(Editor’s note: Those aspiring for president in May 2010 may wish to know our past leaders for comparison as noted by the author.)

The Filipino politicians’ first opportunity to exercise partial political leadership was extended by the US Congress with the election of representatives to the First Assembly in 1907. But the colonial government had retained total control of legislation and the exercise of executive and judicial powers.

Jones Law to Commonwealth

The Jones Law of 1916 had entrusted a form of autonomy and control of legislation to Filipino national leaders. Executive and judicial powers remained with the Americans until November 15, 1935, when the Commonwealth Government assumed full direction of the legislative, executive and judicial departments under the 1935 Constitution as mandated by the US Congress.

7 wise men?

Newspaper and radio reporters in 1934 believed that a committee of seven delegates was mainly responsible in preparing the final draft of the Constitution. They referred to the committee members as the “seven wise men” – Filemon Sotto, Norberto Romualdez, Manuel Roxas, Vicente Singson Encarnacion, Manuel Briones, Miguel Cuaderno and Conrado Benitez (in place of Jose P. Laurel).

Copying US document

The calling “seven wise men” still appears in all history books today for high school and college students. Veteran observers asked: Why should the seven delegates be called “wise” for copying the US Constitution of 1787. Con-con president Claro M. Recto himself admitted the Charter was a “carbon copy of the American Constitution.”

National following

Since the first national election on September 17, 1935 only one party, the NP of Quezon, Osmeña and Roxas, can be viewed as the only group with a national organization and following to elect the president, vice-president leaders, since March 22, 1897 – election of Aguinaldo as president at age 28 at Tejeros, San Francisco de Malabon, Cavite – were fully qualified to achieve and deserve the calling of national leader. Here’s a sketchy description of their credentials:

Field general

1. Emilio Aguinaldo. Left Letran after two years in high school, attended to the family business and was field general in the revolution against Spain (August 1896 to August 1898) and against America (February 1899 to March 1901). According to historians Aguinaldo as revolutionary was as persistent as a toothache.

7 years in the US House

2. Manuel L. Quezon. No. 5 in the 1903 Bar exams, practicing lawyer, provincial fiscal of Mindoro, governor at age 27, majority leader of the 1907 First Assembly at 29, Resident Commissioner to the US (1909-1916), brought home the Jones Law, and senate president from 1916 to November 14, 1935.
Governor at 25
3. Sergio Osmeña. No.2 in the 1903 Bar exams, practicing lawyer, governor at age 25, speaker at age 29, 1907 to 1922, senate president protempore 1922 to 1933 and vice-president November 1935 to August 1944.

Most qualified

4. Jose P. Laurel. No. 2 1915 Bar exams, LL.D. at Yale U, secretary of interior at 33, senator at 35, practicing lawyer, author of books on Constitutional Law and government, law professor, Con-con delegate, Supreme Court justice and secretary of justice. He defied the US governor-general in 1923 who died of a brain tumor in 1928.

11 years as speaker

5. Manuel A. Roxas. No. 1 1913 Bar exams, governor at 27, speaker at 30 (1922 to 1933), Con-con delegate, secretary of finance and senate president.
6. Elpidio Quirino. Passed the Bar exams in 1915, congressman, senator, secretary of finance under Governor-General Frank Murphy, and Quezon, Con-con delegate, senate president protempore and vice-president.

Insurgency routed

7. Ramon Magsaysay. Celebrated guerilla leader and fighter, military governor (appointed by MacArthur), congressman, and secretary of defense who routed insurgency in Central Luzon.
8. Carlos P. Garcia. No. 7 in Bar exams, governor, senator and vice-president.
9. Diosdado Macapagal, No. 1 in Bar exams, congressman and vice-president.
10. Ferdinand Marcos. No. 1 in Bar exams in 1939, fought in Bataan, congressman and senate president.

Peaceful revolution

11. Corazon C. Aquino. Cory is a special case of peaceful rebellion against total dictatorship. Her husband was assassinated for defying the martial law regime.
12. Fidel V. Ramos. Professional soldier and leader of a successful military rebellion, chief of constabulary, AFP chief of staff and secretary of defense.

Erap magic

13. Erap Estrada. Actor with national following from the masses, mayor, senator and vice president.
14. Gloria M. Arroyo. Daughter of a president, graduate in economics of a US college, professor in economics, undersecretary, senator and vice-president. (Comments are welcome at roming@pefianco.com)