is proud and naive, and tends to put himself on the spot when his ideals are affronted. His unrestrained idealism and poeticism clash with the more practical and mundane concerns of his girlfriend, Paulita Gómez. When Isagani allows himself to be arrested after their association is outlawed, Paulita leaves him for Juanito Peláez. In his final mention in the novel, he was bidding goodbye to his landlords, the Orenda family, to stay with Florentino permanently. Father Florentino – Isagani's uncle and a retired priest. Florentino was the son of a wealthy and influential Manila family. He entered the priesthood at the insistence of his mother. As a result he had to break an affair with a woman he loved, and in despair devoted himself instead to his parish. When the 1872 Cavite mutiny broke out, he promptly resigned from the priesthood, fearful of drawing unwanted attention. An indio (native), Florentino belonged to the secular clergy (unaffiliated with the Catholic religious orders), yet his parish drew in huge income. He retired to his family's large estate along the shores of the Pacific. He is described as white-haired, with a quiet, serene personality and a strong build. He did not smoke or drink. He was well respected by his peers, even by Spanish friars and officials. Father Fernández – a Dominican who was a friend of Isagani. Following the incident with the posters, he invited Isagani to a dialogue, not so much as a teacher with his student but as a friar with a Filipino. Although they failed to resolve their differences, they each promised to approach their colleagues with the opposing views from the other party – although both feared that given the animosity that existed between their sides, their own compatriots may not believe in the other party's existence. Capitán Tiago – Don Santiago de los Santos. María Clara's father. Having several landholdings in Pampanga, Binondo, and Laguna, as well as taking ownership of the Ibarras' vast estate, Tiago still fell into depression following María's entry into the convent. He alleviated this by smoking opium, which quickly became an uncontrolled vice, exacerbated by his association with Padre Írene who regularly supplied him with the substance. Tiago hired Basilio as a capista, a servant who given the opportunity to study as part of his wages; Basilio eventually pursued medicine and became his caregiver and the manager of his estate. Tiago died