The López family experienced firsthand the impact of American imperialism in the Philippines. Several of the López brothers were involved in some form with the Philippine revolutionary movement against the American presence in the Philippines, led by Emilio Aguinaldo. Both Sixto and Cipriano López served in the so-called Aguinaldo Army. Sixto, a loud advocate of Filipino independence, was inspired by the writings of José Rizal, and he himself also wrote and distributed anti-American imperialism literature. By 1901, as American hostility increased, he had retreated to a voluntary exile in Hong Kong. On 13 December 1901, three of the López brothers – Lorenzo, Cipriano, and Manuel – were arrested by American General J. Franklin Bell for their suspected role in the Philippine insurgency against the Americans.