21. DE LIMA @ MUNTINLUPA & THE LADY SENATORS
DE LIMA
@ MUNTINLUPA & THE LADY SENATORS
Dr.
Troy Alexander G. Miano
25 February 2017 
Senator Leila De Lima turned herself yesterday
morning after the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (Branch 204) Executive Judge Juanita
T. Guerrero has ordered her arrest on February
23, 2017 for allegedly violating the drug trafficking law. When I heard
the news, I remembered the political map of the National Capital Region (NCR)
where Muntinlupa is one the biggest local government units (LGU) of the region
contrary to its name “munting lupa” or “small piece of land”. To make sure I
know the etymology of the locality, I searched Google and read the history
posted at Muntinlupa’s Facebook account.
The
origin of the name "Muntinlupa" came from at least three versions. First, its
association with the thin topsoil in the area. Second, residents,
purportedly replying to a question by Spaniards in the 16th century what the
name of their place was, said “Monte sa Lupa”— apparently mistaking the
question for what card game they were playing. Third, the
topographical nature of the area, where the term Monte or mountain was expanded
to Muntinlupa or mountain land.
The City of
Muntinlupa’s history started in 1601 when the locality was administered by the
Augustinians. In 1869, the town of Muntinlupa was created for the Spanish
government to administer closely the control over the sitios of Alabang,
Tunasancillo (now Tunasan), Sucat and Cupang. On June 11, 1900, by virtue of
Act No. 137, Muntinlupa was incorporated within the newly created province of
Rizal. On October 12, 1903, Act No. 942 united Pateros, Taguig and Muntinlupa
into one municipality with Pateros as towncenter. On November 25, 1903, by virtue
of Act No. 1008, the municipality of Muntinlupa was included within the
province of Laguna and placed under Biñan town together with San Pedro town.
Muntinlupa residents protested against the act. On March 22, 1905, the petition
was heard and granted through Act No. 1308, thus, Muntinlupa was handed back as
part of Rizal province and made a barrio of Taguig. On December 19, 1917,
Executive Order No. 108 issued by Governor General Francis Burton Harrison made
Muntinlupa independent. On November 7, 1975, through Presidential Decree No.
824, Muntinlupa became a part of the new Metropolitan Manila Area. On
February 16, 1995, Republic Act 7926 converted Muntinlupa into a city.
While listening to a whole day of related news about De
Lima’s arrest, my writing instinct played again and started researching on lady
senators who served the republic. I browsed a book given to me when I was still
working in the Philippine Senate in 1998. The Senate President then was Ernesto
M. Maceda who required every office to have a staff picture with their
senator-head which were compiled and published as a yearbook for the 81st
anniversary of the Senate of the Philippines. My two years stint from April
1996 to March 1998 at the Office of Senator Heherson T. Alvarez furnished me
the correct references on the history of the Philippine legislature since
during those days Google was not yet available.
Since
1947, there have been twenty two Filipino women senators in Philippine history and Senator De Lima is the 22nd.
After the inauguration of the Third Republic, seven lady senators served from the
1st to the 7th Congress. They were: Senator (1947-1953) Geronima
Josefa Tomelden-Pecson (1895-1989), Senator (1955-1961) Maria Paz Paterno
Madrigal-Warns (1915-2008), Senator (1961-1967) Maria Villanueva
Kalaw-Katigbak (1912-1992), Senator (1966-1969) Tecla San
Andres-Ziga (1906-1992), Senator (1965-1972) Evangelina Reynada
Estrada-Kalaw (born 1920), Senator (1967-1972) Magnolia Welborn-Antonino
(1915-2010), and Senator (1967-1972) Helena Zoila Tirona Benitez (1914-2016).
The declaration
of martial law by
President Ferdinand Marcos in 1972 shut
down Congress. The Senate was resurrected in 1987 upon the ratification of
the 1987 Constitution. Fifteen
Senators were elected in the Fifth Republic. They were: Senator (1987-1998) Leticia
Valdez Ramos-Shahani (born 1929),
Senator (1987-1995), Santanina Centi "Nina" Tillah-Rasul (born 1930),
Senator (1992-1998) Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal-Arroyo (born 1947),
Senator (1992-2001) Anna Dominique "Nikki" Marquez-Lim
Coseteng (born 1952), Senator (1995-2001 & 2004-2016) Miriam Palma
Defensor Santiago (1945-2016), Senator (1998-2004 & 2007 up to
present) Lorna Regina Bautista Legarda (born 1960), Senator (1998-2004) Maria
Teresa Aquino Aquino-Oreta (born 1944), Senator (1998-2001) Luisa “Loi”
Fernandez Pimentel-Ejército (born 1931), Senator (2004-2010) Maria Ana
Consuelo “Jamby” Abad Santos Madrigal-Valade (born 1958), Senator (2004-2016) Pilar
Juliana "Pia" Schramm Cayetano (born 1966), Senator (since 2013)
Mary Grace Natividad Sonora Poe-Lllamanzares (baptized 1968), Senator (since 2013)
Maria Lourdes Nancy Sombillo Binay-Angeles (born 1973), Senator (since 2013)
Cynthia Ampaya Aguilar-Villar (born 1950), Senator (since 2016) Ana Theresia
“Risa” Hontiveros-Baraquel (born 1966), and Senator (since 2016) Leila Norma
Eulalia Josefa Magistrado de Lima (born 1959).
From 1916 to present,
a total of 245 Senators served the Philippines and only 11% are women. It was
only in 1947, during the Third Republic, when a woman was elected senator in
the person of Geronima Pecson. In the November 11, 1969 senatorial elections,
no lady was elected while at present, a fourth of the 24-Senate membership are
women. The country’s latest and 22nd elected lady senator, Laila De
Lima, was recently arrested. The country’s No. 1 penitentiary, the New Bilibid
Prison (NBP) situated in Muntinlupa City, was the setting of the controversial
case against the lady senator. On August 25, 2016, President Duterte tagged the
former Justice Secretary, now Senator Leila de Lima as being involved in the
Bilibid drug trade. In the drug matrix released to the media which shows
the drug trafficking operations in the prison, Duterte also identified De
Lima's former driver and alleged lover Ronnie Dayan as part of the Bilibid drug
network. What’s next for the NBP and the lady senator is “abangan ang susunod
na kabanata” (wait for the next chapter).
The City of
Muntinlupa still bears the negative impression created by the stigma of it
being the home of hardened criminals since the establishment of the 551 hectare
prison by virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 67. The mere mention of the word
“Muntinlupa” always brought to mind the dreadful image of the NBP which is
located within its jurisdiction since 1940. However, the unfair jokes and bad
press changed the face of Muntinlupa with its rapid development earning the
status of “Most Competitive and Improved City”. May I quote www.dumagueteinfo.com:
“Like a precious stone plucked from the mining quarry in its raw form, then cut
and polished to perfection, Muntinlupa City—the new glistening jewel of
Metro Manila, is now referred to as the Emerald City of the
Philippines.” Quoting the 22nd lady senator shortly before law
enforcers escorted her away from her office to Muntinlupa City on Friday: “The
truth will come out and I will achieve justice. I am innocent."
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