The Town of Sikatuna
Part 3
(Editor’s Note: This page is prepared by Atty. Nilo G. Ahat. He said, “Nothing exciting or amazing about my blog. Initially I thought it would just be a repository of my legal research materials. But little did I realize how it became a note of all sorts.”)
On 03 December 1916, came the much awaited communication from Governor – General Francis Burton Harrison to Atty. Jose A. Clarin who incidentally became a Senator of the Republic beginning 16 October 1916, requiring Senator Clarin to submit before 15 January 1917, the name of the Municipal Administrator and Deputy Administrator who will sit in the new Town of Sikatuna. Upon consultation with the people, Clemente Lacea was chosen as the Municipal Administrator, subject to relinquishment of his current post as Municipal President of Alburquerque as soon as the town charter of Sikatuna is signed into law. On the other hand, Aurelio Gasang was named as the unanimous choice for Deputy Municipal Administrator.
Finally, the Charter of the Town of Sikatuna was signed into law on 05 December 1917, by Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison, known as EXECUTIVE ORDER No. 88. The official copy of Executive Order No. 88, was formally read by Mayor Clemente Lacea in public at the Municipal Hall of Alburquerque, on 08 December 1917. And thereafter, Clemente Lacea tendered his irrevocable resignation as Municipal President of Alburquerque effective immediately, in compliance with his new appointment as the Municipal Administrator of the newly created town of Sikatuna, Bohol.
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL
OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
MANILA, December 5, 1917}
EXECUTIVE ORDER No. 88}
WHEREAS, many of the inhabitants of the barrios of Cornago, Abucay, Libjo, Canagong, and Cambuac, municipality of Alburquerque, and the barrios of Badiang and Bahay-bahay, municipality of Balilihan, have petitioned that said barrios be separated from the municipalities of Alburquerque and Balilihan, Province of Bohol, and organized into an independent municipality;
NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the provisions of section sixty-eight of the Revised Administrative Code, the thirty-four municipalities of the Province of Bohol as established by section thirty-eight of the said Administrative Code, are hereby increased to thirty-five by separating the barrios of Cornago, Abucay, Libjo, Canagong, and Cambuac, from the municipality of Alburquerque, and the barrios of Badiang and Bahaybahay, from the municipality of Balilihan, Province of Bohol, and organizing the same into an independent municipality, under the name of “Sikatuna.”
The municipality of Alburquerque shall consist of its present municipality less the territory comprised in the barrios of Cornago, Abucay, Libjo, Canagong, and Cambuac, and the municipality of Balilihan, shall consist of its present municipality less the territory comprised in the barrios of Badiang and Bahaybahay. The municipality of Sikatuna shall consist of the territory comprised in the barrios of Cornago, Abucay, Libjo, Canagong, Cambuac, Badiang, and Bahaybahay.
The seat of the municipal government of Sikatuna shall be in the barrio of Cornago.
The organization herein made shall take effect on January first, nineteen hundred and eighteen.
(Sgd) FRANCIS BURTON HARRISON
Governor-General
But sadly tho, Clemente Lacea’s invaluable contribution in our journey to townhood paid him only a one-year seat as the FIRST APPOINTED MUNICIPAL PRESIDENT beginning January 1, 1918. His political fate was cut short after losing to Aurelio Gasang in that historic first general elections that came in 1919 and made Aurelio Gasang as the FIRST ELECTED MUNICIPAL PRESIDENT of Sikatuna .(to be continued)