The Pasudeco Pampanga shooting
Pasudeco is about to exit from our consciousness. Megaworld would soon rise in the area where the sugar central was.
Do you know that Camp Olivas and Pasudeco have a common history? It is a story of passion. It is a story of crime. It is action packed.
On July 29, 1939, sugar cane planters from the neighboring town of Mexico barged into the Pasudeco office in San Fernando. Four men – brothers Carmelino and Gregorio Timbol, their nephew Dalmacio and bodyguard Geronimo Buan were armed.
The top executives, Pasudeco founder and President, Don Jose Leoncio (Pitong) De Leon and associate Don Augusto Gonzalez were in the administrative office.
The planters wanted Don Leoncio and Don Augusto to sign an agreement that would increase their participation profit at 60%, instead of the prevailing 55%. The executives refused to sign. There was heated discussion. There were grave threats. There was altercation. There was commotion. Ambrosio Razon, the Pasudeco accountant who was a witness to the action, called the Philippine Constabulary (Region III).
Sent to the office was Capt. Julian Olivas, who was unarmed. He tried all means to pacify the intruders. He issued a stern warning that the two Pasudeco bosses were under his care. So it seemed that everything was under control.
Then. . . a burst of gun fire - As Olivas was headed for the door, the Timbol brothers shot him with several volleys. A melee ensued. Buan shot Gonzalez in the chest. Gregorio (nephew) shot De Leon while he was running towards the bathroom. The Timbols and cohort escaped thru the window although Carmelino was wounded in hostile fire from Pasudeco guards.
Three bodies. Three dead. All influential persons. De Leon is Pampanga’s first multimillionaire, Augusto also a millionaire and a brother Bienvenido Gonzalez, University of the Philippines President. Captain Julian Olivas, a promising career, ended. (By the way, Camp Olivas was named after this soldier)
This event shocked the whole nation in the Quezon era.
Secondly quoted is Article XI, Sec.2 which states: “The President, the Vice-President, the members of the Supreme Court, the members of the Constitutional Commissions, and the Ombudsman may be removed from office, on impeachment for and conviction of, culpable violationof the Constitution, treason,… ,” etc. All other public officers and employees may be removed from office as provided by the law, but not by impeachment. Again, aforecited constitutional provision single out the class of public functionies, which includes the justices of the Supreme Court, who may be removed from office exclusively through the medium of impeachment. All other public servants may be removed from office as maybe provided by law, including the remedial relief of Quo Warranto, but not by impeachment.
Indubitably, then, the constitution points to only one mode of dethroning a reigning Chief Justice. And that mode is impeachment. Thus, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno must be given her day before the impeachment court and not elsewhere. So far, the honorable members of the Philippine Senate who will sit as judges in impeachment trial have exhibited dignified neutrality which is the heart and soul of a social order based on the rule of law and the Majesty of the Constitution.