Serapio is a member of a beggars’ federation. The federation collects all the alms gathered by its members and distributes a portion to each member as well as a percentage to the founder. The situation arose when two prostitutes, both members of the federation, informed the founder that Serapio has a daughter. These two prostitutes served as witnesses to support the claim that Serapio has been giving a majority of his earnings from begging to his daughter instead of giving the full 100% to the federation.
And that was when the federation invited all its members to trial to unveil the truth that Serapio is indeed cheating the federation by raising a child. Mang Serapio argued in court that the evidence was insufficient since they only heard him but did not actually witness him nursing a child. The witnesses proposed bringing Mang Serapio’s chest box as a suggestion, suspecting that something hidden inside would serve as hard evidence. To their astonishment, they discovered a dirty doll inside the chest box, symbolizing Mang Serapio’s daughter.
He takes care of the doll like it’s his own daughter, highlighting a reminder of happiness and hope amidst his absurdities. Mang Serapio was found innocent, but the federation aimed to strip its members of hope and make them dependent on the Federation. As a cruel punishment, Mang Serapio’s eyes were forcibly removed in a gruesome surgery. They believed that by making him appear more pitiful, they would receive more alms and money for the federation.
