Leoncio "Jun" Badilla Evasco Jr. (born March 29, 1944) is a Filipino politician who served as Secretary of the Cabinet from 2016 to 2018 and was the Presidential Adviser on Streamlining of Government Processes under the Duterte administration from 2020 to 2022. Before he was appointed as the Cabinet secretary, he was the Mayor of Maribojoc town in

Bohol Bohol (), officially the Province of Bohol (; ), is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas Regions of the Philippines, region, consisting of the island itself and 75 minor surrounding islands. It is home to Bohola ...

from 2007 to 2016. He was an ordained priest, being ordained in 1970, when he joined the

Communist Party of the Philippines The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP; ) is a far-left, Marxist–Leninist–Maoist revolutionary organization and communist party in the Philippines, formed by Jose Maria Sison on 26 December 1968. The CPP has been fighting a gue ...

and its armed wing, the

New People's Army The New People's Army (; abbreviated NPA or BHB) is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). It acts as the CPP's principal organization, aiming to consolidate political power from what it sees as the present "bourgeo ...

, in 1974.

Early life and education

Evasco was born in Maribojoc in Bohol province on March 29, 1944. He finished his AB degree in Philosophy and Theology in Seminario Mayor de San Carlos in

Cebu City Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu, is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 964,169 people, making ...

in 1966 and 1970, respectively. He obtained a master's degree in

Ateneo de Davao University Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU; ) is a private Catholic basic and higher education institution in Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines. It is run by the Philippine Jesuit Province. Before the Jesuits took over administration of the schoo ...

Career

Evasco was ordained a priest in 1970. He was assigned as priest in Dauis, Baclayon and Catigbian all in

. A raid by soldiers in his convent in Catigbian in 1974 pushed him to join the underground

and its armed wing, the

. In 1983 he was caught while presiding over the wedding of a comrade in Midsayap,

North Cotabato Cotabato, formerly and still commonly referred to as North Cotabato and officially the Province of Cotabato, is a landlocked province in the Philippines located in the Soccsksargen region in Mindanao. Its capital is the city of Kidapawan, the ...

. He was tortured and four of his those arrested with him was summarily executed. Evasco was prosecuted by then prosecutor

Rodrigo Duterte Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the first Philippine president from Mindanao, and is the oldest person to assum ...

for rebellion. Following the EDSA People Power Revolution he was one of the political detainees ordered released from jail by then President

Cory Aquino María Corazón "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino (; January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009) was a Filipino politician who served as the 11th president of the Philippines and the first woman president in the country, from 1986 to 1992. She was ...

. After his release, Evasco worked as secretary general of Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto. He served as campaign manager of Duterte when he run in 1988 mayoral elections. He served as OIC of the city engineer's office from 1989 to 1990. Evasco headed the economic enterprise office before being appointed as chief of staff of Duterte.

Maribojoc Mayor

Evasco ran for mayor of Maribojoc in 2007 and won despite being away from the town for 3 decades. He won re-election in 2010 and 2013. Under his leadership Maribojoc received the Galing Pook award for 2011 for its Cadastral Survey and Simultaneous Systematic Adjudication Project. The town was also conferred the Seal of Good Housekeeping by the

Department of the Interior and Local Government The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG; ) is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for promoting peace and order, ensuring public safety and strengthening local government capability aimed towards ...

in 2010 and 2011. In the wake of the 2013 Bohol earthquake he was involved in a controversy with

Philippine Red Cross The Philippine Red Cross (PRC; ; ) is a non-profit humanitarian organization and a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The PRC was established in 1947, with roots in the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colon ...

volunteers regarding the distribution of relief goods to the victims. The controversy led to the prevention of Red Cross volunteers from entering Maribojoc.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Evasco, Leoncio Jr. 1944 births 20th-century Filipino Roman Catholic priests Filipino activists Living people Former Marxists Cabinet secretaries of the Philippines Chairpersons of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council of the Philippines Mayors of places in Bohol People from Bohol University of San Carlos alumni Ateneo de Davao University alumni Duterte administration cabinet members Marcos martial law victims