Hilario Abellana

Hilario "Dodong" Abellana y Hermosa (October 23, 1896 – January 15, 1945) was a Filipino Visayan lawyer, politician and legislator from Cebu, Philippines. He was the municipal president of Cebu (1922–1931), a member of the House of Representatives (1934–1935), a two-term member of the National Assembly (1935–1941), and provincial governor of Cebu during World War II (1941–1943). After his escape and eventual captivity, he was executed by the Japanese Imperial Army and the resting place of his remains is still unknown.

Early life Hilario Abellana was born in Barrio Duljo, San Nicolas, Cebu on October 23, 1896. The only son of Andres Abellana, he passed the bar exams and became a lawyer in 1920.

Political career Abellana entered local politics in 1922 where he ran for municipal president (presently, the equivalent of mayor) of Cebu under Democrata Party after Paulino Gullas, founder of Visayan Institute (now University of Visayas) declined the party's nomination. Abellana defeated the Nacionalista Party's candidate,

During the 1934 national elections, politicians in Cebu were part of the Democrata, and they were split into Anti and Pro factions, signifying their stance with respect to approving the Hare, Hawes and Cutting Law and the Tydings-McDuffie Law of the United States. Abellana of the Pro side defeated Anti's Tomas Alfonso and won as member of the House of Representatives representing Cebu's 2nd legislative district. Upon the ratification of the 1935 Philippine Constitution and the shift towards unicameral Congress, Abellana was elected as member of the First National Assembly and the Second National Assembly of the Philippine Commonwealth from 1935 until 1941.

On December 9, 1940, then incumbent Governor Buenaventura Rodriguez, who was seeking for a reelection for a second term, died from a heart attack. He only had hours to launch and conduct his campaign, but he still won the election by defeating Mariano Mercado. He chose to remain in office, hoping that by staying close to

Escape In running the civilian provincial government, he maintained ties with the resistance movement, and his position proved to be untenable in the time of intimidation, fear, and executions. When the Japanese launched an offensive on Tabunan, he escaped to Inabanga, Bohol with his family. Later, he met United States Colonel Wendell Fertig who was helping the guerilla army in Mindanao and acquired arms and ammunition. Hilario traveled back to Bohol, eventually sailed to Cordova, and was back in Tabunan base in July 1944. His body, which was reportedly buried in a waterway near University of the Philippines Junior College, was never found despite the exhaustive search of the family and the local government through Cebu Governor Fructuoso Cabahug, who sought help from the United States Army and the national government.

Historical commemoration

On June 22, 1957, Cebu City High School, formerly known as Cebu Provincial High School, was named Abellana Vocational School in his honor and then Abellana High School on June 7, 1961.