Anything under the sun
By Atty. Rex S. Salvilla
Vignettes on Iloilo lawmakers (1)
Since we are going to elect a new set of lawmakers this May, it is interesting to know something about our previous lawmakers.
Here are some of them:
- Our very first assemblyman 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.
- Nicolas Jalandoni was the first Speaker pro tempore in history and the youngest in the First Philippine Legislature.
- 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.
- Amando Avanceña became governor.
- Two brothers – Jose Evangelista of the first district and Daniel Evangelista of the fourth district served in the Legislature simultaneously.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 (Colosus of the South) for being a principled oppositionist.
- 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.
- Congressman Patricio Confesor, a brother of Senator Tomas Confesor was also governor.
- 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.