Cebu's illustrious constitutionalists

The best writers of Philippine constitutions, as shown by indubitable historical facts, are Cebuanos. What is my basis for saying so? Historical records do not lie. In the 1935 Philippine Constitution, two Cebuano brothers, Don Filemon Y. Sotto and Don Vicente Y. Sotto had been given the distinct honor as experts of both the substance and the style of our fundamental law. Don Filemon was recognized by all the other delegates from all over the nation as chairman of the powerful sponsorship committee composed of 87 learned men. He was honored as one of the seven Wise Men in the Convention, along with another Cebuano, the erudite Don Manuel C. Briones.

The younger brother of Don Filemon, Don Vicente (who, incidentally, was the grandfather of incumbent senator, Vicente Sotto III, and in whose honor the former Southern Islands Hospital has been named) was also chosen as the Chairman of the Committee on Style. He was credited for drafting the beautiful Preamble of the 1935 Constitution. Yes, there were two Sotto brothers in the same convention representing the same district, which included what is now Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Mandaue City, among others. Aside from the Sottos and Briones, the Cebu delegates included Nicolas Rafols, Mariano Jesus Cuenco, Paulino Gullas (the founder of this newspaper), Antonio Ybañez, Casiano Carin, Cesar Kintanar, Cesar Niere, Filesmeno V. Rivera, Juanito Maramara, Hilario C. Moncado, and Antonio Mansueto. They were 14 from Cebu.

There were 16 Cebu delegates to the 1973 Con-con: Lydia Durano-Rodriguez, Casimiro R. Madarang Jr., Pedro L.Yap, Marcelo B. Fernan, Natalio B. Bacalso, Jesus P. Garcia, Napoleon G. Rama, Antonio T. Bacaltos, Oliveros E. Kintanar, Hilario G. Davide, Jr., Fr. Jorge Kintanar, Pedro B. Calderon, Fr. Andres Flores, Francis M. Zosa,Antonio Y. de Pio, and Gerardo M. Pepito. The best performers in that Con-con were Rama and Davide. He is the same Davide who also helped write the 1986 Constitution, where he penned the Social Justice provisions of the present fundamental law. Fernan, Yap, and Garcia, all Bar topnotchers, also distinguished themselves in that august body.

In 1986, President Cory Aquino named two distinguished Cebuano lawyers as Constitutional commissioners: Davide, from the south and Regalado Maambong from the north. These two legal luminaries were instrumental in the adoption of many landmark provisions of our present fundamental law. And so, today, if there is going to be a Con-con, I would nominate top Cebuano lawyers Hilario G. Davide, Jr., Pablo P. Garcia, and Mayor Eduardo R. Gullas to lead Cebuano delegates to that historic convention. I do not support Con-ass because, the current Senate and the House (with due respect) do not have the topnotch caliber of the Sottos, the Davides, and the Ramas.

The Cebuanos have top-caliber constitutionalists and legal luminaries. The nation should tap their talents and make a masterpiece of a Constitution that we, Cebuanos, can all be proud of.