The Cebuano senators in the 1965 elections
There were two Cebuanos who won in the November 1965 elections. The election held on November 9, 1965 was also a presidential election. It is the first election of Ferdinand Marcos who was Senate president at that time. Marcos (Nacionalista Party) defeated Incumbent President Diosdado Macapagal (Liberal Party). The vice president of Macapagal, Senator Gerardo Roxas (son of President Manuel Acuna Roxas), also lost to returning Vice President Fernando Lopez (Roxas and Lopez came from Panay Island).
In the senate, two Cebuanos became victorious in the 1951 elections. Alejandro Almendras of the Nacionalista Party placed 2nd next to Jovito Salonga of the Liberal Party.
Senator Almendras was born in Danao City, Cebu. His father's name is Paulo Almendras (a street in Cebu City is named after him), while his mother's name is Elisea Durano (sister of Congressman Ramon "Mano Amon" Durano). Senator Almendras became governor of Davao, when for the first time he joined politics. He was thereafter appointed by President Carlos P. Garcia as Secretary of the Department of General Services.
Senator Almendras married Caridad Cabahug of Borbon, Cebu. He was reelected as senator in 1971.
The other Cebuano who won in the 1965 senatorial election was Sergio Chiong Veloso Osmeña Jr., Serging who ran under the Liberal Party placed 4th. Serging was the son and namesake of Don Sergio Suico Osmeña Sr. who became governor of Cebu, Speaker of the House, senator, vice president and president. Don Sergio was the founder of the Nacionalista Party while the Liberal Party was founded by Manuel Roxas.
The 1965 senatorial elections had eight seats to be contested. The winning candidates belonged to different parties. This resulted when in 1951 block voting was abolished. The 9th placer, Cesar Cortez Climaco, only less than 4,000 thousand votes away from the 8th, the last to earn a senate seat was Wenceslao Lagumbay. The 9th placer, Cesar Climaco of the Liberal Party served as mayor of Zamboanga City. He ran for the Senate in 1961 under the Liberal Party but lost, placing only 12th. Climaco after losing the 1961 elections was appointed by President Diosdado Macapagal as Customs Commissioner. Climaco known for his tenacity again ran for the senate in 1963, and again lost. He was then appointed Presidential Assistant.
Climaco finished Bachelor of Laws at the University of the Philippines was admitted to the Bar on December 2, 1941. His older brother Rafael (became a lawyer on December 9, 1940), also of the University of the Philippines was appointed Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals during the Marcos administration.
Climaco became an opposition leader when Marcos declared Martial Law on September 21, 1972, he went to the United States and vowed not to cut his hair he came to the Philippines in 1976. In 1980 Climaco came back as mayor of Zamboanga City. He was assassinated on November 14, 1984.
Another Visayan who ran and lost in the 1965 senatorial election was Bartolome Cabangbang of Bohol. Cabangbang, a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the Philippine Air Force, served as congressman representing of the old 2nd District of Bohol. Cabangbang was congressman from 1953 to 1965. The old 2nd district of Bohol was composed of Alburquerque, Batuan, Bilar, Carmen, Dimiao, Inabanga, Loay, Loboc, Sevilla, Tubigon, Lila, Sikatuna, Clarin, Sagbayan, and Catigbian.
At that time Cabangbang ran under the Nacionalista Party. When Marcos declared Martial Law, Cabangbang became an opposition leader. He ran in the election for the Interim Batasang Pambansa held on June 12, 1978. The candidates were chosen by region. Cabangbang being a Boholano was a candidate for Central Visayas. Cabangbang won in that election for the Batasang Pambansa together with Valentino Legaspi, Hilario Davide Jr. and Natalio B. Bacalso, Eutiquio Cimafranca, Filemon Fernandez, Jorge Kintanar, Mariano Logarta, Enrique Medina Jr., Dominador Pernes, Jesus Villegas, and Julian Yballe.
Cabangbang ran as president under the "Federalist" with his platform of the statehood of the Philippines as the 51st State of the United States of America during the June 16, 1981 election against Ferdinand Marcos.
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