Padre Damaso in our Midst
Jose Rizal wrote the novel, "Noli Me Tangere", in 1887 but its significance is undeniable in these trying times. Originally written in Spanish, the novel narrated the travails of the people under the Spanish friars and a foreign government. But the striking similarities of the characters with our current set of public officials have proven that the novel prophesied the hardships and injustices that the Filipinos would suffer under their own leaders (with the influence of a foreign power).
I should like to focus on Padre Damaso and its archetypes. Without a doubt, Padre Damaso or Damaso Verdoglasgas is an accurate prototype of abusive power. He is a friar or priest who is known for his sharp tongue and harsh rhetoric as well as his penchant for chattiness. As the story goes, he has been in the country for two decades and has fathered Maria Clara by raping her mother, Pia Alba. He considers the Indios as his servants which provides him an opportunity to treat them with disrespect and hatred. Undeniably, there are a number of men (and women) who embody his characteristics.
Who is Padre Damaso today? Your insight is as good as mine.
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