Wenceslao Q. Vinzons | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Vinzons as a delegate to the Philippine Constitutional Convention, published by Benipayo Press (c. 1935) | |
| Member of thePhilippine House of Representatives fromCamarines Norte'sLone District | |
| Died before taking office | |
| Governor of Camarines Norte | |
| In office December 30, 1940 – December 30, 1941 | |
| Preceded by | Miguel Lukban |
| Succeeded by | Basilio Bautista Sr. |
| Member of the1934 Philippine Constitutional Convention fromCamarines Norte | |
| In office July 10, 1934 – November 15, 1935 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Wenceslao Quinito Vinzons (1910-09-28)September 28, 1910 |
| Died | July 15, 1942(1942-07-15) (aged 31) |
| Political party | Young Philippines |
| Spouse | Liwayway Custodio Gonzales |
| Children | 5 |
| Parent(s) | Gabino Vinzons (father) Engracia Quinito (mother) |
| Relatives | Justin "Bintao" Vinzons (grandson) Wenceslao Vinzons, III (grandson) Wenceslao Vinzons, Jr. (son) |
| Alma mater | University of the Philippines University of the Philippines College of Law (LLB) |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Lawyer, activist |
| Known for | "Father of Student Activism in the Philippines" |
Wenceslao "Bintao"Quinito Vinzons Sr. (September 28, 1910 – July 15, 1942) was aFilipino patriot and leader of the Philippine armed resistance against the Japanese invasion inWorld War II. He was the youngest delegate to the 1935 Philippine Constitutional Convention. For leading demonstrations as a student leader, he was dubbed the "Father of Student Activism in the Philippines" when he, along withNarciso J. Alegre and future Senator and Vice PresidentArturo Tolentino, founded theYoung Philippines Party.[2][3]
Vinzons was among the first Filipinos to organize aguerrilla movement at the onset of theJapanese invasion of the Philippines in 1941.[4] In the course of the resistance, he was captured and executed by the occupyingJapanese military.
Vinzons was born in the town ofIndan,Camarines Norte to Gavino Vinzons y Venida and Engracia Quinito y Elep. His paternal grandparents were Serafín Vinzons, aChinese Filipino, and Baldomera Venida. His maternal grandparents were Rosalío Quinito and Cipriana Elep. He was baptized on October 5, 1910 by Fr. Marciano Bamba at theSaint Peter the Apostle Church in the same town and his godfather was Ángel Anz.[5] He graduated valedictorian from his local high school, and proceeded to study at theUniversity of the Philippines inManila.[6]
While at the university, Vinzons gained fame as a student leader. A fellow of theUpsilon Sigma Phi fraternity, Vinzons would be elected president of thestudent council and editor-in-chief of thePhilippine Collegian.[7] He was also known for delivering an oratorical address entitledMalaysia Irredenta, where he advocated the unification ofSoutheast Asian nations with a commonMalay origin.[8] The piece won him theManuel L. Quezon Gold Medal for Excellence.[6]
Vinzons obtained hislaw degree from theUniversity of the Philippines College of Law in 1932, and placed third in thebar examinations the following year.
After graduation, Vinzons, along withNarciso J. Alegre andArturo Tolentino (a futuresenator andMarcos-era unofficialvice president) founded a political party, Young Philippines, which advocated the granting of Philippine independence from American rule.
After the passage in 1934 of theTydings–McDuffie Act which laid the groundwork for independence, Vinzons successfully soughtelection that same year as a delegate, together with Atty. Baldomero M. Lapak, to represent Camarines Norte in the1934 Constitutional Convention.[9] As a member of the Convention, he was instrumental in prescribingTagalog as an official language of the Philippines. At 24, he was the youngest delegate, and the youngest signer of the 1935 Constitution.
During the1935 presidential elections, Vinzons actively campaigned for the presidential bid ofEmilio Aguinaldo, formerPresident of theFirst Philippine Republic, the main challenger to then-Senate PresidentManuel L. Quezon. Vinzons' efforts helped Aguinaldo carryCamarines even though Quezon won the presidency. Following Aguinaldo's defeat, Vinzons put on hold his political career, opting instead to become the president of a mining corporation based in his home province.
Vinzons resumed political life in 1940, when he waselected governor of Camarines Norte. The following year, he successfully ran forelection to theHouse of Representatives, representing thelone district of Camarines Norte. However, his service in the legislature was delayed by the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in December 1941.
Within days following the arrival of theJapanese occupation forces in the Philippines, Vinzons began to organize armed resistance inBicol against the invading army, which had reached the region on December 12, 1941. He commandeered the rice warehouses in Camarines Norte, and ordered the confiscation of explosives used in the province's gold mines for use against the Japanese forces.[10]
By December 18, 1941, he would lead a raid against a troop of Japanese soldiers inBasud, Camarines Norte. His guerrilla recruits soon grew to around 2,800 strong, and in May 1942, Vinzons would lead these forces to successfully liberate the provincial capital ofDaet. It is said that between December 1941 and May 1942, Vinzons' troops, armed with poisoned arrows among other weapons, were able to kill around 3,000 Japanese soldiers. Henceforth, the capture of Vinzons became a prime objective of the Japanese.
Through the betrayal of a renegade guerrilla-turned-informant, Vinzons was captured by the Japanese military together with his father on July 8, 1942. He refused to pledge allegiance to his captors, and was brought to a garrison in Daet. It was there, on July 15, 1942, that Vinzons wasbayoneted to death after refusing one final entreaty to cooperate with the Japanese forces. Shortly thereafter, his father, wife, sister and two of his children were also executed by the Japanese.[11]
Vinzons is hailed as the "Father ofStudent Activism in thePhilippines".[12]
Vinzons' hometown of Indan was renamed Vinzons, in his memory, as was an elementary school inManila. The student activity center of theUniversity of the Philippines campus inDiliman was named Vinzons Hall in 1959. Vinzons Hall also houses the offices of the Philippine Collegian. Former SenatorRichard Gordon, an admirer of Vinzons, commissioned sculptor Juan Sajid Imao for a bust in his honor at Vinzons Hall as part of rehabilitation efforts by the UP Diliman University Student Council in 2009.[13]
Several of Vinzons' relatives embarked on political careers. Fernando Vinzons Pajarillo was related to Wenceslao and had been elected congressman and governor, for many terms. Wenceslao's son was a one-time governor. His daughter Rannie Vinzons-Gaite was once member of the Provincial Council.[citation needed]
The former lone legislative district of Camarines Norte was last served by a descendant, formerBureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner and former RepresentativeLiwayway Vinzons-Chato.
A three-act musical on Vinzon's life, entitled"Bintao", was staged at theUniversity of the Cordilleras in January 2008.[14][15] For its centennial anniversary in November 2018, the Upsilon Sigma Phi also staged"Bintao" under the direction ofTony Mabesa and Alexander Cortez.[16]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
