VICENTE
CUA-PECO SOMOZA (1862-1905)
A HOMEGROWN ilustrado,
Vicente Cua-Peco Somoza, a native of Maragondon, was appointed delegate to
the Malolos Congress to represent Mati (Now Davao) province. He signed the
Malolos Constitution and continued as delegate to the Congress until it was
disbanded in November 1899 when General Aguinaldo left the revolutionary
capital Tarlac, Tarlac, to launch a full-scale guerilla war against the
American forces.
Somoza was
born on September 13, 1862 to a wealthy Maragondon couple, Faustino Yap-tuico
de Somoza and Esperidiona Isidra Cua-peco. After finishing his studies at the
Ateneo de Manila, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree, Vicente went to Hongkong
where he took up a course in commerce.
He was one
of the first intellectuals of Maragondon to join the Revolution. Somoza was in
Manila when the Revolution broke out. Although he did not go to the field to
fight, he nevertheless sent goods and money to the revolutionary forces in
Cavite. In recognition of his contribution to the Filipino cause Somoza was
appointed by Aguinaldo delegate to the Malolos Congress.
After the
Revolution, Somoza engaged in commerce. On July 19, 1903 he and 21 other
businessmen organized the Camara de Comercio Filipino (Filipino Chamber
of Commerce). These businessmen included notable figures like Miguel Velasco,
Juan Rodriguez, Francisco Reyes, Ricardo Agualdo, Rogaciano Rodriguez, Pedro
Roxas, Teodoro Yangco, Luis Hidalgo, Mariano Limjap, Rafael Reyes, Tomas Sunico,
Ariston Bautista, Vicente D. Fernandez, Telesforo Chuidian, Manuel Cuyugan,
Bernardino Hernandez, Faustino Lichauco, Ramon Soriano, Tomas Arguelles,
Ignacio Syyap, and Rafael del Pan.
Somoza died
on September 26, 1905. His remains were interred in the Paco Cemetery, Manila,
but after a few years his bones were taken to Maragondon and deposited in a
crypt in the Catholic Church of the town. A street in Maragondon now bears the
name Don Vicente Cua-peco Somoza.
(Somoza:
Biodata furnished by Manuel Ma. Angeles, municipal secretary of Maragondon, and
one of the organizers of the Maragondon Historical Society.)