Joe Lingad
Encyclopedia
Jose B. "Joe" Lingad was a Filipino
politician
who was elected provincial governor and congressman from Pampanga
. Targeted by the Ferdinand Marcos
regime and imprisoned during the imposed martial law
, he was assassinated in 1980 as he sought election again to the governorship he had relinquished 29 years earlier.
. He studied law and was admitted to the Philippine bar in 1938, the same year he was first elected to public office as a town councilor. After the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in 1941, Lingad joined the armed resistance against the Japanese in Bataan
. He survived the Bataan Death March
and later joined the guerrilla movement.
In the 1947 general elections
, Lingad was elected governor of Pampanga as a member of the Liberal Party
. Seated as governor in 1948, Lingad served a single term, being defeated for re-election in 1951 due to the fall-out from the Maliwalu massacre . During his tenure as governor, Lingad drafted Diosdado Macapagal
, then in the diplomatic corps, to run for a congressional seat under the Liberal Party in Pampanga. Macapagal's subsequent election as congressman in the 2nd Congress
in 1949 commenced a political career that led him to the Presidency just 12 years later.
When his protege was elected President
in 1961, Lingad joined the Macapagal administration as first as Commissioner of Internal Revenue, Commissioner of Customs, and ultimately, Secretary of Labor
. Macapagal was defeated for re-election by Ferdinand Marcos
in 1965, and Lingad found himself again out of office.
In 1969, Lingad was elected to the House of Representatives under the Liberal Party banner representing the 1st District of Pampanga, the same seat Macapagal had won 20 years earlier. Lingad served in the 7th Congress
from 1969 to 1972. Previously perceived as holding right-wing political views, Lingad shifted to the left while in Congress, supporting farmer's rights and dialogue with the leftist insurgency. Lingad's congressional career was abbreviated with the abolition of Congress following the declaration of martial law by Marcos in 1972. Lingad, a member of the political opposition against Marcos, was among the first political figures to be arrested and imprisoned on the day martial law was declared.
Lingad was released from prison after three months,and he retired to his Pampanga farm.. He was coaxed out of retirement by opposition leader Benigno Aquino, Jr.
, who urged him to run for Pampanga governor in the January 1980 local elections as a candidate of the anti-Marcos opposition. Lingad was defeated by Estelito Mendoza, but he brought forth amidst charges of fraud which led to the staging of a new election for governor. It was during this campaign, in December 1980, that Lingad was shot dead in a roadside gas station in San Fernando, Pampanga as he stopped to buy a pack of cigarettes. His assassin, who died in a vehicular accident before being prosecuted, was identified as a member of the Philippine Constabulary
.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who was elected provincial governor and congressman from Pampanga
Pampanga
Pampanga is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Pampanga is bordered by the provinces of Bataan and Zambales to the west, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija to the north, and Bulacan to the southeast...
. Targeted by the Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
regime and imprisoned during the imposed martial law
Martial Law in the Philippines
Martial law in the Philippines refers to the period of Philippine history where Philippine Presidents declare a proclamation to control unpacified places under the rule of Military, it is usually given when threatened by popular protests, or to crack down on the opposition...
, he was assassinated in 1980 as he sought election again to the governorship he had relinquished 29 years earlier.
Biography
Lingad was born in Lubao, PampangaLubao, Pampanga
Lubao is a 1st class municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 143,058 people in 23,446 households...
. He studied law and was admitted to the Philippine bar in 1938, the same year he was first elected to public office as a town councilor. After the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in 1941, Lingad joined the armed resistance against the Japanese in Bataan
Bataan
Bataan is a province of the Philippines occupying the whole of the Bataan Peninsula on Luzon. The province is part of the Central Luzon region. The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and it is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north...
. He survived the Bataan Death March
Bataan Death March
The Bataan Death March was the forcible transfer, by the Imperial Japanese Army, of 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war after the three-month Battle of Bataan in the Philippines during World War II, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of prisoners.The march was characterized by...
and later joined the guerrilla movement.
In the 1947 general elections
Philippine general election, 1947
Elections for the Senate of the Philippines were held on November 11, 1947, with eight of the 24 seats in the Senate being contested. Eight seats were all regular elections; the winners were eligible to serve six-year terms from December 30, 1947 until December 30, 1953...
, Lingad was elected governor of Pampanga as a member of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Philippines)
The Liberal Party of the Philippines is a liberal party in the Philippines, founded by then senators Senate President Manuel Roxas, Senate President Pro-Tempore Elpidio Quirino, and former 9th Senatorial District Senator Jose Avelino, on November 24, 1945 by a breakaway Liberal group from the...
. Seated as governor in 1948, Lingad served a single term, being defeated for re-election in 1951 due to the fall-out from the Maliwalu massacre . During his tenure as governor, Lingad drafted Diosdado Macapagal
Diosdado Macapagal
Diosdado Pangan Macapagal was the ninth President of the Philippines, serving from 1961 to 1965, and the sixth Vice President, serving from 1957 to 1961. He also served as a member of the House of Representatives, and headed the Constitutional Convention of 1970...
, then in the diplomatic corps, to run for a congressional seat under the Liberal Party in Pampanga. Macapagal's subsequent election as congressman in the 2nd Congress
2nd Congress of the Philippines
The Second Congress of the Philippines was the meeting of the legislature of the Republic of the Philippines, composed of the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives from December 30, 1949 until December 8, 1953.-Sessions:**First Special Session: December 30, 1949 – January 5, 1950*First...
in 1949 commenced a political career that led him to the Presidency just 12 years later.
When his protege was elected President
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
in 1961, Lingad joined the Macapagal administration as first as Commissioner of Internal Revenue, Commissioner of Customs, and ultimately, Secretary of Labor
Department of Labor and Employment (Philippines)
The Philippines' Department of Labor and Employment is the executive department of the Philippine Government mandated to formulate policies, implement programs and services, and serve as the policy-coordinating arm of the Executive Branch in the field of labor and employment...
. Macapagal was defeated for re-election by Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
in 1965, and Lingad found himself again out of office.
In 1969, Lingad was elected to the House of Representatives under the Liberal Party banner representing the 1st District of Pampanga, the same seat Macapagal had won 20 years earlier. Lingad served in the 7th Congress
7th Congress of the Philippines
The Seventh Congress of the Philippines was the meeting of the legislature of the Republic of the Philippines, composed of the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives from January 26, 1970 until it was effectively dissolved with the declaration of martial law on September 23, 1972 by...
from 1969 to 1972. Previously perceived as holding right-wing political views, Lingad shifted to the left while in Congress, supporting farmer's rights and dialogue with the leftist insurgency. Lingad's congressional career was abbreviated with the abolition of Congress following the declaration of martial law by Marcos in 1972. Lingad, a member of the political opposition against Marcos, was among the first political figures to be arrested and imprisoned on the day martial law was declared.
Lingad was released from prison after three months,and he retired to his Pampanga farm.. He was coaxed out of retirement by opposition leader Benigno Aquino, Jr.
Benigno Aquino, Jr.
Benigno Simeon "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. was a Filipino Senator and a former Governor of Tarlac. Aquino, together with Gerry Roxas and Jovito Salonga, formed the leadership of the opposition to the Marcos regime in the years leading to the imposition of martial law in the Philippines...
, who urged him to run for Pampanga governor in the January 1980 local elections as a candidate of the anti-Marcos opposition. Lingad was defeated by Estelito Mendoza, but he brought forth amidst charges of fraud which led to the staging of a new election for governor. It was during this campaign, in December 1980, that Lingad was shot dead in a roadside gas station in San Fernando, Pampanga as he stopped to buy a pack of cigarettes. His assassin, who died in a vehicular accident before being prosecuted, was identified as a member of the Philippine Constabulary
Philippine Constabulary
The Philippine Constabulary ' was the oldest of four service commands of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It was a gendarmerie type para-military police force of the Philippines established in 1901 by the United States-appointed administrative authority replacing the Guardia Civil...
.