Lawyer Vicente V. Pacifico, secretary to Cebu City mayors
In the past, the position of secretary to the Cebu City mayor was handled by mostly lawyers. It is not only the secretary to the Cebu City Council that should be lawyers but by tradition the secretary to the mayor was most often a lawyer.
One of those who served Cebu City as secretary to the mayor was Vicente Villarin Pacifico. He was born on March 10, 1912 in Bantayan, Cebu. Vicente before choosing the path of being a lawyer first became a seminarian as he wanted to be a priest. His being a seminarian became a tool for his being an efficient secretary as the Spanish language was an integral subject. He spoke fluent Spanish as well as in writing.
Vicente Villarin Pacifico became a lawyer on January 21, 1955. Lawyer Pacifico taught Spanish and law subjects at the Southwestern University. Pacifico was a newspaperman, he wrote for the Morning Times, Republic News and Southern Star. Pacifico was also an active member of the LUDABI or the Lubas Dagang Binisaya.
Pacifico married Catalina Canoy Paradero of San Fernando, Cebu. A member of the Paradero Clan, Salustiano Paradero became a Capitan of San Fernando, Cebu. Presently the mayor of San Fernando, Cebu belongs to the Canoy Clan.
Pacifico and Catalina was blessed with ten children; Divina (married to Palma), Excelsa, who used to work with the Department of Finance Central Office, Sostenes, Vincentino, Alphonsus, Fidelis, Adolfo, Dominic, Joannes and Francis who works with the Cebu City Traffic Operations.
Atty. Pacifico served Cebu City as Secretary to Mayors Sergio "Serging" Chiong Veloso Osmeña Jr. and Atty. Carlos Cuizon.
Pacifico was made co-defendant together with Mayor Osmeña in a petition for mandamus filed by Deogracias A. Regis Jr., a civilian driver, then later appointed as patrolman of the Cebu City Police Department. It was Atty. Vicente V. Pacifico acting on behalf of Mayor Osmeña that on April 14, 1964 an order terminating the employment of Mr. Regis. The Court of First Instance of Cebu City presided by Judge Mateo Camomoy dismissed the petition on December 28, 1965.
Regis appealed his case up to the Supreme Court it was decided decades later on May 23, 1991. The Supreme Court reversed the ruling of the Court of First Instance and ordered the reinstatement of Regis. The decision was written by Justice Hilario Davide Jr. who in 1998 was appointed by President Joseph Estrada as Chief Justice.
The contemporary of Atty. Pacifico was Atty. Leodegario C. Salazar (admitted to the Bar on June 21, 1954), the Secretary to the Council. Atty. Carlos J. Cuizon was Vice Mayor of Serging Osmeña Jr. The other lawyers working in Cebu City Hall then were Jesus E. Zabate, City Treasurer, Angel D. Castrol, City Auditor, Cipriano Trinidad, City Assessor, Eulogio A. Villacrusi, Chief of the Personnel Division, Filemon B. Barria, Chief, Complaints and Investigation, Sabas Y. Quijano, Chief, Inspection Division, Guillermo Lazo, Chief, Legal Assistant and Eufracio E. Doblas, Chief, Administrative Division,
Serging Osmeña is the First Elected Mayor of Cebu City. He was elected Cebu City Mayor for Five Times. Atty. Carlos J. Cuizon who was Vice Mayor of Osmeña became successor Mayor as the latter chose to finish his term as Congressman. Cuizon became Mayor of Cebu City from 1960 to 1963. Cuizon, again in 1965 became mayor when Serging Osmeña who was Mayor ran for the Senate and won chose to be Senator rather than being a Mayor.
Another son of Bantayan served Cebu City. He was Dr. Nicolas Gandiongco Escario Sr., he became Mayor of Cebu City from 1945 to 1946. Dr. Escario is the Founder of the Cebu Institute of Technology now called the Cebu Institute of Technology University. Dr. Escario was also elected as Provincial Board Member and Representative of the old 7thDistrict of Cebu, this was from 1949 to 1957.
Vicente Villarin Pacifico, the boy from Bantayan, Cebu who grew up to be a lawyer, served the people of Cebu City as Secretary to the Mayor died on October 23, 2005.
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