Sen. Quintin Paredes y Babila

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition Series 3):

SEPTEMBER 9, 1884

Quintin Paredes y Babila (September 9, 1884 – January 30, 1973) was born in Bangued, Abra on September 9, 1884 to Don Juan Felix Paredes y Pe Benito and Regine Babila. 

He obtained his elementary education at his father's school, and then went to Colegio Seminario de Vigan and at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran. 

He took up law at the Escuela de Derecho de Manila and earned degrees in Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws and Master of Arts. 

Paredes took and passed the bar examinations in 1906 and went into private practice in Manila for two years. On July 9, 1908, he was appointed fourth prosecuting attorney, first prosecuting attorney on November 1, 1913, and served until March 1, 1917. 

He taught Criminal Law at the Escuela de Derecho from 1909 to 1911, and was the Director from 1911 to 1917. 

He was Solicitor General from 1917 to 1918, Attorney-General from 1918 to July 1, 1920, and Secretary of Justice from 1920 to 1921. As Attorney-General, Paredes was a member of the first parliamentary mission to the United States in 1919. He resumed his practice of law in Manila in 1921. 

He was a member of the House of Representatives representing Abra's lone district in 1925, 1928, 1931, and 1934. From 1929 to 1931, he was Speaker pro tempore, and Speaker of the House from 1934 to 1935. He was elected to the National Assembly of the Commonwealth Government in September 1935, but resigned that same year to serve as the Philippines' Resident Commissioner to Washington, D.C. On November 8, 1938, after his return to the Philippines, he was reelected Assemblyman and was the Majority Floor Leader. 

He was elected as a member of the Philippine Senate from 1941 to 1945 but did not sit in session due to World War II and the Japanese Occupation. He sat as Minister of Public Works and Communications in the Laurel cabinet. 

After the war, Paredes, President Jose P. Laurel and the rest of the Japanese-backed Cabinet were accused of collaboration and treason. They were later granted full amnesty by President Manuel A. Roxas. 

Paredes ran again for his old post at the House of Representatives and served from 1946 to 1949. He ran and topped the 1949 senatorial race and served for two terms. 

He retired from politics at the age of 79 in 1963, and died on January 30, 1973.

(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan B. Uy) All rights reserved

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