Name: Sibyla
Sex: M
Race: Spanish
Occupation: Vice-Rector of UST
Aliases: Vice-Rector
Affiliations: University of Santo Tomas
Background
Padre Sibyla’s past is not mentioned. He is currently serving as the Vice-Rector of University of Santo Tomas.
Story
Chapter 1: Padre Sibyla is seen together with the other priests on the deck of Steamship Tabo.
Chapter 2: While talking about the petition for the Academy for Spanish, Capitan Basilio tells Isagani and Basilio that Padre Sibyla opposes it. Isagani says it does not matter if he does.
Chapter 3: Padre Sibyla rants that his tenants have been complaining, but Padre Camorra tells him he doesn’t whine even when Indios try to haggle for lower rates. People in the group take turns telling stories about the river, and Padre Sibyla is the first to do so by telling the rest about the Cave of Dona Geronimo. He claims everyone knows the tale but no one in the group is familiar with it.
Later, when Ben Zayb asks the skipper which part of the lake Ibarra was killed in. Padre Sibyla comments that Ibarra’s body joined that of his father, who was a subversive/”filibustero”.
Chapter 11: Padre Sibyla is in Capitan General’s house in Los Banos, playing tresillo in the sala with Padre Irene, Padre Camorra and Capitan General. Padre Sibyla is purposely losing in order to win the Capitan General’s favor. When Padre Camorra quits, Padre Sibyla asks Padre Fernandez to play with them.
They invite Simoun to play and Simoun asks the priests to bet acts of charity, prayers and virtues instead of tokens. Padre Sibyla protests, saying virtues are not objects that can be given away. Later, it is revealed that Padre Sibyla is opposed to the petition for the Academy for Spanish.
When the secretary asks Capitan General to decide on how to handle the schoolmaster of Tiani asking for a better schoolhouse, Padre Sibyla dismisses it and says that anyone who wants to teach can teach anywhere.
The group discusses the petition for the Academy for Spanish and Padre Sibyla insults it, calling at an assault and a rebellion. He says that the matter isn’t about teaching Spanish, but rather that if the students get their way, then they will claim to have defeated the school. Later, when Padre Fernandez says that they all should be more like the Jesuits, Padre Sibyla reacts badly.
Chapter 14: Macaraig tells his fellow students what Padre Irene said happened in Los Banos, and mentions Padre Sibyla as one of the many people who opposed the petition.
Chapter 15: Senor Pasta is aware of what happened in Los Banos, and remembers that Padre Sibyla wanted more time for the decision to be made, so he suggested reviving the Superior Commission.
Chapter 19: Placido Penitente is walking when he sees a carriage with Padre Sibyla and Don Custodio inside. Placido Penitente has the urge to throw Padre Sibyla into the water.
Chapter 25: While the students are having dinner at the panciteria, they make fun of the priests and eventually a student tells everyone that they are being watched by a spy. The student refers to the spy as “the favorite of Padre Sibyla”. Macaraig calls the spy “the slave of the Vice-Rector”.
Chapter 28: Padre Sibyla is mentioned when after the poster incident, there are rumors that Capitan General held a meeting with the Provincials, with Padre Sibyla also attending.
Physical Description
Padre Sibyla’s appearance is not described in El Filibusterismo (El Fili).
Personality
As. Vice-rector of UST, Padre Sibyla is extremely religious and conservative. Most of his decisions are influenced by his loyalty to the school and because of this, his choices conflict with the students and with priests of different orders. He looks down on almost everyone, and often complains about his tenants, the students and other Indios. He is resentful of the Jesuits (Chapter 11) and views Dominicans as superior to them.
Skills
Cunning
Padre Sibyla often uses his position as Vice-rector to his advantage. He manages to convince Capitan General to revive the Superior Commission to delay the petition for the Academy for Spanish (Chapter 15), and when the students have dinner to celebrate the results, he sends a spy to watch them. It is not confirmed, however, if Padre Sibyla is the one responsible for the poster incident.
Relationships
See Relationships of Padre Sibyla
Beliefs
On Education
“He who wants to teach teaches everywhere, in the open air: Socrates taught in the public plazas, Plato in the gardens of the academy, and Christ in the mountains and lakes.” (Padre Sibyla, Chapter 11)
Even though he is Vice-rector of a University, Padre Sibyla believes that the location does not matter when it comes to teaching, and that good facilities are not necessary because in the past, historical figures did not teach in schools.
On Hispanization
Padre Sibyla is very much against the Petition for the Academy for Spanish because he thinks it is an act of rebellion by the students. Padre Sibyla believes that if the students get their way, then they will “win” against the school.
Trivia
- Padre Sibyla is often referred to not by his name but by the title of “Vice-Rector”
Quotes
“You would know, Sir [Simoun], that the virtues one may possess are not like diamonds that can be passed from hand to hand, or sold and resold… They reside in one’s being, are attributes inherent in the subject…” (Chapter 11)
