Ang Paglilitis ni
Mang Serapio
SYPNOSIS
Ang Paglilitis ni Mang Serapio is a play
written by Paul Arvisu Dumol, currently an Economics
professor at the University of Asia and the Pacific, during
his high school years at Ateneo de Manila University. This
play has been staged by countless theatre organizations
already. However, probably one thing has been constant
in each of them since it was instilled in the text itself –
that Ang Paglilitis ni Mang Serapio is a tragedy. Ang
Paglilitis ni Mang Serapio is not comedy. Being too
comedic is like going away with its actual essence which
is to promote “pity & fear” towards Serapio, the
protagonist. Ang Paglilitis ni Mang Serapio can still be a
comedy but it does not guarantee actual laughs, but the
irony of it all (all the significant happenings in the play)
can make you think really hard and make you realize.
The fact that most tragic starts with the
main character in a good position and as the story
progresses fell into a tragic event but the play Ang
Paglilitis ni Mang Serapio starts the play with Mang
Serapio already in the bad position as the trail already
had the verdict of him being guilty even before the trail
starts. This kind of element of the play shows to us the
reality that even to those who are already in an
unfortunate situation such as beggars can still fell to a
more worst situation such as when Mang Serapio being
blinded despite losing almost everything he has. This was
a sequel of a tragedy where the main character falls to
an even more tragic situation, thus a tragedy within a
tragedy.
To Mang Serapio, the doll symbolizes the
memories of his daughter. It gave him the will to
continue his life despite of the fact that his family is gone.
The doll is the only thing he have and that it hurts him
that it has to be taken away from him. The doll
symbolizes the simple happiness that one could get
which is something priceless. And from that simple
happiness comes the real meaning of life. Life becomes
meaningful when we find happiness even though we
experience some hardships and pains.
The blinding of Mang Serapio symbolizes
how powerful those people with higher stands
than the beggar. How those people contaminate their
selves with vainglory pushing the weak just to save their
faces. They could handicap another man and limit his or
her actions. Being a blind man means a man is limited to
see and that is to see the truth and eventually fight his or
her right.
The protagonist on the play “Ang Paglilitis
ni Mang Serapio” is a beggar by the name of Serapio. He
is a member of a federation and was accused because of
breaking their rules. The accusation was dug by a trial
with three antagonists. They are more powerful than
him, by asking questions. One of the primary conflicts is
person against person. It illustrates to us what a man can
do to hurt another man just because of status and greed.
We can also say that it is person against
society. It shows to us the social stratification. Social
stratification is present in almost all society as well as
social injustice and inequality. It happens that Serapio is a
beggar and a lot of people are more powerful than him.
More powerful people found holes just to punish him. In
the end Serapio was blinded because of a very odd
reason or crime, having hope and dreams.
The play is about Serapio, a beggar who
carries around a doll and uses it to attract pity which
leads to more alms. Once the authorities are alerted of
this, they subject Serapio to a mock trial which leads to
his blinding with ice picks. What makes the story
interesting is that even before the trial began, the
authorities already knew that they were going to blind
Serapio. It makes the trial a source of entertainment
instead of a channel for due diligence. This doesn’t
happen just this once either as it is stated that this is a
weekly occurrence and the culprits seem to enjoy
torturing these people and it has turned into a source of
entertainment.
In “Ang Paglilitis Ni Mang Serapio”, we see
the corruption in the Philippines and the system. No
matter what would happen in his trial, he would be
acquitted guilty and be punished. He basically stood no
chance and he was left at the mercy of the authorities
who cheat the system. In our country today, this still
remains true unfortunately. Men like Serapio are
merciless at the hands of those with power. Serapio’s
condition as a lunatic did not change the way that he
was treated and he would have been treated that way
no matter what condition he was in.
OTHER
ELEMENTS
Brief Character
Review
Mang Serapio
is a beggar and a
member of a
federation and was
accused because of
breaking their rules.
Hukom who is
higher compare to
all the beggars in
the federation and
she decides who
ever wins in every
court hearings.
The Dalawang
tagapagtanong are
the two people who
insist that Mang
Serapio commit a
mistake.
The Dalawang
Tagabantay are the
ones who are liable
in handling Mang
Serapio during the
trials, to not escape.
The three Saksi are
three liars who are
willing to lie for
Mang Serapio to be
punish.
The two pilays are
the one who the
judge asked to get
the baul. The baul
or the treasure chest
is the most
important role in
Mang Serapio’s life.
Suggestion of
Time
Quick Summary
“Ang Paglilitis ni Mang Serapio” is a play
about social injustice and stratification of
an old man named Mang Serapio against
to heartless, mindless “Federation”, who
only wanted was money from their
members.
Mang Serapio’s only mistake was for
loving too much his wife and daughter
named Sol. By his pure innocence and
ignorance he was accused to a mistake
that No one knew how it became a
mistake that he was able to punished,
tortured and even he lost his eye.
All Credits
Urbiztondo, Karl
as
Mang Serapio
Jenny Mae Suganob
as
Hukom
Aillynne Pantojan
as
Unang
Tagapagtanong
Krystine Timtim
as
Ikalawang
Tagapagtanong
Laisha Gonzaga
as
Unang Saksi
Edelyn Quijano
as
Ikalawang Saksi
Rachel Tabora
as
Ikatlong Saksi
Manilyn Saavedra
as
Unang Pilay
Gwenn Patlunag
as
Ikalawang Pilay
Gio Saligumba
as
Guwardiya
Maria Fe Tepait
• Leader
• Researcher (kind of
play and theme)
• Equipment
Coordinaator
Issahmae Subaldo
• Beadle
• Website Coordinator
• Musical Director
Chrystal Faith Sagmit
• Finance
• Researcher (Conflict
and Symbol)
• Preview Worker
• Portfolio Worker
Karl Urbiztondo
• Trailer Editor
• Location Editor
Gwenn Patlunag
• Musical Director
• Art Designer
Marian Uyanguren
Propsman
Lira Valderama
• Photographer
Play Date 
List of References
• Ruiz, L. (2006, Mar.31). Ms. Frances Sangil’s
virtual classroom. Yahoo Groups. Retrieved on
September 26, 2013 from
http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/litera1/con
versations/topics/3141.
• (No Author). (2013, Aug.04). Ang Paglilitis ni
Mang Serapio. An Infinite World Lines. Retrieved
on September 26, 2013 from
http://aninfiniteworldlines.wordpress.com/2013/
08/04/ang-paglilitis-ni-mang-serapio/
• Manzano, A. (2012, Nov. 11). Ang Paglilitis ni
Mang Serapio. Aldo Manzano’s HUMALIT Blog.
Retrieved on September 26, 2013 from
http://aldomanzanohumalit.blogspot.com/2012/
11/ang-paglilitis-ni-mang-serapio.html
• Redor, KV. (2003, Jun 20). Ang Paglilitis ni Mang
Serapio. Realm of Red_Door 8. Retrieved on
September 26, 2013 from
http://www.geocities.ws/k_psycho8/portfolio.ht
ml
• (No Author). (2008, 12). Paglilitis Ni Mang Serapio
Sa Mata Ni Aristotle. StudyMode.com. Retrieved
on September 26, 2013 from
http://www.studymode.com/essays/Paglilitis-NiMang-Serapio-Sa-Mata-187273.html
• Cathy. (2008, July 5). Ang Paglilitis ni Mang
Serapio by Paul Dumol full script. MY BLOG.
Retrieved on September 26, 2013
fromhttp://meighan18.blogspot.com/2008/07/a
ng-paglilitis-ni-mang-serapio-by-paul.html