Benito V. Lopez

Dublin Core

Title

Benito V. Lopez

Subject

Governors

Description

Photo source

Creator

Latañafrancia, Remelyn N.

Date

January 11, 2024

Coverage

Term: 1906-1908

Person Item Type Metadata

Birth Date

April 3, 1877

Birthplace

Jaro, Iloilo City

Death Date

January 20, 1908

Occupation

Governor

Biographical Text

Benito Lopez was born on April 3, 1877, in Jaro, Iloilo City. He was the son of Eugenio J. Lopez, a prominent sugar baron from Negros, and Marcella Felipe. Benito Lopez belonged to the third generation of the esteemed Lopez family.

Lopez was married to Presentacion Hofileña, with whom he had two children namely; Eugenio Lopez and Fernando Lopez.

In or about the year 1900, Juan de Leon, Francisco Villanueva, Esperidion Guanco, and Benito Lopez formed a partnership to publish the newspaper "El Tiempo," which soon became the top newspaper in Iloilo City. At the age of 26, Benito Lopez was appointed as the vice mayor of Jaro, a position he held from 1902 to 1903. Over the years, he furthered his political ambitions and was elected Governor of Iloilo, a position to which he was re-elected in November 1907.

Tragically, on December 27, 1907 Benito Lopez was assassinated in his office at the Casa Gobierno, now known as the Casa Real de Iloilo. He was shot four times by Joaquin Gil, a follower of Francisco Jalandoni of the Nacionalista Party, a political rival. The motive behind the assassination was believed to be retaliation for Lopez's exposure of the jueteng ring in Iloilo.

Despite medical efforts, Lopez died on January 20, 1908, a few weeks after the incident occurred, at the age of 30. He passed away at the Mission Hospital in Iloilo.

The sentence against Joaquin Gil was ordered by W.F Norris, judge of the ninth district court in the province of Iloilo, on February 28, 1908. Gil was sentenced to be hanged by the neck until dead and to pay the expenses of the case. Furthermore, the sentence would take effect upon confirmation by the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

Indeed, his untimely death marked the end of a promising political career and left a significant impact on the political landscape of Iloilo.