Who’s Who in Btaaan – CAYETANO LONZON ARELLANO

CAYETANO LONZON ARELLANO (1847-1920) was a native of Orion who served as the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1901 until 1920.

Arellano was born in Orion to parents Servando Arellano (a Spaniard) and Cristina Lonzon. After completing his primary education in Bataan, he enrolled at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Manila as a working student. After high school, he transferred to the University of Santo Tomas where he finished his Bachelor’s degrees in Philosophy (1862) and Theology (1867). He continued his studies and finished Law in 1876.

He put up his own law office in Manila after passing the lawyer’s examination. He also worked as a college professor at UST teaching Civil Code. It was in 1886 when he was named as Magistrado Suplentein Manila. After a few years, he became a Magistrado Suplente dela Audencia Territorial de Manila. He was also elected and served as city councilor of Manila from 1877 until 1879.

During the Philippine Revolution, Arellano was offered the position of Secretary of Foreign Affairs by President Emilio Aguinaldo on July 15, 1898. But according to Teodoro Agoncillo, a noted historian, Arellano declined the offer since he was in sympathy with the Americans. Apolinario Mabini took over the said position.

When the draft of the new Constitution was presented for discussion at the Malolos Congress in 1898, it was Arellano who led a group objecting to the provision making Catholicism as the religion of the State. To him, the State should recognize the freedom and equality of all religion, as well as the separation of the Church and State. Arellano’s group won by only one vote – – that of Pablo R. Tecson of Balanga, Bataan. On January 21, 1899, Aguinaldo promulgated what is now known as the Malolos Constitution.

In 1901, when the Philippine Commission was established by the Americans, Arellano was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He was a jurist who believed in the sovereignty of the United States over the Philippines. In 1904, US President Theodore Roosevelt appointed him to represent the US to the Philippines. He was also honored with a Doctor of Laws degree by the University of Yale. Ten years later, the University of the Philippines gave him the same honor for his competence and dedication.

Justice Arellano died on December 23, 1920. In honor of Justice Arellano, a barrio in Orion where he was born was named Barangay Arellano. Also, a marker was erected in front of the Orion municipal building in his remembrance.

A school in Manila, the Arellano High School, another school in Bataan, the Arellano Memorial Bataan High School now the Bataan National High School and the Arellano Law School in Pasay City (established in 1938) were all founded in his honor.