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 As
soon as the Spaniards colonized the Philippines, Spain
sent missionaries to spread Christianity, one of their
purposes in their colonization. Christianity was then
spread throughout the Philippines. The Spaniards
organized groups called pueblos and divided these into
sitios for easier proselytization and evangelization.
From then on, the pueblo built tribunals for the
Spanish government and churches and convents for the
missionaries to live.
Because the Muslims were
the champions of Islamic religion and because they
considered war as an occupation and piracy as a hobby,
they raided Christian pueblos along China Sea coast of
the Philippines.
In June 1578, Spain
started the Moro Wars in Jolo. This aggressive act
marked the beginning of a long, bloody conflict
between Spaniards and the Moros. In 1602, Spain sent
punitive expeditions to Zamboanga, Cotabato and other
places to curb the rising tide of Moro depredations.
In the course of time the Moro continued to go to
warpath and raid northern islands. Their raids rose to
terrifying heights especially after the withdrawal of
the Spanish garrison from Jolo (1646) and in Zamboanga
(1662). To counteract the rising tide of Moro piracy,
Zamboanga was refortified in 1719 and other Spanish
ports were constructed. Watchtowers were built along
the seacoasts from Mindanao to Luzon. Armed galleys
and frigates patrolled the sea-lanes. The Moros
stopped the raids for a while.
The Moros renewed their
piratical forays. In 1717, they swept the Visayan
Islands and attacked Appari and Northern Luzon.
According to an old resident, Moro pirates entered the
pueblo known today as Santiago in their return to Jolo.
Guards in the watchtowers sounded their trumpets
warning all the people of the pueblo of the arrival of
the pirates. The church bells also rang alarming the
people that pirates are fast approaching the shore.
The people rushed and got their available arms like
bolos, bows and arrows and fought the prates boldly.
Sporadic battles ensued. These lasted for few hours.
As the battle went on, the missionaries stationed in
this place took the image of St James the Greater
which they brought with them from Spain and held it
high facing the seashore praying fervently the rosary
with few people, for the safety and victory of his
Christian followers. The Moros ran away and fled
southward in their kumpits leaving behind their dead.
After the battle, a
solemn mass was held in the church. The missionary
told the people that due to the great intercession and
miraculous protection of the image of St. James the
Greater from the Moro pirates, this pueblo was saved
and in his honor, this town was named SANTIAGO
(Spanish for Saint James).
POLITICAL CONDITION
As early as 1803, local
residents of the municipality have started to show
their capacity for leadership. During the year,
Lorenzo Castillo made history when he was elected to
become the first native Local Chief Executive. The
following list shows the past elected Administrators
of the town from 1803 to the present:
PAST AND PRESENT ADMINISTRATORS / GOVERNADORCILLOS
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Lorenzo Castillo
Esteban Miranda
Bernardo Carranza
Santiago Calip
Pablo Alcantara
Mariano Agbulos
Valentin Sebastian
Fernando Pacquing
Agustin Palacio
Agustin Pacquing
Juan Lorenzo
Bartolome Santiago
Agustin Sebastian
Clemente Miranda
Damian Carranza
Alejandro Abad
Manuel Santiago
Bernardo Alcantara
Pedro Calip
Lorenzo Santiago
Luis Santiago
Crisanto Siping
Clemente Calip
Lorenzo Agbulos
Fernando Calip
Roman Lorenzo
Ramon Miranda
Mariano Reyes
Valentin
Hermenegildo
Mateo Sipin
Andres Miranda
Hipolito Palacio
Francisco Santiago
Vicente de los
Santos
Salvador Elefante
Salvador Elefante
Manuel de los Reyes
Eulogio Abad
Fabio Calip
Gabino Calip
Mateo Tagulan
Juan Palacio
Raymundo Agbulos
Bartolome Pablo
Juan Alcantara
Melchor Pacquing
Antonio Siping
Agustin Echalar
Mateo Agbulos
Felix de los Reyes
Melchor delos Reyes
Tiburcio Siping
Domingo Sumabat
Sinforozo Imperial
Benito Calip
Eustaquio Miranda
Juan Siping
Alejandro Quijano
Andres Reyes
Pantaleon Reyes
Vicente Enril
Rafael Pacquing
Leon Calip
Ambrocio Palacio
Tomas Elefante
Miguel Reyes
Leandro Siping
Benito Miranda
Laureano Alvarez
Geronio Echalar
Juan Miranda
Fragedio Echalar
Celedonio Pacquing
Antonio Ayson
Amonio Agbulos
Celedonio Pacquing
Celedonio Pacquing |
1803
1804
1805
1806
1807
1808
1808
1809
1811
1812
1813
1814
1815
1816
1817
1818
1819
1820
1821
1822
1823
1824
1825
1826
1827
1828
1828
1829
1830
1831
1832
1833
1834
1835
1836
1837
1838
1839
1840
1841
1842
1843
1844
1845
1846
1847
1848
1849
1850
1851
1852
1853
1854
1855
1856
1857
1858
1859
1860
1861
1862
1863
1865-1866
1867-1868
1869-1870
1871-1872
1873-1874
1875-1876
1877-1878
1879-1880
1881-1882
1883-1884
1885-1886
1887-1888
1889-1890
1891-1892
1893-1894 |
MUNICIPAL PRESIDENT
Juan Aiping
1895-1896
LOCAL PRESIDENT
Juan Siping -
1897
MUNICIPAL PRESIDENTS
|
Marcelino Siping
Domingo Agbulos
Vicente Palacio
Pedro Directo
Pedro Imperial
Antonio Elefante
Catalino Ayson
Lucas Siping
Arturo Echalar
Anselmo Sipin
Victoriano Quintos
Victoriano Quintos
Gregorio Taguiam |
1898-1899
1900-1902
1903-1905
1906-1908
1909-1911
1912-1914
1915-1918
1919-1921
1922-1924
1925-1927
1928-1930
1931-1933
1934-1936 |
MUNICIPAL MAYORS
Gregorio Taguiam 1937-1939
Gregorio Taguiam
1940-1943
Japanese Occupation
Esteban Sipin
1944-1945
Post Liberation
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Ulpiano Reyes
Moises Elefante
Eustaquio Elefante
Socorro Sipin
Socorro Sipin
Crispulo Miranda
Jose Echalar
Rodrigo P. Miranda
Rodrigo P. Miranda
Rodrigo P. Miranda
Rodrigo P. Miranda
Rodrigo P. Miranda
Epeminio E. Cardenas
Joselito C. Miranda,
Sr.
Joselito C. Miranda,
Sr.
Joselito C. Miranda,
Sr.
Josefino E. Miranda |
1946
1947
1948-1951
1952-1955
1956-1959
1960
1960-1963
1964-1967
1968-1971
1972-1979
1980-1983
1984-1987
1988-1992
1992-1995
1995-1998
1998-2001
2001- present |
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