John Henry Osmeña Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honorable
John Henry R. Osmeña
Office:Senator of the Philippines
Term Start:June 30, 1998
Term End:June 30, 2004
Term Start2:June 30, 1987
Term End2:June 30, 1995
Term Start3:December 30, 1971
Term End3:September 23, 1972
Office4:18th President pro tempore of the Senate of the Philippines
President4:Joseph Estrada
Term Start4:June 29, 1999
Term End4:July 12, 2000
Predecessor4:Blas Ople
Successor4:Blas Ople
Office5:Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Cebu
Term Start5:June 30, 1995
Term End5:June 30, 1998
Predecessor5:Pablo Garcia
Successor5:Antonio Yapha Jr.
Constituency5:3rd district
Term Start6:December 30, 1969
Term End6:December 30, 1971
Predecessor6:Jose Briones
Successor6:Crisologo Abines
Constituency6:2nd district
Office7:Mayor of Toledo
Term Start7:June 30, 2013
Term End7:June 30, 2019
1Blankname7:Vice Mayor
1Namedata7:Antonio Yapha Jr.
Predecessor7:Aurelio Espinosa
Successor7:Marjorie Perales
Office8:Mayor of Cebu City
Status8:Officer in Charge
Term Start8:March 25, 1986
Term End8:March 19, 1987
1Blankname8:Vice Mayor
1Namedata8:Jose Veloso Cuenco
Predecessor8:Ronald Duterte
Successor8:Jose Veloso Cuenco
Office9:Vice Mayor of Cebu City
Term Start9:January 3, 1968
Term End9:December 30, 1969
1Blankname9:Mayor
1Namedata9:Eulogio Borres
Predecessor9:Eulogio Borres
Successor9:Jose Rodriguez
Office10:Councilor of Cebu City
Term Start10:December 30, 1963
Term End10:December 30, 1967
Birth Name:John Henry Renner Osmeña
Birth Date:17 January 1935
Birth Place:Cebu, Cebu, Philippine Islands
Death Place:Cebu City, Philippines
Party:Independent (2004, 2015–2021)
Otherparty:UNO (2007–2009)
NPC (1992–2007, 2012–2015)
Liberal (1963–1992; 2009–2012)[1]
Spouse:Lucy Urgello (separated)
Children:John Gregory Urgello Osmena
Alma Mater:University of San Carlos (BS)
University of the Philippines
International Social Development Institution
Occupation:Politician

John Henry Renner Osmeña (January 17, 1935 – February 2, 2021), also known as Sonny Osmeña or simply John Osmeña, was the grandson of Philippine President Sergio Osmeña. He served as a senator of the Philippines from 1971 to 1972, 1987 to 1995, and 1998 to 2004. He was the last surviving senator of the 7th Congress, the last Congress before martial law.

In Cebu City, he started out as a city councilor in 1963, became the vice-mayor in 1967 and was elected to the House of Representatives representing the 2nd district the year after. He was the mayor of Toledo, Cebu from 2013 to 2019.

Early life and education

Osmeña was born on January 17, 1935, in the then-municipality of Cebu to Dr. Emilio Veloso Osmeña and María Luisa Renner.[2] He was the older brother of former Cebu governor Emilio Mario "Lito" Osmeña Jr. and Annabelle "Annie" Osmeña-Aboitiz, a real estate developer. His paternal grandfather was Sergio Osmeña, the fourth President of the Philippines.

Osmeña graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of San Carlos in Cebu City. He also went to the University of the Philippines and the International Social Development Institution in the Netherlands for further studies.[3]

Political career

Osmeña's career in politics began in 1963 when he was elected as a councilor of Cebu City. Five years later, in 1968, he was elected as the city's vice mayor[4] and in 1969, was elected to the House of Representatives of the Philippines representing Cebu's 2nd district.

In 1970, he was named as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines.

Senator (1971–1972) and Martial Law years

Running for the Senate in 1971, Osmeña was at the August 21, 1971 miting de avance of the Liberal Party in Plaza Miranda, Quiapo, Manila where two grenades exploded killing 11 and leaving several people wounded. Both of Osmeña's legs were badly injured. He won a Senate seat in the 1971 election.[5]

When President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law on September 23, 1972, Osmeña went on exile in the United States. After the assassination of former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino on August 21, 1983, he was among the first political exiles to return to the country to help in the fight against the Marcos dictatorship.

Second Term as Senator

He was appointed officer-in-charge of Cebu City after the 1986 People Power Revolution. He was again elected a senator in 1987 under the Lakas ng Bayan Coalition of President Corazon Aquino.

1992 vice presidential election and Third Term as Senator

In 1992, he ran for vice president under the Nationalist People's Coalition with businessman Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. as his running mate. He soon withdrew his candidacy and was replaced by Senator Joseph Estrada.[6] He instead sought re-election as senator, and was elected for a three-year term.

Member of the House of Representatives and Fourth Term as Senator

He became the representative of the 3rd district of Cebu in 1995 before being elected as senator again in 1998. During this time, Osmeña gained the moniker, "The Lone Ranger". In 2001, during the impeachment trial of Joseph Estrada, he voted to prevent the presentation of an envelope believed to contain evidence that proves Estrada received bribe money.[7]

Osmeña ran and lost for senatorial re-election in 2004 and 2007. In 2004, Osmeña sued Governor Gwen Garcia for plunder.[8] Osmeña ran for mayor of Cebu City in the 2010 Cebu City local elections but lost. He was elected as mayor of Toledo, Cebu, and served from 2013 to 2019. After that, he sought to represent Cebu's 3rd congressional district, but was defeated in 2019.

Laws authored

Osmeña sponsored bills like The Municipal Telephone Act (Republic Act 6849) whereby each municipality will receive a telephone system; The Mini-Hydroelectric Program (RA 7156), which will provide non-conventional electricity in the countryside; The Public Telecommunications Act of 1995 (RA 7925), and the creation of the Philippine Postal Corporation (RA 7354). He also authored landmark bills like The Electric Power Crisis Act (RA 7648) and The Build-to-Operate Act (RA 7718).

Osmeña authored the law that created the Department of Energy.

Four bills were incorporated in Republic Act 9136 or otherwise known as The Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2000:

Personal life

Osmeña was married to (and later separated from) Lucy Miller (née Urgello) in 1969. They only had one son, John Gregory "John-John" Osmeña, a former Cebu vice governor and provincial board member. Among Osmeña's grandsons is named John Henry Gregory Osmeña, son of John Gregory.

In 2004, Osmeña was charged with sexual abuse of a young boy,[9] for which the Department of Justice cleared him because "there is no probable cause to indict respondent with the offense charged."[10]

Illness and death

In July 2020, it was announced that Osmeña had recovered from COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines after 20 days of fighting the disease.[11] He was once again hospitalized from January 9 to 16, 2021. Osmeña died on February 2, 2021, sixteen days after his 86th birthday, at his unit at Maryville Condominiums in Cebu City from post-COVID-19 complications.[12] His remains were cremated and later inurned on the next day at Skyline Garden Columbary in Cebu City after his funeral that lasted less than an hour.[13] [14] A hybrid necrological service for him was held at the Senate's session hall in Pasay on March 4, 2021.[15]

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. News: LP TO SONNY: DON'T RUN, Party wants Cebu City 'united' under Bando Osmeña . Cebu Daily News . 2009-11-19 . 2010-06-03 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091122092035/http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20091119-237169/Party-wants-Cebu-City-united-under-Bando-Osmea . 2009-11-22 .
  2. Web site: Israel. Dale G.. 2021-02-03. Former senator John Osmeña passes away at 86. 2021-02-03. INQUIRER.net. en.
  3. News: Tadalan. Charmaine A.. February 3, 2021. Senator who fought dictator and pushed power reforms dies. BusinessWorld. April 8, 2021.
  4. Web site: Honorable JOHN H. OSMEÑA John H. Osmeña is a third generation family member in the Senate . Preceding him were his ... Senator Osmeña first stepped into public service when he won a seat in the City Council of Cebu in 1963. He then - Google Search.
  5. Web site: Former senator Sonny Osmeña dies. 2021-02-03. Rappler. 3 February 2021 . en.
  6. Web site: Yamsuan. Ador Vincent Mayol, Cathy Cañares. 2021-02-04. Former senator, Cebu political star John Osmeña; 86. 2021-02-16. INQUIRER.net. en.
  7. Web site: Charm. Neil. Impeachment complaints put members of Congress on trial BusinessWorld. . February 2021. 2021-02-16. en-US.
  8. Web site: Philippine Daily Inquirer - Google News Archive Search. Feb 2, 2021. news.google.com.
  9. Web site: Sonny Accused of Call-Boy Rape. . 2004-04-01. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20040423143922/http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2004/04/01/news/sonny.accused.of.call.boy.rape..html. 2004-04-23.
  10. Web site: Calica . Aurea . DOJ Drops Case vs. John Osmeña . 2004-08-18 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20041013104813/http://www.newsflash.org/2004/02/hl/hl100868.htm . 2004-10-13 .
  11. News: Semilla. Nestle. July 8, 2020. John O, former senator, wins battle with COVID-19. Inquirer PH. July 10, 2020.
  12. Web site: REST IN PEACE SENATOR JOHN HENRY "SONNY" OSMEÑA | City of Cebu .
  13. Web site: John Osmeña, former senator and Toledo mayor, dies. GMA News. February 2, 2021 . December 15, 2023.
  14. News: John O's remains placed in columbarium after less than 1-hour funeral rites. Ador Vincent. Mayol. February 3, 2021. December 15, 2023. INQUIRER.net.
  15. Senators Pay Last Respects to Late Sen. John Osmeña. Senate of the Philippines. March 4, 2021. December 15, 2023.