Feb. 11 is EBJ Day
Various activities have been lined up by the Antique Provincial Historical and Cultural Council (AHCC) in line with the commemoration of the 24th death anniversary of Antique Gov. Evelio B. Javier (EBJ).
The Day has been declared a special non-working public holiday in the provinces of Antique, Capiz, Aklan and Iloilo as stipulated in Republic Act (RA) 7601.
The various activities for the EBJ Day will include a marathon, mass and wreath laying at the EBJ monument in Antique’s capital town of San Jose de Buenavista.
A commemorative program that will be graced by Senator Loren Legarda will follow at St. Anthony College.
Gov. Javier was killed on February 11, 1986 by three hooded armed men at the Antique New Capitol Building.
At the initial gunshots, the Antique hero sustained gunshot wounds on his left shoulder and leg but scampered for safety by zigzagging the 50-meter stretch across the circular park away from the Capitol building and in the process collapsed in an artificial moat.
He still managed to seek for safety in a comfort room but he was cornered by his chasing attackers who riddled his body and head with bullets.
Javier was born on October 14, 1942 in Barangay Lanag (now Evelio Javier), Hamtic, Antique.
He was a lawyer and became a governor of Antique via a landslide vote in 1971. (AHCC/PIA/A.Lumaque)
