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Sunday, July 10, 2011

HISTORY | Cagayan de Oro's Grand Old Man son of a Parian Mestizo

Apolinar Velez, grand old man of Cagayan de Oro City was the son of Blas "Blasito" Velez from Cebu's Parian district. Blasito, son of Blas Velez of Parian married  Saturnina Ramos and moved to Cagayan de Misamis in mid-19th century. He was the brother of Ramon Velez, Sr, father of Aniceto Velez Clarin of Bohol and Ramon Velez, Jr. of Cebu.

Blasito's wife, Saturnina gave birth to Apolinar on Jan 23, 1865. Like many of his class, he carved out, after studies with private tutors, a career in the bureaucracy of the Spanish colonial government. He held various positions from oficial de mesa and defensor depresos pobres to being a second lieutenant of infantry when he enlisted in the Spanish army to repulse Moro invasions of Cagayan. He was decorated with the Medalla de Mindanao.

In 1898, despite his remarkable standing in the Spanish colonial government, he joined Aguinaldo's government and was appointed chief of the division of justice of the Revolutionary Government of Misamis. In 1900, he was assigned the rank of major in the army and appointed as commander of the "El Mindanao" battalion. He later rose to the rank of Colonel.

Battling superior American forces, he won for the revolutionaries the only major victory ever won in Mindanao.

During the American occupation he held the post of provincial secretary after which he was elected governor of Misamis and served for two terms. In 1928-1931, he served as mayor of Cagayan de Misamis. He died on Oct. 21, 1939.

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