The protagonist of El filibusterismo is a jeweler named simoun.

He is the new identity of Crisostomo

Ibarra who in the prequel Noli, escaped from pursuing soldiers. It is revealed that Crisostomo dug up his
buried treasures and fled to cuba, becoming richer and be friending Spanish officials. After many years,
the newly fashioned simoun returns to the Philippines where he is able to freely moved around he is a
powerful figure not only because of his wealth but also because he is a good friend and adviser of the
governor general.

Outwardly, simoun is a friend of Spain; however, in a secret, he is plotting a terrible revenged against
the Spanish authorities. His two obsessions are to rescue his paramour maria clara from the nunnery of
santa clara and to foment a Philippine revolution against Spain.

The story of el filibusterismo begins on board a steamer ship sailing up the pasig river from manila to
laguna de bay. Among the passengers are simoun, Dona Victorina, a pro native Spanish woman who is
going to laguna in search of her henpecked husband, tiburcio de espadana, who has deserted her,
Paulita Gomez, her beautiful niece; Ben-zayb (anagram of Ibanez), a Spanish journalist who writes silly
articles about the filipinos; padre sibyla, vice-rector of the university of santo tomas; Padre Camora, the
parish priest of the town of tiani; Don Custodio, a pro Spanish Filipino holding a position in the
government; padre salvi, thin Franciscan friar and former cura of san diego; padre Irene, a kind of friar
who was the friend of the Filipino students; padre Florentino a retired scholarly and patriotic Filipino
priest; Isagani a poet nephew of padre Florentino and a lover of Paulita, and Basilio son of Sisa and
promising medical student, whose medical education is financed by his patron capitan Tiago.

A man of wealth and mystery, Simoun is a very close friend and confidante of the Spanish governor
general. Because of his great influence in Malacañang, he was called the “ brown cardinal” or the “ black
Eminence”. By using his wealth and political influence, he encourages corruption in the government,
promotes the oppression of the masses, and hastens the moral degradation of the country so that the
people may become desperate and fight. He smuggles arms into the country with the help of the rich
Chinese merchants, Quiroga who aspires to be Chinese consul of manila. His first attempt to begin the
armed apprising did not materialized because at the last hour he hears the sad news that maria clara
died in the nunnery. In his agonizing moment of bereavement, he did not give the signal for the
outbreak of hostilities.
The protagonist of El filibusterismo is a jeweler named simoun, he is the new identity of Crisostomo
Ibarra who in the prequel Noli, escaped from pursuing soldiers. . It is revealed that Crisostomo dug up
his buried treasures and fled to cuba, After many years, the newly fashioned simoun returns to the
Philippines where he is able to freely moved around. Because around he is a powerful figure not only
because of his wealth but also because he is a good friend and adviser of the governor general.

The French writer Victor Hugo de Ribery describes the character of simoun, or Simon de la Plata, as a
man with two obsessions: rescue his paramour maria clara from a nunnery and to foment a revolution
against Spain. Outwardly, simoun is a friend of Spain; however, in a secret, he is plotting a terrible
revenged against the Spanish authorities. His two obsessions are to rescue his paramour maria clara
from the nunnery of santa clara and to foment a Philippine revolution against Spain.

The story of el filibusterismo begins on board a steamer ship sailing up the pasig river from manila to
laguna de bay. Among the passengers are simoun, Dona Victorina, a pro native Spanish woman who is
going to laguna in search of her henpecked husband, tiburcio de espadana, who has deserted her,
Paulita Gomez, her beautiful niece; Ben-zayb (anagram of Ibanez), a Spanish journalist who writes silly
articles about the filipinos; padre sibyla, vice-rector of the university of santo tomas; Padre Camora, the
parish priest of the town of tiani; Don Custodio, a pro Spanish Filipino holding a position in the
government; padre salvi, thin Franciscan friar and former cura of san diego; padre Irene, a kind of friar
who was the friend of the Filipino students; padre Florentino a retired scholarly and patriotic Filipino
priest; Isagani a poet nephew of padre Florentino and a lover of Paulita, and Basilio son of Sisa and
promising medical student, whose medical education is financed by his patron capitan Tiago.

He encourages corruption in the government, promotes the oppression of the masses, and hastens the
moral degradation of the country. He smuggles arms into the country with the help of rich Chinese
merchants, Quiroga who aspires to be Chinese consul of manila. His first attempt to begin the armed
apprising did not materialize because at the last hour he hears the sad news that maria clara died in the
nunnery. Simoun is a man of wealth and mystery, close friend and confidante of the Spanish governor
general. Because of his great influence in Malacañang, that is why he was called the " brown cardinal" or
the " black Eminence".