SENATOR TOMAS CABILI DID NOT SIGN THE 1935 CONSTITUTION OF THE PHILIPPINES

In the 1935 Constitution Iligan was the only City ( out of 202 delegates) in the

country which did not sign that Constitution. This was largely due to the conviction

of the late Senator Tomas Cabili that a Unitary government like we have now would

lead Mindanao to further trouble.  He wanted a Federal form of government.

His reason was very simple, if the 1935 Constitution was patterned after the

U.S.A. then why is it that that Constitution was advocating a  Unitary form of government

while America is a Federal form of government and that for him doesn't really make sense.

He knew that a Unitary form of government would bring "war" to Lanao and Mindanao.

And we now know he was right.  He was one man against 201 other delegates-

but he stood his ground and his convictions. His life is an example of one man fighting

against a system of corruption and lack of respect for the culture of the people-

specially the minority.

Below is a brief background of the "Hero of the Undivided Lanao" and his

reasons why he did not sign the 1935 Constitution. 

Senator Tomas L. Cabili was born in Iligan, Lanao del Norte on March 7, 1903.  

His parents were Guillermo Cabili and Epifania H. Lluisima. He was also known as

Sultang Demasangkay-ko-Ranao. Cabili studied at Iligan Primary School, (1911-1915)

and Iligan Elementary School (1915-1918 ). From 1919 to 1923, he enrolled in

four different schools to complete his secondary education;

the Zamboanga Provincial High School, (1919 to 1920)

Cebu High school, (1920 to 1921)

Siliman Institute, (1921 to 1922)

and finally, the Cebu Provincial High School, (1922 to 1923).

Cabili received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of the

Philippines-Cebu in 1925, then pursued a law course at the Visayan Institute,

also in Cebu, from 1925 to 1927. He transfered to the Philippine College of Law,

where he completed his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1929. After passing the bar

examinations, he practiced law in his home province. In 1934, he was appointed justice

of the peace of the municipal district of Lanao as well as of Dansalan.

He became a delegate to the Constitutional Assembly. In 1935, he was elected

assemblyman for his district in the First National Assembly, serving on the

committees on agriculture, codes, franchises, provincial and municipal government,

national language, public instruction, Mindanao and special provinces,

appropriations, civil service, and public lands.

He was the only delegate to the Constitutional Convention who did not

sign the 1935 Constitution, which was formally ratified on February 8, 1935.

 He thundered his refusal on seven reasons:  

1. That it carries no provision to promote the progress of the non-Christians

     as provided  in Article XII, Section 5 of the proposed draft; 

2. That it places too much power in the Executive Department, which might

     inspire the  establishment of a dictatorial government; 

3. That it carries no provision for municipal and provincial autonomy; 

4. That it might encourage communism because of the allowance given to

     the government to appropriate and substitute landed estates; 

5. That the safeguards provided against the acquisition of agricultural lands

     by the foreigners are not sufficient; 

6. That there is no provision made for the nationalization of the retail trade; and 

7. That there was too much intervention from outside, especially from

     President Quezon in the drafting of the Constitution.

In 1938, Cabili was reelected to the Second National Assembly. He was chairman

of the Committee onPrivileges and member of the committees on agriculture,

appropriations, forest, Minadanao and Specialprovinces, and national companies.

He was senator from 1946-1955. Cabili was married to Felicitas N. Pepito of Cebu,

they had five children namely: Vismindo, Camilo, Fe, Fulgencio andTeodoro Delano.

He died along with President Ramon Magsaysay and 23 others on a plane crash

on March 17, 1957 at Mount Manunggal, Cebu.  (credit to Alingatong of Explore Iligan)

On that fateful day two heroes of our Republic died-one a "Man of the masses"-a very beloved

President of the Filipinos-no one can equal even today and the other the "Champion of the Tri-people"

of our Nation-Lanao's Bantogen-Sultan Dimasangkay Senator Tomas Cabili.

Looking back into his convictions we all know today that his reasons were valid and hold

substance.  If only our Nation listened to him,  Mindanao and Lanao would not

have to undergo many "tribulations".  The creation of the Substate in ARMM today is

simply the realization of those convictions.  Senator Tomas Cabili was a man of peace

and reconciliation-he fought for the rights of the Tri-people, because he knew the

reality of Mindanao and Lanao.  His convictions were borne out of his close association

with the Tri-people of Mindanao and Lanao, specially the Maranao Nation, which treated

him like he was their own son. 

His marker reads:

SENATOR TOMAS L. CABILI  

“One of the First Senators of the First Congress and First Congressional Representative of

undivided Lanao in Mindanao who refused to sign the 1935 Constitution, as a delegate on the

grounds that the rights of the Muslims was not protected.” 

And may I add, "Hero of the Undivided Lanao, a man of peace, a champion

of the Tri-people, the great Sultan and the Father of Federalism in our Country....

 Sultan Dimasangkay