Ginalitan, Cebu and its chief executives
Ginatilan, Cebu, a town 135 kilometers away from Cebu City used to be a barrio of Samboan. It used to be called "Hinatdan," coined from the practice that priests that celebrate masses in the barrio bring the necessary things from Samboan.
The town church of Ginatilan was completed on February 2, 1829. Great men served the town of Ginatilan, a mispronunciation of "Hinatdan," when it became a town or pueblo. The following served as municipal capitan during the Spanish occupation: Justiniano Ferolino, Martin Peronal, Andres Singco, Gabriel Visitacion, Mariano Cedono, Maximo Guerrero, Teodoro Cadungog, Pedro Tocao, Inocencio Singco, Antonio Vizcayno, Agaton Quinones, Silvino Singco, Antonio Singco, Simeon Cedeno, Herminigildo Petras, German Ferraren, Pablo Vismanes, Mariano Singco, Alejo Omictin, Tito Singco, Juan Cedeno, Luis Ferenal, Jose Anito, and Lorenzo Pancho.
When the Americans arrived to occupy our country in 1899, the following served as its municipal president: Valentin Fernandez, Demetrio Jabagat, Juan J. Singco and Simeon Vizcayno. During the Commonwealth, when the position of chief executive was changed to mayor, the following served the town: Juan J. Singco and Nicomedes F. Jumuad. After World War II, President Manuel Acuna Roxas appointed Juan J. Singco as mayor of Ginatilan on June 3, 1947.
In 1965, the following were the officials of Ginatilan, Cebu: Nicomedes F. Jumuad, mayor, Camilo Singco, vice mayor, Luisa Ferrenal, secretary, Francisco Villarojo, municipal judge, Indalesio Janea, treasurer, Fructuoso Oradoy, chief of police, Dra. Trifina Ferraren, health officer.
The town councilors were Justina Tocao, Victor Mascardo, Clemente Abello, Leoncio Awayan, Felix Ferraren, and Felipe Nadela.
Ginatilan, Cebu is also the birthplace/hometown of the following lawyers: Celerino Jumuad (became a lawyer on May 2, 1947, appointed as Justice of the Peace of Samboan in 1957), Pacita P. Jabagat (admitted to the Bar in 1941, she was appointed by President Carlos P. Garcia as municipal judge of Alegria, Cebu on April 30, 1957), Francisco Jomuad (admitted to the Bar on January 18, 1954), Adelaido O. Singco (admitted to the Bar on January 25, 1961), Nicolas F. Jomuad (admitted to the Bar on July 30, 1966) and Jaime B. Caberte (admitted to the Bar on May 7, 1997).
During the local elections held on January 30, 1980 the candidates for mayor for the municipality of Ginatilan were Antonio O. Singco under the banner of the National Union for Liberation (NUL) and Franklin Ong of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan. On January 16, 1980 Franklin Ong filed a petition for disqualification against Antonio O. Singco on the ground of turncoatism. The petition however was not acted upon and thus, Singco was able to run for election, he was voted upon and elected Mayor of Ginalitan, Cebu.
The COMELEC however on January 31, 1980 sent a telegram to the Municipal Board of Canvassers ordering the latter to suspend the proclamation of Antonio O. Singco. Despite the order of the COMELEC the Municipal Board of Canvassers of Ginatilan, Cebu proceeded with the proclamation of Singco. The COMELEC on February 2, 1980 set aside the proclamation of Singco and required the Board of Canvassers to explain why it proceeded with the proclamation.
On February 26, 1980, the COMELEC declared Singco a disqualified candidate, however its chairman, Leonardo B. Perez, dissented and ruled that Singco be proclaimed without prejudice to the ruling of his disqualification. Ong of the KBL then filed a petition with the Supreme Court to enjoin the COMELEC from implementing its resolution. On March 6, 1980, the Supreme Court ordered the COMELEC from implementing its resolution. However, before the writ could be implemented, Ong designated Jaime Calungsod, a newly elected member of the town council and who received the second highest number of votes as officer-In-charge.
In the end, the Supreme Court declared Antonio O. Singco as the duly qualified and elected mayor of Ginalitan, Cebu.
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