Douglas Cagas
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Short description|Philippine politician (1943–2021)}}
{{Philippine name|Ralota|Cagas}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = The Honourable
| name = Douglas Cagas
| image = Rep. Douglas Cagas - 13th Congress.jpg
| imagesize = 220px
| smallimage =
| caption = Official portrait, 2004
| order = 4th
| predecessor1 = Benjamin Bautista Jr.
| successor1 = Claude Bautista
| predecessor2 = Alejandro Almendras
| successor2 = Rogelio Llanos
| term_start3 = June 30, 1998
| term_end3 = June 30, 2007
| predecessor3 = Alejandro Almendras Jr.
| successor3 = Marc Douglas Cagas IV
| term_start4 = June 30, 1984
| term_end4 = March 25, 1986
| predecessor4 =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1943|12|3}}
| birth_place = Second Philippine Republic
| death_date = {{death date and age|2021|6|10|1943|12|3}}
| death_place = Digos, Davao del Sur, Philippines
| nationality = Filipino
| party = Independent (2018–2021)
| spouse = Mercedes Chan Cagas
| relations =
| children = Marc Douglas Cagas IV
| residence =
| alma_mater =
| occupation =
| profession =
| religion =
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
| office = Governor of Davao del Sur
| termstart = June 30, 2016
| termend = July 10, 2021
| predecessor = Claude Bautista
| successor = Marc Douglas Cagas IV
| termstart1 = June 30, 2007
| termend1 = June 30, 2013
| termstart2 = February 2, 1988
| termend2 = June 30, 1992
| office3 = Member of the House of Representatives from Davao del Sur's 1st district
| office4 = Member of the Regular Batasang Pambansa
| constituency4 = Davao del Sur
| alongside4 = Alejandro Almendras
| otherparty = Nacionalista (2009–2018)
Lakas–CMD (2007–2009)
NPC (2001–2007)
LAMMP (1998–2001)
PDP–Laban (1984–1986)
}}
Douglas "Dodo" Ralota Cagas (December 3, 1943 – June 10, 2021) was a Filipino politician and a representative of the first district of the Philippine province of Davao del Sur. He later served as governor of Davao del Sur from 2007 to 2013 and again from 2016 until his death.
Biography
A member of the well-known Cagas clan, Cagas was an important and controversial personality within the Mindanao political movement. He began his political career in the early 1980s as a member of the Regular National Assembly of his province, and then became a member of the House of Representatives between 1998 and 2007. At the end of his term as representative, he was elected governor of Davao del Sur, a position he held until 2013 and again from 2016 until his death.{{cite web|language=en|url=https://www.mindanews.com/elections-2019/2019/05/the-leaders-you-voted-davao-del-sur-1987-to-2019/|title=THE LEADERS YOU VOTED: Davao del Sur 1987 to 2019|website=mindanews.com|date=May 12, 2019|accessdate=June 10, 2021}}{{cite web|language=en|author=John Eric Mendoza|url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1444175/davao-del-sur-governor-succumbs-to-covid-19-complications-says-family|title=Davao del Sur governor succumbs to COVID-19 complications, says family|website=inquirer.net|date=June 10, 2021|accessdate=June 10, 2021}} Accused of being the instigator of the murder of journalist Nestor Bedolido in Digos in 2010, four years later, Cagas surrendered to law enforcement after an arrest warrant was issued against him.{{cite web|language=en|author=Eldie Aguirre|url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/645883/ex-governor-cagas-linked-to-newsmans-killing-jailed|title=Ex-governor Cagas linked to newsman's killing jailed|website=abs-cbn.com|date=October 20, 2014|accessdate=June 10, 2021}} Released from prison in 2016, he was then accused by Senator Leila de Lima, along with her son and Arrel Olaño, of having appropriated approximately 9.3 million pesos through the pork barrel system during his mandate as representative.{{cite web|language=en|author=Erwin Colcol|url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/605282/father-and-son-cagas-charged-over-pork-scam/story/|title=Father-and-son Cagas charged over 'pork' scam|website=abs-cbn.com|date=March 30, 2017|accessdate=June 10, 2021}}{{cite web|language=en|url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/10/21/douglas-cagas-dies-covid19-complications|title=Davao del Sur Governor Douglas Cagas passes away|website=abs-cbn.com|date=June 10, 2021|accessdate=June 10, 2021}}{{cite web|language=en|author=Marc Jayson Cayabyab|url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/887445/ex-davao-rep-cagas-seeks-dismissal-of-pork-barrel-scam-raps|title=Ex-Davao Rep. Cagas seeks dismissal of pork barrel scam raps|website=inquirer.net|date=April 7, 2017|accessdate=June 10, 2021}}
Personal life and death
Cagas was married to Chinese-Filipino Mercedes Chan Cagas, with whom he had a son, Marc. Both in turn entered politics.
Cagas died from complications of COVID-19 on June 10, 2021, at the Digos Medical Center, where he had been hospitalized for three weeks.{{cite web|language=en|author=Antonio L. Colina IV|url=https://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2021/06/davao-del-sur-gov-douglas-cagas-dies-of-covid-19/|title=Davao del Sur Gov. Douglas Cagas dies of COVID-19|website=mindanews.com|date=June 10, 2021|accessdate=June 10, 2021}} He was succeeded as Governor by his son Marc.