Edward Hagedorn

Edward Solon Hagedorn (October 12, 1946 – October 3, 2023) was a Filipino politician who was the mayor of Puerto Princesa, Philippines, and later the representative of Palawan's 3rd congressional district.

Hagedorn, also an environmentalist and anti-mining advocate, served as city mayor of Puerto Princesa for two decades, only interrupted by a year since the Constitution set the limit at three consecutive three-year terms. He was first elected in 1992 and served until 2001 when he ran for governor of Palawan and lost; but was elected mayor again through the 2002 recall election, whose victory was later allowed by the Supreme Court, He lost in his attempts in later elections, in Senate in 2013, as well as returning to mayorship in a 2015 recall and in 2016. In 2022, he was elected representative of Palawan's 3rd legislative district.

Hagedorn's leadership was directed towards establishing harmony between the environment and development. The mayor was credited with establishing the city as a model of eco-tourism for the country.

His leadership was noted for Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan, being declared in 2007 a highly urbanized city, thus independent of the province; when he was first elected mayor of Puerto Princesa

He was a Lakas–NUCD member at that time. He was forbidden by the Constitution from running for another term in 2001. the court ruled that term limit is applied only in regular elections, special ones are exempted. His victory in that election, while not being considered by the court a re-election, was not also counted as a fourth term, He then served until 2013.

Hagedorn also served simultaneously as mayor; in the national executive committee of the League of Cities of the Philippines

On July 7, 2005, Hagedorn was appointed by President Gloria Arroyo as concurrent "anti-jueteng czar" In his two-month campaign, Reforms were made in Puerto Princesa, especially within his first four years in office.

Attempts in politics (2013–2022) Hagedorn, then a member of the Nationalist People's Coalition, ran for senator, as an independent candidate, in 2013, but lost as he landed 18th.

In his attempts to regain the mayorship, Hagedorn, had been under Liberal Party, lost twice to incumbent Lucilo Bayron: in another recall election in 2015, organized by his camp; and in 2016.

As district representative (2022–2023) In 2022, Hagedorn, ran under PDP–Laban, was elected Palawan 3rd district representative.

Legal issues Sometime during his first years in office, Hagedorn was charged of graft and corruption for supposed misuse of public funds, in connection with his initiative to stop kaingin; the case was later dismissed upon enactment of a law allowing local government units to declare state of calamities in their areas.

In 2018, the Ombudsman filed a case against Hagedorn, The court dismissed his defense that the firearms were eventually already returned to the city Philippine National Police in 2017, which was later affirmed by the police, saying that the delay in turnover still makes him liable, citing a Supreme Court decision. Hagedorn reportedly was to appeal the decision with the Supreme Court. In 2013, Bayron, then incumbent vice mayor,

His elder brother, Douglas (March 7, 1945 – April 25, 2021), served as the first representative of Palawan's 3rd district (2013–2016). He had been in politics since 1986 when he became the chairperson of the city's Association of Barangay Captains and Liga ng mga Barangay, thus becoming an ex-officio Sangguniang Panlungsod (city council) member and the city's longest-serving barangay chairperson, leading San Miguel; these positions, along with being an ex-officio member of the Provincial Board, were held until 2010.

Hagedorn revealed in a 1996 report his life prior to entering politics, including being a leader of a street gang with three other brothers as also members, prior to moving to Palawan; an illegal gambling operator; and his involvement in crimes. He was arrested, but cleared, for accusations of murder; while his trial for forgery was canceled when records for his case were among those destroyed in a fire at the city hall. He then became a born-again Christian. He died eight months later, on October 3, at the age of 76 and 9 days before his 77th birthday.

In popular culture Hagedorn was the subject of a biopic titled Hagedorn in which he was portrayed by Fernando Poe Jr. in 1996.