Mayor Emilio M. Lumontad Jr., Pinamungajan, Cebu
Emilio Jr. was the son of Cebu Famous Trial Lawyer Emilio Lumontad Sr. (finished his law degree at the University of Santo Tomas and used to be the errand boy of Congressman Nicolas Rafols) and Vicenta Medel of Liburon, Carcar, Cebu. He was born on June 15, 1926.
Emilio Jr. was a graduate of the University of San Carlos College of Law, admitted to the Bar and elected as Mayor of Pinamungajan in 1960.
Emilio Sr. married twice, after his first wife (Vicenta) died when Emilio Jr. was still 14 years old. The second wife of Emilio Sr. was Consolada Milan Lumontad of Balamban, Cebu was the lawyer who assisted Mayor Lumontad when they went to the Supreme Court to defend the validity of the re-appointment of the towns Chief of Police Jose Lesigues.
Samson Cerna, the Vice Mayor of Emilio Jr. who succeeded him as Mayor in 1965 was ambushed on January 21, 1970 in Barrio Tutay, Pinamungajan, Cebu. Mayor Samson was mortally wounded during the ambush and his companions, his wife, Lourdes Cerna, Candida Comahig, Francisco Jabido, and Jose delos Reyes were wounded. The companions of Mayor Cerna lived to tell the story of the ambush. The assassins were identified and prosecuted. There were 13 of them, first convicted before the Criminal Circuit Trial Court of Cebu.
The conviction was affirmed by the Supreme Court on October 23, 1978. Majority of the accused were convicted by the Supreme Court however there were those who were acquitted and released.
Two of the prime suspects were sentenced to death and the other three were sentenced to Reclusion Perpetua. The ambush was the result of the political war between the Nacionalista Party and the Liberal Party of the town. Prior to the ambush the election held on November 11, 1969, there were candidates and political figures were charged for criminal offenses in relation to the elections.
Governor Osmundo Rama even ordered the detail of Constabulary soldiers to the town, to be sent to have assisted Jose Lesigues its chief of police for the arrest of those who were charged. The perpetuators were all arrested, convicted, and imprisoned in Muntinlupa.
Emilio Lumontad Jr. who was then the immediate former mayor when the ambush happened, was also included in the hit list along with Chief of Police Jose Lesigues. Before the prime suspect died, Emilio Jr. was summoned by the former in Muntinlupa National Penitentiary and thereafter died.
When Mayor Samson Cerna died, he was succeeded by Juan K. Kyamko. Lawyer Manolo P. Cerna, the son of slain Mayor Samson Cerna was elected Mayor of the town from 1974 until he was replaced by an officer in charge after the 1986 People Power Revolt.
Mayor Emilio M. Lumontad Jr. married Virgie Mendoza Gamao, the former Miss University of Southern Philippines and had four children, Grace, Rex, Carlo, and John Paul.
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