DEMETRIO
ENCARNACION (1882 -?)
Two
towns of Cavite Province – Kawit and Noveleta claim Demetrio Encarnacion as
their native son. “One source says that he was born in Kawit in November 9, 1888.”
The confusion arises from the fact that Noveleta was a barrio of Kawit for a
long time until it was separated as an independent municipality on January 6,
1868, or exactly 20 years before Encarnacion was born. The truth, then, is that
he was born in the newly independent town of Noveleta, in what is now known as
barrio San Juan, the son of Teodoro Encarnacion and Ines Buenvenida.
Encarnacion
obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from the Liceo de Manila in 1908, and five
years later he was conferred Licentiate in Law, thus permitting him to practice
law in his province. Another source states that he obtained his bachelor of Law
degree from the University of Sto. Tomas in 1917, and the following year he was
admitted to the bar.
After
13 years as a legal practitioner Encarnacion was elected municipal councilor of
Noveleta in 1931. The following year he was elected member of the Cavite
provincial board, and became acting governor in1933. His rise in the world of
Cavite politics was rapid. In 1934 he was elected one of two Cavite delegates
to the 1934 – 1935 Constitutional Convention. His activities in the Convention
included membership in the committees on legislative powers; on national
defense; on nationalization and conservation of lands and natural resources; on
declaration of rights; and on privileges.
After
the termination of the Commonwealth on July 4, 1946, Encarnacion was appointed
judge at large of the Court of First Instance. Then he was assigned
successively to judicial posts in Dipolog and later in Pagadian, Zamboanga;
Malolos, Bulacan; Pasig, Rizal; Dagupaan, Pangasinan; Iba, Zambales; Manila
(Branch XIII); and finally in Los Baños Laguna.
Encarnacion
wound up his political career as a member of the National Assembly under the
second (Laurel) republic, 1933 – 1934.
(Sources: (1)
Felixberto G. Bustos and A.J Fajardo, New Philippines, Manila, Carmelo
& Bauermann, Inc., 1934; and (2) Biodata furnished by Governor Remulla’s
office.)