeto na pinamagatang ¡Caiñgat Cayo!: Sa mañga
masasamang libro,t, casulatan. Binalaan ng prayle ang
mga Pilipino na huwag basahin ang Noli. Noong 3
Agosto 1888 ay sumulat si del Pilar ng polyeto na
pinamagatang Caiigat Cayo. Ito ay sagot sa polyeto ni
Padre Rodriguez.
Noong 12 Enero 1889, pinanguluhan ni del Pilar ang
pangkat pampolitika ng Asociación Hispano-Filipina
(Ang Samahang Kastila-Pilipino), isang samahang
pambayan na binubuo ng mga Pilipinong propagandista
at mga kaibigang Kastila sa Madrid upang manawagan sa
pagkakaroon ng pagbabago sa Pilipinas. Noong 15
Disyembre 1889, pinalitan niya si Lopez Jaena bilang
patnugot ng La Solidaridad, isang pahayagang
pampolitika na inilathala minsan tuwing ikalawang
linggo na siyang nagsilbi bilang tinig ng Kilusang
Propaganda.[2] Naglathala siya ng mga liberal at
progresibong artikulo na nagbunyag sa kalagayan ng
Pilipinas.
Huling taon at kamatayan[baguhin | baguhin ang
batayan]
Labis na naghirap si del Pilar sa pagpapalimbag ng La
Solidaridad. May panahong hindi siya kumakain at may
panahong hindi narin natutulog ang manunulat. Upang
makalimutan ang gutom, may panahong namumulot siya
ng upos na sigarilyo sa mga daan.[13] Ang pondo para sa
pag-papalimbag ng pahayagan ay paubos na. Malaking
suliranin sa kanya ang walang tulong pinansiyal na
dumarating mula sa Pilipinas dahilan kung bakit huminto
ang paglalathala ng pahayagan noong 15 Nobyembre
1895 sanhi ng kakulangan sa pondo.[2] Kahit gaano ang
hirap na dinadanas niya, nagpatuloy pa rin siya sa
pagsusulat para sa ikalalaya ng Pilipinas.