Esteban Pichay Villanueva
Esteban Villanueva’s mark in Ilocano history and the Philippine art scene was indelibly made with his creation of the fourteen paintings of the Basi Revolt that is now housed in the Father Burgos Museum. This simple farmer, born in Vigan in 1797, was asked to produce paintings on the Basi Revolt that was waged by the Ilocanos 14 years prior to the commissioning of the paintings.
The Basi Revolt happened in 1807, when rebel Ilocanos marched from all over the north to overthrow the Spaniards governing in Vigan. This revolt was brought about by Spain’s move to forbid the production and sale of the local wine, basi. They wanted a monopoly of the goods that can be supplied by Spain through its maritime trade via Acapulco, which included wine. The Basi Revolt lasted for 13 days and ended with the execution of the rebels in the neighboring town of San Vicente, along its river bank. The north being a hotbed of rebellion, the Spanish Government wanted the paintings done to ensure that the people remember the revolt’s bloody end and make them think twice about future uprisings. Villanueva was not schooled in painting, but in 1821 he produced fourteen oil paintings with the use of water color brushes and plenty of earth colors, dominant of which is red. The canvasses were 91.44 x 91.44 and depicted the scenes of the Basi Revolt in a two-dimensional way, using a perspective that the artist found in his environment. His figures evoke the images of carved religious statues and his Spaniards were shown to be much bigger than the locals that he painted in the picture.
However, his naive style of painting is significant because of two things. His subject, unlike those that dominate prior Philippine painting periods, was secular and not religious. Although he patterned his 14 panels after the stations of the cross.
The other is that even though the intent of the commissioning of the paintings was to suppress further rebellion, Esteban Villanueva’s paintings actually showed that the painter wanted the people who viewed his work to continue to hope for the coming of victory. He painted Halley’s Comet in his panels. The appearance of a comet according to local belief signals the coming of a revolution. This local thinking was strengthened by the comet’s appearance before the revolt led by Diego Silang and his wife Gabriela.
Esteban Villanueva’s panels were thankfully found in the family’s storeroom in the 1950s, providing as now with artwork that fuse folk belief with history.
Diego Silang and Maria Josefa Gabriela Silang
The first major revolution waged against the Spaniards was waged by the Silangs during the time of the British forces’ military incursion in the Philippines which began in September 1762. It was the period of the Seven Year’s War between the British and the French, who were aided by Spain. In October 1762, the British expeditionary forces from India occupied Manila in retaliation to Spain’s alliance with France, and sought to take control of the other provinces of the Philippines.
Diego Silang saw this as the opportune time to lead an Ilocano revolt against the weakened Spanish forces. Ilocanos have suffered long the unreasonable taxes, free labor for the construction of religious and administrative structures and the suppressive monopolies that the Spaniards imposed upon the populace. That is why they were quick to respond to the call for revolution.
Diego Silang’s aim was the creation of an Ilocano nation. This vision began when he personally witnessed the many abuses of the Spanish government and the Roman Catholic Church not only in Ilocos but wherever he traveled as courier for Vigan’s parish priest, delivering letters and documents to Manila and back.
Having failed in negotiations with the Spanish authorities to establish a government in IlocoswithIlocano functionaries, Diego Silang worked with the British forces to defeat the Spanish in the North.He already had control of Vigan in December of 1762. He was promised military assistance by the British to strengthen his hold and complete his plan, which unfortunately never came. Diego Silang was later killed by Miguel Vicos, a friend who was a mestizo (mix blood of Spanish and Ilocano). Vicos carried out his assassination of Diego during his visit to the latter’s house, accompanied by another of Diego’s friend Pedro Becbec. The traitorous act was of course instigated by the Spanish church and government authorities.
Diego’s cause did not die with him, however. His wife, Maria Josefa Gabriela Silang, continued hisleadership. Her valiant efforts were overpowered by massive forces set upon her, forcing her retreat to Abra. She tried to lead her army back to Vigan but was again repelled. She was captured and put to death publicly by hanging in September 1763. Almost a hundred of her followers were also publicly hanged to serve as a warning to the Ilocanos. She is now remembered in Philippine history as the country’s Joan of Arc and first female leader for Filipino liberation. Her furious ride towards Vigan is immortalized in many statues all over the country erected in memory of her courage and sacrifice. She rejoined her husband only four months after his death.
Father Jose Burgoz
Father Jose Burgos was born in this ancestral home to Florencia Garcia and Jose Burgos in February 1837. He finished his primary schooling in Vigan but his higher studies were completed in Manila’s San Juan de Letran and the University of Santo Tomas, where he studied priesthood. He showed remarkable characteristics even as a young student; and as a young priest fought with quiet courage for equal rights for the Filipino clergy.
The just cause he took on made him a target of the machinations of Spanish friars. When a mutiny broke out in Cavite, the Spanish friars saw it as an opportunity to get rid of Father Burgos, including him amongst those who they accused as supporting the rebellion. He was tried in Fort Santiago and executed in February 1872 at Bagumbayan, presently known as Luneta Park in Manila. He died by strangulation with an iron collar together with two other priests, Fathers Gomez and Zamora. The priests’ deaths further fueled the efforts of Filipino revolutionaries and awakened the lukewarm hearts of some countrymen.
Isabelo de los Reyes
Along the well-trodden tourist path of CalleCrisologo of the Heritage Village of Vigan stands the ancestral home of Isabelo de los Reyes, one of Vigan’s most prominent sons. He was the prime mover of the Philippine labor movement, a prolific literary figure, politician and co-founder of the Philippine Independent Church.
In 1902, he formed the Union de Impresores de Filipinas and the Union ObreraDemocratica (UOD), which is the first labor federation in the country. De los Reyes and his followers celebrated the Philippine’s first organized demonstration on May 1 in Tondo, Manila’s Plaza Moriones.
UOD’s fight for the rights of Filipino workers landed De los Reyes in jail. He was marked as a subversive by the Americans. However, his sacrifices were not for naught as May 1’s Labor Day was legislated a national holiday in 1908.
Don Belong as he was fondly called also made his mark in literature, much like his mother, poetess Leona Florentino whose poems and satire gained for her international exposure in Madrid’s 1887 Exposición General de Filipinas and Paris’ 1889 ExposiciónInternationale. Due to her works, she was acknowledged in the 1889 EnciclopédieInternationale de Oeuvres des Femmes, which was edited by French writer AndizWolska. Don Belong’s literary contributions included the creation of the El Folklore Filipinas, Historia de Ilocos, Independencia y Revolution, La Expedecion de Li-Mahong contra Filipinas en 1574, Las Islas Visayas en la Epoca de la Conquista, Los Holandeses en Filipinas, Prehistoria de Filipinas and Triuntosdel Rosario. He was a journalist for the El Comersio, El Diario de Manila, La Oceania Espanol, La Opinion and La Revisita. To top that, he was also the founder of the country’s first newspaper in the local dialect, El Ilocano.
His life also included a foray in politics, winning a seat in the senate in 1922 and actually beating his town mate ElpidioQuirino, who later on became the country’s President. His next endeavor after leaving politics was as significant as all the others he undertook. He turned his attention to the spiritual formation of the country founding the Aglipay Church or the Iglesia Filipina Independiente with Gregorio Aglipay. As honorary bishop he wrote the Aglipayan calendar, Biblia Filipina, catechism of the Aglipay Church, Mass book, prayers and the Scientific and Modern Genesis.
Every May 1, a wreath is placed at the foot of the marker placed in front of his ancestral home, the Leona Florentino House, near his mother’s statue in Plaza Florentino. Biguenos believe that a more fitting memorial should be erected in the future to ensure that Filipinos all over the country know and never forget his exemplary contributions. Don Belong died on Oct. 10, 1938 at the ripe age of 74, leaving behind 15 of his children. Having been widowed many times, he was married thrice and had 27 children. His lived a full life indeed.
Elpidio Quirino
ElpidioQuirino (1890–1956) was the second president of the Independent Republic of the Philippines.
QUOTE
“I have faith in the democratic process we have established and in the capacity of our people to perfect themselves in it.”
—ElpidioQuirino
Synopsis
Born in 1890, ElpidioQuirino was elected to the Philippine Congress in 1919. He was part of the independence mission to Washington that freed the Philippines from American control in 1934. He then served as vice president under Manuel Roxas, becoming president upon Roxas' death in 1948. For six years, Quirino oversaw postwar reconstruction, but his administration suffered from corruption.
Profile
ElpidioQuirino was born on November 16, 1890, in the small city of Vigan, on Luzon Island in the Philippines. His father, Don Mariano Quirino, was a warden at a provincial jail. His mother was Dona Gregoria Mendoza Rivera Quirino. Young Elpidio graduated from elementary school in nearby Caoayan. Advanced beyond his years, Elpidio became a barrio (rural village) teacher while studying at Vigan High School.
ElpidioQuirino moved to Manila and graduated from Manila High School in 1911 and then passed the civil service exam. He entered law school at the University of the Philippines, graduating in 1915, and served as secretary to Senate President Manuel Quezon, where he began his rise through the Philippine government. In 1919, he was elected to the Philippine House of Representatives. In 1925, he was elected to the Philippine Senate and was quickly given Senate committee appointments.
In 1931 ElpidioQuirino was reelected to the Senate, and in 1934 he served as a member of the Philippine Independence mission to Washington, D.C., helping secure the Tydings-McDuffie Act, which set the timetable for Philippine independence from the United States. Quirino was also one of the drafters of the Philippine constitution, which was approved in May 1935.
In April 1942, the Philippines were captured by Japanese imperial forces. ElpidioQuirino refused to join the Japanese-sponsored “puppet government” of Jose Laurel and instead went underground. He was captured by Japanese military police and imprisoned. His wife, son and two daughters were killed by Japanese forces as they fled their home during the Battle of Manila in early 1945.
After the war, ElpidioQuirino became the leader of the majority Liberal Party and president pro tempore of the Senate. Anticipating the country’s impending independence, elections were held in April 1946, and Manuel Roxas was elected president, with Quirino as vice president. When President Roxas unexpectedly died in April 1948, Quirino became president. When he took office, Quirino had two goals: reconstructing the nation and restoring the faith and confidence of the people. However, Quirino soon faced impeachment, instituted by members of the rival Nationalist Party. Charges ranged from nepotism to misappropriation of funds, but after several months, he was exonerated of all charges.
ElpidioQuirino was reelected president in November 1949, under suspicion of widespread election fraud and intimidation. As president, he attempted to improve social, economic and agrarian conditions. He also established relations with Western and Asian countries. Quirino’s administration faced a serious threat from the Communist-led Hukbalahap (Huk) movement. Quirino appointed Defense Secretary Ramon Magsaysay to suppress the insurrection. Although successful to a degree in these areas, Quirino failed to act aggressively in implementing many of the needed reforms. Further, Quirino was often justly accused by Filipino nationalists of placing American interests above Filipino ones. The Huk rebellion wasn’t suppressed until 1954, under Quirino’s successor Ramon Magsaysay.
ElpidioQuirino ran for reelection in 1953 despite his poor health. Defense Secretary Ramon Magsaysay angrily resigned over Quirino’s alleged corruption and joined the opposition Nationalist Party. He would go on to defeat Quirino in the general election. ElpidioQuirino retired to private life and died of a heart attack in February 29, 1956.
CHAVIT SINGSON
ChavitSingson was born on June 21, 1941 in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur. He is the second among the seven children of José Singson and CaridadCrisólogo. His other siblings, aside from Evaristo (Titong), are Bernardo (deceased), Fernando (Dodoy), Maria Olivia (Honeygirl), Jeremias (Jerry), Germelina (Germy) and Jose, Jr. (Bonito).
Singson's growing-up years were spent in Vigan, where he led a normal childhood "with a very liberal upbringing and a lot of opportunity to play and make friends." He apparently got his own fondness for jueteng from his mother who loved the game. Despite their prominence in the province, it was not always a life of wealth for the Singsons. At one point, the family had to sell their appliances. Singson learned how difficult life was without money. Singson's character was strengthened especially with the seemingly unending family squabbles and political dynasties of his youth, the tobacco industry in Ilocos and how the Singsons got into tobacco growing and trading. The family brought the first redrying plant to Ilocos in the '60s. He studied in Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Manila and finished his Commerce degree.
Both his paternal (Singson) and maternal (Crisologo) families have dominated the political environment of the Ilocos region for generations. Although many members of both families, such as Chavit are related to one another, the two families have shared a bitter feud which reached its apex in the 1960s and 1970s, when shootings and political intimidation were rampant in the Ilocos region. Chavit considered his uncle, FloroCrisologo as a mentor, but eventually had a severe falling out with his cousin and once-confidant Vincent "Bingbong" Crisologo (who was Floro's son) and there were many bloody encounters between the two. It is currently stated by both sides that tensions have eased.
Role in EDSA II Singson is said to have started EDSA II, when in October 2000 he alleged he gave President Joseph Estrada Php 400 million as payoff from illegal gambling profits. On October 16, 2000, he accused the Estrada, as the "lord of all jueteng lords" for receiving 5 million pesos protection money from jueteng every month during his term of presidency. He also accused the president of receiving kickbacks from 170 million pesos excise tobacco tax. This is equivalent to taking more than US $10 million in bribes from illegal gambling lords as well as another US$3.4 million in tobacco tax kickbacks. His expose ultimately led to the impeachment trial after he accused the President of receiving over P400 million in bribes from jueteng operators. First called to the witness stand by the prosecution on Dec. 13 and continued his testimony on Dec. 14 and Dec. 15.
Testified that Mr. Estrada, codenamed A.S. or AsyongSalonga in the jueteng ledger, regularly received a cut from jueteng collections. Claimed that Mr. Estrada would receive a bigger percentage from Bingo 2-Ball, a legal, modified version of jueteng that was the brainchild of the President's friend and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. consultant Charlie "Atong" Ang. Testified that Ang, presidential adviser for Bicol affairs Anton Prieto and former Estrada political adviser Jaime Policarpio regularly received jueteng collections, and that Senators John Osmeña and Teresa Aquino-Oreta received P1 million each as balato from mahjong. Also claimed that he issued a check to beauty queen Joelle Pelaez for and on behalf of Mr. Estrada. Called back to the stand on Dec. 19 as a witness for Article 2 or the impeachment charge of graft and corruption.
After more than 30 years of friendship, Gov. Luis Singsonleveled the graft-related accusations that led to the impeachment charges that have been filed against Philippine President Joseph Estrada. He charged that President Joseph Estrada, several members of his family, and his friends were benefiting from jueteng.
Singson said that he had delivered more than 400 million pesos ($8 million) in gambling payoffs from jueteng to Estrada. The governor said he began collecting and delivering the money in 1998, a few months after Estrada was elected president. He added that he participated in the payoffs until August 2000, and that the money drops were made in Estrada's office. He also said Estrada had received 130 million pesos ($2.6 million) from provincial tax revenues.
Estrada was put under investigation, but on 16 January 2001, a key piece of evidence was blocked in court, leading to protests in Manila and other major cities backing to vice president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and Estrada's government quickly fell. Estrada was put to jail pending the investigation, leading the then Vice-President Gloria Arroyo to resume the presidency on January 20, 2001.
The Basi Revolt happened in 1807, when rebel Ilocanos marched from all over the north to overthrow the Spaniards governing in Vigan. This revolt was brought about by Spain’s move to forbid the production and sale of the local wine, basi. They wanted a monopoly of the goods that can be supplied by Spain through its maritime trade via Acapulco, which included wine. The Basi Revolt lasted for 13 days and ended with the execution of the rebels in the neighboring town of San Vicente, along its river bank. The north being a hotbed of rebellion, the Spanish Government wanted the paintings done to ensure that the people remember the revolt’s bloody end and make them think twice about future uprisings. Villanueva was not schooled in painting, but in 1821 he produced fourteen oil paintings with the use of water color brushes and plenty of earth colors, dominant of which is red. The canvasses were 91.44 x 91.44 and depicted the scenes of the Basi Revolt in a two-dimensional way, using a perspective that the artist found in his environment. His figures evoke the images of carved religious statues and his Spaniards were shown to be much bigger than the locals that he painted in the picture.
However, his naive style of painting is significant because of two things. His subject, unlike those that dominate prior Philippine painting periods, was secular and not religious. Although he patterned his 14 panels after the stations of the cross.
The other is that even though the intent of the commissioning of the paintings was to suppress further rebellion, Esteban Villanueva’s paintings actually showed that the painter wanted the people who viewed his work to continue to hope for the coming of victory. He painted Halley’s Comet in his panels. The appearance of a comet according to local belief signals the coming of a revolution. This local thinking was strengthened by the comet’s appearance before the revolt led by Diego Silang and his wife Gabriela.
Esteban Villanueva’s panels were thankfully found in the family’s storeroom in the 1950s, providing as now with artwork that fuse folk belief with history.
Diego Silang and Maria Josefa Gabriela Silang
The first major revolution waged against the Spaniards was waged by the Silangs during the time of the British forces’ military incursion in the Philippines which began in September 1762. It was the period of the Seven Year’s War between the British and the French, who were aided by Spain. In October 1762, the British expeditionary forces from India occupied Manila in retaliation to Spain’s alliance with France, and sought to take control of the other provinces of the Philippines.
Diego Silang saw this as the opportune time to lead an Ilocano revolt against the weakened Spanish forces. Ilocanos have suffered long the unreasonable taxes, free labor for the construction of religious and administrative structures and the suppressive monopolies that the Spaniards imposed upon the populace. That is why they were quick to respond to the call for revolution.
Diego Silang’s aim was the creation of an Ilocano nation. This vision began when he personally witnessed the many abuses of the Spanish government and the Roman Catholic Church not only in Ilocos but wherever he traveled as courier for Vigan’s parish priest, delivering letters and documents to Manila and back.
Having failed in negotiations with the Spanish authorities to establish a government in IlocoswithIlocano functionaries, Diego Silang worked with the British forces to defeat the Spanish in the North.He already had control of Vigan in December of 1762. He was promised military assistance by the British to strengthen his hold and complete his plan, which unfortunately never came. Diego Silang was later killed by Miguel Vicos, a friend who was a mestizo (mix blood of Spanish and Ilocano). Vicos carried out his assassination of Diego during his visit to the latter’s house, accompanied by another of Diego’s friend Pedro Becbec. The traitorous act was of course instigated by the Spanish church and government authorities.
Diego’s cause did not die with him, however. His wife, Maria Josefa Gabriela Silang, continued hisleadership. Her valiant efforts were overpowered by massive forces set upon her, forcing her retreat to Abra. She tried to lead her army back to Vigan but was again repelled. She was captured and put to death publicly by hanging in September 1763. Almost a hundred of her followers were also publicly hanged to serve as a warning to the Ilocanos. She is now remembered in Philippine history as the country’s Joan of Arc and first female leader for Filipino liberation. Her furious ride towards Vigan is immortalized in many statues all over the country erected in memory of her courage and sacrifice. She rejoined her husband only four months after his death.
Father Jose Burgoz
Father Jose Burgos was born in this ancestral home to Florencia Garcia and Jose Burgos in February 1837. He finished his primary schooling in Vigan but his higher studies were completed in Manila’s San Juan de Letran and the University of Santo Tomas, where he studied priesthood. He showed remarkable characteristics even as a young student; and as a young priest fought with quiet courage for equal rights for the Filipino clergy.
The just cause he took on made him a target of the machinations of Spanish friars. When a mutiny broke out in Cavite, the Spanish friars saw it as an opportunity to get rid of Father Burgos, including him amongst those who they accused as supporting the rebellion. He was tried in Fort Santiago and executed in February 1872 at Bagumbayan, presently known as Luneta Park in Manila. He died by strangulation with an iron collar together with two other priests, Fathers Gomez and Zamora. The priests’ deaths further fueled the efforts of Filipino revolutionaries and awakened the lukewarm hearts of some countrymen.
Isabelo de los Reyes
Along the well-trodden tourist path of CalleCrisologo of the Heritage Village of Vigan stands the ancestral home of Isabelo de los Reyes, one of Vigan’s most prominent sons. He was the prime mover of the Philippine labor movement, a prolific literary figure, politician and co-founder of the Philippine Independent Church.
In 1902, he formed the Union de Impresores de Filipinas and the Union ObreraDemocratica (UOD), which is the first labor federation in the country. De los Reyes and his followers celebrated the Philippine’s first organized demonstration on May 1 in Tondo, Manila’s Plaza Moriones.
UOD’s fight for the rights of Filipino workers landed De los Reyes in jail. He was marked as a subversive by the Americans. However, his sacrifices were not for naught as May 1’s Labor Day was legislated a national holiday in 1908.
Don Belong as he was fondly called also made his mark in literature, much like his mother, poetess Leona Florentino whose poems and satire gained for her international exposure in Madrid’s 1887 Exposición General de Filipinas and Paris’ 1889 ExposiciónInternationale. Due to her works, she was acknowledged in the 1889 EnciclopédieInternationale de Oeuvres des Femmes, which was edited by French writer AndizWolska. Don Belong’s literary contributions included the creation of the El Folklore Filipinas, Historia de Ilocos, Independencia y Revolution, La Expedecion de Li-Mahong contra Filipinas en 1574, Las Islas Visayas en la Epoca de la Conquista, Los Holandeses en Filipinas, Prehistoria de Filipinas and Triuntosdel Rosario. He was a journalist for the El Comersio, El Diario de Manila, La Oceania Espanol, La Opinion and La Revisita. To top that, he was also the founder of the country’s first newspaper in the local dialect, El Ilocano.
His life also included a foray in politics, winning a seat in the senate in 1922 and actually beating his town mate ElpidioQuirino, who later on became the country’s President. His next endeavor after leaving politics was as significant as all the others he undertook. He turned his attention to the spiritual formation of the country founding the Aglipay Church or the Iglesia Filipina Independiente with Gregorio Aglipay. As honorary bishop he wrote the Aglipayan calendar, Biblia Filipina, catechism of the Aglipay Church, Mass book, prayers and the Scientific and Modern Genesis.
Every May 1, a wreath is placed at the foot of the marker placed in front of his ancestral home, the Leona Florentino House, near his mother’s statue in Plaza Florentino. Biguenos believe that a more fitting memorial should be erected in the future to ensure that Filipinos all over the country know and never forget his exemplary contributions. Don Belong died on Oct. 10, 1938 at the ripe age of 74, leaving behind 15 of his children. Having been widowed many times, he was married thrice and had 27 children. His lived a full life indeed.
Elpidio Quirino
ElpidioQuirino (1890–1956) was the second president of the Independent Republic of the Philippines.
QUOTE
“I have faith in the democratic process we have established and in the capacity of our people to perfect themselves in it.”
—ElpidioQuirino
Synopsis
Born in 1890, ElpidioQuirino was elected to the Philippine Congress in 1919. He was part of the independence mission to Washington that freed the Philippines from American control in 1934. He then served as vice president under Manuel Roxas, becoming president upon Roxas' death in 1948. For six years, Quirino oversaw postwar reconstruction, but his administration suffered from corruption.
Profile
ElpidioQuirino was born on November 16, 1890, in the small city of Vigan, on Luzon Island in the Philippines. His father, Don Mariano Quirino, was a warden at a provincial jail. His mother was Dona Gregoria Mendoza Rivera Quirino. Young Elpidio graduated from elementary school in nearby Caoayan. Advanced beyond his years, Elpidio became a barrio (rural village) teacher while studying at Vigan High School.
ElpidioQuirino moved to Manila and graduated from Manila High School in 1911 and then passed the civil service exam. He entered law school at the University of the Philippines, graduating in 1915, and served as secretary to Senate President Manuel Quezon, where he began his rise through the Philippine government. In 1919, he was elected to the Philippine House of Representatives. In 1925, he was elected to the Philippine Senate and was quickly given Senate committee appointments.
In 1931 ElpidioQuirino was reelected to the Senate, and in 1934 he served as a member of the Philippine Independence mission to Washington, D.C., helping secure the Tydings-McDuffie Act, which set the timetable for Philippine independence from the United States. Quirino was also one of the drafters of the Philippine constitution, which was approved in May 1935.
In April 1942, the Philippines were captured by Japanese imperial forces. ElpidioQuirino refused to join the Japanese-sponsored “puppet government” of Jose Laurel and instead went underground. He was captured by Japanese military police and imprisoned. His wife, son and two daughters were killed by Japanese forces as they fled their home during the Battle of Manila in early 1945.
After the war, ElpidioQuirino became the leader of the majority Liberal Party and president pro tempore of the Senate. Anticipating the country’s impending independence, elections were held in April 1946, and Manuel Roxas was elected president, with Quirino as vice president. When President Roxas unexpectedly died in April 1948, Quirino became president. When he took office, Quirino had two goals: reconstructing the nation and restoring the faith and confidence of the people. However, Quirino soon faced impeachment, instituted by members of the rival Nationalist Party. Charges ranged from nepotism to misappropriation of funds, but after several months, he was exonerated of all charges.
ElpidioQuirino was reelected president in November 1949, under suspicion of widespread election fraud and intimidation. As president, he attempted to improve social, economic and agrarian conditions. He also established relations with Western and Asian countries. Quirino’s administration faced a serious threat from the Communist-led Hukbalahap (Huk) movement. Quirino appointed Defense Secretary Ramon Magsaysay to suppress the insurrection. Although successful to a degree in these areas, Quirino failed to act aggressively in implementing many of the needed reforms. Further, Quirino was often justly accused by Filipino nationalists of placing American interests above Filipino ones. The Huk rebellion wasn’t suppressed until 1954, under Quirino’s successor Ramon Magsaysay.
ElpidioQuirino ran for reelection in 1953 despite his poor health. Defense Secretary Ramon Magsaysay angrily resigned over Quirino’s alleged corruption and joined the opposition Nationalist Party. He would go on to defeat Quirino in the general election. ElpidioQuirino retired to private life and died of a heart attack in February 29, 1956.
CHAVIT SINGSON
ChavitSingson was born on June 21, 1941 in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur. He is the second among the seven children of José Singson and CaridadCrisólogo. His other siblings, aside from Evaristo (Titong), are Bernardo (deceased), Fernando (Dodoy), Maria Olivia (Honeygirl), Jeremias (Jerry), Germelina (Germy) and Jose, Jr. (Bonito).
Singson's growing-up years were spent in Vigan, where he led a normal childhood "with a very liberal upbringing and a lot of opportunity to play and make friends." He apparently got his own fondness for jueteng from his mother who loved the game. Despite their prominence in the province, it was not always a life of wealth for the Singsons. At one point, the family had to sell their appliances. Singson learned how difficult life was without money. Singson's character was strengthened especially with the seemingly unending family squabbles and political dynasties of his youth, the tobacco industry in Ilocos and how the Singsons got into tobacco growing and trading. The family brought the first redrying plant to Ilocos in the '60s. He studied in Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Manila and finished his Commerce degree.
Both his paternal (Singson) and maternal (Crisologo) families have dominated the political environment of the Ilocos region for generations. Although many members of both families, such as Chavit are related to one another, the two families have shared a bitter feud which reached its apex in the 1960s and 1970s, when shootings and political intimidation were rampant in the Ilocos region. Chavit considered his uncle, FloroCrisologo as a mentor, but eventually had a severe falling out with his cousin and once-confidant Vincent "Bingbong" Crisologo (who was Floro's son) and there were many bloody encounters between the two. It is currently stated by both sides that tensions have eased.
Role in EDSA II Singson is said to have started EDSA II, when in October 2000 he alleged he gave President Joseph Estrada Php 400 million as payoff from illegal gambling profits. On October 16, 2000, he accused the Estrada, as the "lord of all jueteng lords" for receiving 5 million pesos protection money from jueteng every month during his term of presidency. He also accused the president of receiving kickbacks from 170 million pesos excise tobacco tax. This is equivalent to taking more than US $10 million in bribes from illegal gambling lords as well as another US$3.4 million in tobacco tax kickbacks. His expose ultimately led to the impeachment trial after he accused the President of receiving over P400 million in bribes from jueteng operators. First called to the witness stand by the prosecution on Dec. 13 and continued his testimony on Dec. 14 and Dec. 15.
Testified that Mr. Estrada, codenamed A.S. or AsyongSalonga in the jueteng ledger, regularly received a cut from jueteng collections. Claimed that Mr. Estrada would receive a bigger percentage from Bingo 2-Ball, a legal, modified version of jueteng that was the brainchild of the President's friend and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. consultant Charlie "Atong" Ang. Testified that Ang, presidential adviser for Bicol affairs Anton Prieto and former Estrada political adviser Jaime Policarpio regularly received jueteng collections, and that Senators John Osmeña and Teresa Aquino-Oreta received P1 million each as balato from mahjong. Also claimed that he issued a check to beauty queen Joelle Pelaez for and on behalf of Mr. Estrada. Called back to the stand on Dec. 19 as a witness for Article 2 or the impeachment charge of graft and corruption.
After more than 30 years of friendship, Gov. Luis Singsonleveled the graft-related accusations that led to the impeachment charges that have been filed against Philippine President Joseph Estrada. He charged that President Joseph Estrada, several members of his family, and his friends were benefiting from jueteng.
Singson said that he had delivered more than 400 million pesos ($8 million) in gambling payoffs from jueteng to Estrada. The governor said he began collecting and delivering the money in 1998, a few months after Estrada was elected president. He added that he participated in the payoffs until August 2000, and that the money drops were made in Estrada's office. He also said Estrada had received 130 million pesos ($2.6 million) from provincial tax revenues.
Estrada was put under investigation, but on 16 January 2001, a key piece of evidence was blocked in court, leading to protests in Manila and other major cities backing to vice president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and Estrada's government quickly fell. Estrada was put to jail pending the investigation, leading the then Vice-President Gloria Arroyo to resume the presidency on January 20, 2001.