The Town of Sikatuna
Part 4 (Final)
(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.”)
Hereunder are the duly elected mayors from 1919 til the present, to wit:
1919 – 1922 AURELIO GASANG 1922 – 1925 PONCIANO TOLEDO 1926 – 1928 PONCIANO TOLEDO 1929 – 1931 PONCIANO TOLEDO 1932 – 1934 FRANCISCO UNGAB 1935 – 1937 EMILIANO BACO 1938 – 1940 PONCIANO TOLEDO 1941 – 1942 LUCIO MAGHUYOP 1943 – 1945 GALICANO JASMIN (Guerilla Gov’t) — PONCIANO TOLEDO (Japanese Puppet Gov’t) 1946 – 1963 FIDEL ELLORIMO 1964 – 1980 TROADIO PATENIO 1980 – 1986 CAMILO PALGAN 1986 – 1998 CONSTANCIO RULE 1998 – 2007 TRANQUILINA MANIWANG 2007 – 2010 IRENEO CALIMPUSAN 2010 — 2019 JOSE ELLORIMO JR.
Notably, the Japanese period saw Sikatuna with three (3) mayors. The first was LUCIO MAGHUYOP, who was duly elected in the 1941 election. However, towards the end of 1942, when the Japanese forces were already in Bohol, Lucio Maghuyop was arrested by the Guerillas on suspicion that he was a collaborator. He was detained in a place called “Behind The Clouds” located in the town of Batuan. In his stead, GALICANO JASMIN being the Vice-mayor then was installed by the guerillas, thereby making the latter as the second mayor. But not long after the installation of Galicano Jasmin, the Japanese forces occupied Sikatuna and established a garrison at the municipal building. And as part of establishing their command in the area, the Japanese also installed their own mayor in the person of PONCIANO TOLEDO who was already a three termer mayor of the town. In other words, Ponciano Toledo became the puppet mayor of the Japanese puppet government.
Through time, Sikatuna has evolved from its original seven (7) barrios to the present ten (10) component barrios/barangays, namely: 1) Poblacion Uno; 2) Poblacion Dos; 3) Bahay-bahay; 4) Badiang; 5) Cambuac Norte; 6) Cambuac Sur; 7) Libjo; 8) Abucay Sur; 9) Abucay Norte; and, 10) Can-agong.
Truly indeed, the moniker “Sa Ika To Na” describes the significance of the NUMBER THREE (3) in our journey to townhood. Firstly, the name Sikatuna is our third name after Cambojod and Cornago. Second, the original seven component barrios of Sikatuna were taken from the three (3) neighboring towns of Alburquerque, Balilihan, and Loboc. Third, the newly created town of Sikatuna sits in a political territory that was re-defined and changed by law for the third time. Fourthly, the newly created town of Sikatuna is our third mother-town after Albur and Baclayon. Fifthly, the proposal to create the town of Sikatuna out of Barrio Cornago passed thru the hands of three (3) Governor Generals beginning with James Francis Smith, William Cameron Forbes, then finally with Francis Burton Harrison who approved and signed Executive Order No. 88.
And finally, for whatever historical value it may be worth, It was said that the distinguished Miguel Oppus was quoted as saying that the future of Sikatuna lies in whatever good things there is in the number THREE (3) which has already manifested so much significance in our political journey.
