UP Law keeps in its archive an original signed copy of the 1935 Philippine Constitution

Original signed copy of the 1935 Philippine Constitution part of UP Law’s archival collection

[Presented by the UP Law Class ‘71 to the UP College of Law, 23 March 2011, on the occasion of its Centennial; also, the 40^thAnniversary of the UP Law Class of 1971, and the anniversary of the presentation of the 1935 Constitution to US President Franklin D. Roosevelt for his approval/ signature.]

Guillermo L. Crisostomo (a deaf-mute) born in 1894 in Malolos, Bulacan, was a collector for the local Library and Museum. He was largely self-educated. His father was Mariano Crisostomo, a revolutionary leader, member of the Malolos Congress, lawyer and provincial fiscal during the American regime. Mariano was co-founder of Liceo de Manila and owner of Plaridel Printing Press, the oldest in the province. Guillermo inherited the printing press from his father who gave him an original printed copy of the Malolos Constitution.[1]

Guillermo was a prolific collector of coins, medals, stamps, books, specimen signatures of famous personalities, cigarette wrappers, etc. and had, at one time, the “four existing original and amended constitutions of the Philippines (including an original copy of Biak na Bato Charter) from Aguinaldo to Roxas, written in Spanish, Tagalog and English (1899-1946)”.

We do not know who was the first owner of this original signed copy of the 1935 Constitution now in our possession.

The Philippine Numismatic and Antiquarian Society (PNAS) was founded in Manila 1929, and is the country’s foremost organization dealing in numismatics, philately, books, archival materials, documents, and all matters antiquarian. Outstanding members include Manuel Abello, Jaime Laya, Central Bank governors, legislators, public officials, lawyers, doctors, and other professionals.

William L. Villareal (UP Law 1971) became a life member in 1976 and PNAS president (2007). PNAS Monographs is the Society’s official publication, recording auctions and sales periodically.
Jose Escaño, a lawyer, was the antiquarian dealer who first acquired our original copy of the 1935 Constitution.

Chronology

Jorge Delos Santos, lawyer and PNAS member, purchased the original signed copy of the 1935 Constitution and started to collect all other related documents. Along with Edward Delos Santos, his son and associate, they are collectors and dealers of a wide range of numismatic, philatelic and antiquarian objects. Jorge lent this signed copy of the Philippine Constitution to the National Historical Institute (NHI) and Museum of Political History, which photocopied the document and placed it in the empty Ark of the Constitution in its possession.

In 2004, NHI acquired its own signed original copy of the 1935 Constitution (along with a pen used to sign the official copies), formerly belonging to delegate Jesus Perez of Negros Occidental, which copy now is placed in the Ark of the Constitution in the NHI Building.

The document we acquired was first offered through the PNAS, to Willie Villareal sometime in 2009. The owner thought that Mr. Villareal, being a collector of historical documents himself, would be interested in the 1935 Constitution, particularly because he was the son of Cornelio T. Villareal (he was the last surviving signatory to the 1935 Constitution when he died in 1992), constitutional convention delegate from Capiz. The transaction was unsuccessful.

It was finally purchased on 11 September 2010, which marked the 75^th Anniversary of the 1935 Constitution.[2]

There are only two or three original signed copies known to exist. One of these is now in the possession of the UP College of Law.