Nicanor Espina Yñiguez (November 6, 1915 – April 13, 2007) was a Filipino politician and speaker of the

Regular Batasang Pambansa The Regular Batasang Pambansa (English language, English: Regular National Assembly), or the First Batasang Pambansa, was the meeting of the Batasang Pambansa (legislature), Batasang Pambansa from the beginning of its session on July 23, 1984 ...

from 1984 to 1986. Considered the "Father of Southern Leyte", he authored the law that created the province of

Southern Leyte Southern Leyte (; Kabalian: ''Habagatan nga Leyte''; ; ), officially the Province of Southern Leyte, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital and largest city is Maasin. Southern Leyte comprised the ...

Early life and education

Yñiguez finished his Associate in Arts degree from

Silliman University Silliman University (also referred to as Silliman or SU) is a private, Protestant, and research university located in Dumaguete City, Philippines. Established in 1901 as Silliman Institute by the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, it is ...

in 1935. Later, he graduated from the

University of the Philippines The University of the Philippines (UP; ) is a Higher education in the Philippines#State universities and colleges, state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by List of Philippine laws, Re ...

, where he joined the Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity with

Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. (September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino lawyer, politician, dictator, and Kleptocracy, kleptocrat who served as the tenth president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled the c ...

and Jolly Bugarin in 1937.

Political career

Yñiguez was first elected to the House of Representatives on December 30, 1957, as representative of

Leyte Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census. Since the accessibility of land has been ...

's third district. During his first term, he filed a bill creating the Province of Southern Leyte. This bill became Republic Act No. 2227 and was signed into law by President Carlos P. Garcia in 1959. In 1961, he became the first representative of Southern Leyte's at-large district. He became an Assemblyman from 1984 to 1986, where he served as Speaker of the Batasang Pambansa. In 1986, he was Acting President of

Kilusang Bagong Lipunan The New Society Movement (, KBL), formerly named the New Society Movement of United Nationalists, Liberals, et cetera (, KBLNNL), is a Right-wing politics, right-wing political party in the Philippines. It was first formed in 1978 as an umbrel ...

. After the

1986 People Power Revolution The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, were a series of popular demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a sustained campaign of ...

, Yñiguez did not fled from the Philippines. In fact, he was the only Marcos crony who had not a case filed against him in the Sandigan Bayan

Death

He died on April 13, 2007. He was married for 66 years to Salvacion Oppus Yñiguez, who died in September 2005. Their eldest child, Gabriel, died young. They are survived by their children Rosette and Alfredo, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yniguez, Nicanor 1915 births 2007 deaths University of the Philippines alumni Speakers of the House of Representatives of the Philippines Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Leyte (province) Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Southern Leyte People from Southern Leyte Members of the Batasang Pambansa