The Tough and Fiery "Ilonggo" Mayor of Manila.

(By: DinggolAranetaDivinagracia - April 15, 2018)  

"When you hear people say Manila City Hall Officials and Employees are corrupt; tell them, not during the time of Mayor Arsenio H. Lacson." --dinggol.d~~~

Arsenio Hilario Lacson y Sison a.k.a. “Arsenic Lacson”, was born on December 26, 1912 in Talisay, Negros Occidental. His parents who belong to the illustrious “old rich” families of Jaro and Molo in Iloilo City were Roman Ledesma Lacson and Maria Rosario Sison. In 1932, he married Luz “Luchi” Sychangco Santiago, scion of an influencial and well-to-do family in Sampaloc, Manila with whom he had four children. Lacson was a Lawyer by profession and served for some time, as Prosecutor in the Department of Justice.

Arsenio “Arsenic” Lacson was a colorful personality who had been an outstanding Ateneo football player, a daring amateur boxer, a wartime guerrilla fighter, an acerbic newspaper columnist, a bombastic radio commentator and a top-notch Congressman when he assumed office as the first elected Mayor of Manila in 1951.

On his second year as Congressman representing the 2nd District of Manila, Lacson was cited by media groups as one of the “Ten Most Useful Congressmen” of the Philippines. His contemporaries, who were also “first-timer” lawmakers in the lower house of Congress who later rose to national prominence were Diosdado Macapagal and Ferdinand Marcos who both became President of the Philippines; Emmanuel Pelaez became Vice-President; Arturo Tolentino and Jose Roy became Senators. The Ilonggo Mayor of Manila was perceived as a courageous leader and trustworthy elected official, who could rise up to be the country's president but his sudden death 56 years ago today on April 15, 1962 cut short a brilliant political career. He succumbed to a heart attack at a relatively young age of only 49 years old.

Tough but kindhearted and honest, Mayor Arsenio H. Lacson, was dubbed by many as the "Greatest President the Philippines never had".

His honesty in public office is beyond reproached. A few years after his death, his family’s residence in Sampaloc, Manila was reportedly foreclosed by the bank due to non payment of loan amortization. A sad ending indeed!

Yet, the legacy of this flamboyant Mayor of Manila, shall forever remain in the memories of Manileños for his great accomplishments. And not only because of his major projects that included the Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden, the Quiapo Underpass (renamed Arsenio H. Lacson Underpass), the Ospital and the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Boy’s Town and Girl’s Home, to name a few. But more importantly, the graft busting Mayor Lacson improved Manila’s financial position, restored peace and order condition thru effective police work and visibility, personally led cracked down on criminals and illegal activities, cleaned the city of its garbage disposal problem and cleared City Hall of rampant graft and corruption.

The strategic Plaza Martin de Goiti in Manila’s business district, was renamed Mayor Arsenio H. Lacson Park complete with his towering monument-mounted statue. The Gov. Forbes Street in Sampaloc, Manila where his residence is located, was also renamed to A.H. Lacson Street. A symbolic bigger than life size Bronze statue wearing his trademark aviator sunglasses and reading a broadsheet seated on a bench was erected at Baywalk along Roxas Boulevard in 2003, all these, to honor the memory of Arsenio H. Lacson --the best mayor Manila ever had.

“It has always been an inflexible principle with me that personal friendship and partisan loyalties do not count in the face of public interest. Wherever the fundamental welfare of the people is concerned, I recognize no loyalty to any man, woman or child, but only to the nation as a whole.” --Arsenio H. Lacson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ OO0OO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Below, an article about Mayor "Arsenic" Lacson of Manila during his incumbency as posted by Philippines free press on line -dated July 9th, 2007:

Lacson’s defiance (July 18, 1953)

MANILANS who saw scout and armored trucks menacingly rumble through the streets of the city last Monday evening, with mounted machine guns manned by soldiers in full battle regalia, at once thought that either the Huks had swooped down on the city or a foreign enemy had just landed. Many a city resident was truly scared by the presence of the battle wagons, with soldiers who were armed to the teeth, as they rolled grimly through the metropolis.

But there was no Huk invasion. Nor was there an invasion to be repelled. They were merely soldiers from Camp Murphy who were responding to a frantic call from their boss—Secretary of Justice and National Defense Oscar Castelo, who was at the Shellborne Hotel.

Why did Mr. Castelo call for the army and the constabulary at that time of the night? And why so many men in arms and in battle uniform?

According to the secretary, his life was being threatened by City Mayor Arsenio Lacson and his men, numbering about 40. They were right around the premises of the Shellborne, the secretary said, lying in ambush for him. Castelo felt certain that Lacson was out to murder him that night. Hence, the SOS to Camp Murphy—which was promptly and adequately answered.

But Mayor Lacson vehemently denied Castelo’s allegation, said he was not at the Shellborne, but in another adjacent place, waiting, for a call from somebody to make arrangements with Florentino "Scarface" Suarez who was going to "spill the beans" that night on the Monroy murder. Suarez’ confession was going to be tape-recorded by the mayor, in the presence of newspapermen, newsphotographers and members of the police department.

The armed forces were merely obeying Castelo’s order to arrest Lacson. But the city mayor defied the secretary’s order because the arresting officer had no warrant of arrest. "Mr. Castelo should come and personally arrest me and I’ll break his neck," Lacson is said to have told newsmen in a moment of excitement.

If Secretary Castelo’s real purpose was merely to have Lacson arrested, why didn’t he do the usual thing under the circumstances: call for a squad of Manila policemen (of whom we have a number) and order the cops to nab the city mayors? And since he is the secretary of justice, although on leave, why didn’t he first secure a warrant of arrest from any of the many Manila judges before ordering the arrest of Lacson? It becomes obvious that in summoning the army and the constabulary to "pinch" the mayor of Manila, Mr. Castelo was trying to impress all and sundry that being the biggest boss of the army, the men in that organization were at his beck and call, and that any time he could summon a battalion to parade before people he wants properly "impressed."

Unfortunately, he met one who refused to be impressed --Mayor Arsenio H. Lacson, an ilonggo.. and Yes!.. A Lacson! -dinggol.d~~~

(Source: "Ang Pungsod Ilonggo" Newsletter of the Ilonggo Nation Movement (INM)/Ilonggo Nation Global Federation)

(Published on the April 27 - May 3, 2018 issue of ASIAN JOURNAL San Diego)