ILONGGO POLITICAL TRIVIA

This was in the THE NEWS TODAY, written by Atty. Rex Salvilla.

 

The list does not include PEOPLE WE KNOW - who are: PABLITO ARANETA (Provincial Board Member), GERMAN GONZALES (Iloilo City Councilor), FRANKLIN DRILON (Senate President) and MIRIAM DEFENSOR (various). Anyone else I forgot? Oh and of course ARTHUR DEFENSOR - Edward's brother, and PERLA SUCAYAN - was she mayor of Oton?

 

1.    Our very first assemblymen were members of the first Philippine Legislature elected in 1907. They were Amado Avanceña of the first district, Nicolas Jalandoni of the second district, Salvador Laguda of the third district, Adriano Hernandez of the fourth district and Regino Dorillo of the fifth district.

 

2.         Nicolas Jalandoni was the first Speaker pro tempore in history and the youngest in the First Philippine Legislature.

 

3.         Adriano Hernandez was a general of the Revolution and first Filipino director (now secretary) of agriculture. He was also the commander of the Second Regiment of the Philippine National Guard about to be sent to Germany during World War I had the war not ended earlier.

 

4.         Amando Avanceña became governor.

 

5.         Two brothers – Jose Evangelista of the first district and Daniel Evangelista of the fourth district served in the Legislature simultaneously.

 

6.         Tiburcio Lutero had been assemblyman in two districts – third and fourth. At that time, the residence requirement was in the province, not in the district. He was also delegate to the 1935 Constitutional Convention.

 

7.         Assemblyman Jose Ma. Arroyo of the second district became senator. His brother Mariano Arroyo was governor. His grandson Ignacio Arroyo is a present congressman in Negros Occidental and Miguel Arroyo, the present First Gentleman of the Philippines. A great grandson, Mikey Arroyo is congressman in Pampanga.

 

8.         Assemblyman Ruperto Montinola of the second district became governor, delegate and vice president of the 1935 Constitutional Convention and senator. His daughter, Gloria Montinola Tabiana became congresswoman. President Manuel Quezon called him El Coloso del Sur (Colossus of the South) for being a principled oppositionist.

 

9.         Assemblyman Tomas Confesor of the third district was governor, delegate to the 1935 Constitutional Convention, first Filipino director (now secretary) of commerce, wartime governor of Panay and Romblon, secretary of interior and senator. He was known as the Stormy Petrel in the Legislature.

 

10.     Congressman Patricio Confesor, a brother of Senator Tomas Confesor was also governor.

 

11.    

Assemblyman Jose Ma. Lopez Vito Sr. of the second district was governor, justice of the Supreme Court and first chairman of the Commission on Elections. His grandson, Rafael Lopez Vito is the first congressman of the lone district of Iloilo City.

 

12.     There was a time when three Tomases served simultaneously in the Legislature – Tomas Confesor of the third district, Tomas Buenaflor of the fourth district and Tomas Vargas of the fifth district. Confesor later became senator and Vargas governor. A grandson of Buenaflor, Roberto Armada is now the vice governor.

 

13.     Congresswoman Gloria Montinola-Tabiana of the third district is the first Ilongga lawmaker. She succeeded her husband, Ramon C. Tabiana, a second termer. She was a daughter of Senator Ruperto Montinola.

 

14.     Congressman Ricardo Y. Ladrido of the fourth district was the only dentist lawmaker in Iloilo.

 

15.     Congressman Pedro G. Trono of the first district was the only pharmacist-doctor legislator in Iloilo. His wife Lourdes Trono was delegate to the 1973 Constitutional Convention.

 

16.     Congressman Licurgo Tirador of the third district was delegate to the 1973 Constitutional Convention, governor, mayor and provincial broad member. His father, Federico Tirador, Sr. was assemblyman of the fourth district.

 

17.     Congressman Jose C. Zulueta of the first district was the President of the Senate. He was also governor.

 

18.     Fernando Lopez was senator and the only three-termer Vice President of the Philippines, city mayor and secretary of natural resources. His son, Alberto Lopez was congressman of the third district and daughter-in-law, Emily Lopez was governor and first congressman of Guimaras.

 

19.     Congressman Oscar Ledesma of the second district was senator, governor and ambassador to the United States. He was one of those who refused to receive his backpay as assemblyman after the war.

 

20.     Congressman Fermin Caram, Jr. of the second district was the son of Fermin Caram, Sr. - governor and delegate to the 1973 Constitutional Convention. His daughter-in-law Tita Caram was city mayor.

 

21.     Congressman Pascual Espinosa of the second district was the only labor leader lawmaker of Iloilo.

 

22.     Assemblyman Venancio Cudilla of the fifth district opened northern Iloilo by building the San Nicholas mountain road from Barotac Viejo to Ajuy. Before this, people from the northern towns go to Iloilo City by a circuitous route via Roxas City or by sailboat from various ports of Ajuy.

 

23.     Assemblyman Atanacio Ampig of the third district died during the sinking of SS Corregidor in Manila Bay at the outbreak of the war.

 

24.     Assemblyman Esperidion Guanco of the fourth district became senator.

 

25.     Assemblyman Francisco Villanueva of the second district was a high ranking official of the Estado Federal de Bisayas during the Philippine Revolution and later, senator.