Oscar Malapitan
{{Short description|Filipino politician, former Caloocan mayor}}
{{Philippine name|Gonzales|Malapitan}}
{{Use Philippine English|date=April 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = The Honorable
| name = Oscar Malapitan
| image = Rep. Oscar Malapitan (19th Congress).jpg
| image_size = 220px
| caption = Official portrait during the 19th Congress
| order =
| office = Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Caloocan's 1st district
| term_start = June 30, 2022
| term_end =
| predecessor = Dale Gonzalo Malapitan
| term_start1 = June 30, 2004
| term_end1 = June 30, 2013
| predecessor1 = Enrico Echiverri
| successor1 = Enrico Echiverri
| office2 = 24th Mayor of Caloocan
| 1blankname2 = {{nowrap|Vice Mayor}}
| 1namedata2 = Luis Macario Asistio III
| term_start2 = June 30, 2013
| term_end2 = June 30, 2022
| predecessor2 = Enrico Echiverri
| successor2 = Dale Gonzalo Malapitan
| office3 = Vice Mayor of Caloocan
| 1blankname3 = {{nowrap|Mayor}}
| 1namedata3 = Rey Malonzo
| term_start3 = June 30, 1998
| term_end3 = June 30, 2001
| predecessor3 = Nancy Quimpo
| successor3 = Luis Varela
| office4 = Member of the Caloocan City Council from the 1st district
| term_start4 = June 30, 1992
| term_end4 = June 30, 1998
| birth_name = Oscar Gonzales Malapitan
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1955|06|14}}
| birth_place = Quezon City, Philippines
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = Filipino
| party = Nacionalista (2004–2012; 2015–present)
Tao Ang Una (local party)
| otherparty = UNA (2012–2015)
NPC (1992–2004)
| spouse = Edna Rigor Malapitan
| relations =
| children = 3, including Along
| residence =
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Politician
| profession =
| signature = Oscar Malapitan Signature.svg
| footnotes =
}}
Oscar "Oca" Gonzales Malapitan (born June 14, 1955) is a Filipino politician who currently serves as the representative from the 1st District of Caloocan in the House of Representatives of the Philippines since 2022 and previously from 2004 to 2013. He also served as Mayor of Caloocan from 2013 to 2022, Vice Mayor of Caloocan from 2001 to 2004, and City Councilor from 1992 to 1998. He also unsuccessfully ran for representative in 2001.{{cite news|url=https://caloocancity.gov.ph/mayor-s-corner|title=Mayor's Corner|website=City Government of Caloocan|accessdate=April 3, 2022|language=Filipino|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220629093659/https://caloocancity.gov.ph/mayor-s-corner|archive-date=June 29, 2022}} He is currently a member of the Nacionalista Party.
Early life
Malapitan was born on June 14, 1955, in Quezon City to Col. Vicente Malapitan and Josefina Gonzales.{{cite web|url=https://www.geni.com/people/Oscar-Malapitan/6000000172523322839|title=Oscar Gonzales Malapitan|website=Geni.com|accessdate=June 22, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://comelec.gov.ph/php-tpls-attachments/2025NLE/COC_2025NLE/COC_Local/COC_Local_NCR/CALOOCAN_CITY/1STDIST/Malapitan_Oscar.pdf|title=Malapitan_Oscar|date=2024|accessdate=November 19, 2024|publisher=Commission on Elections}}
Political career
=Councilor of Caloocan (1992–1998)=
Oscar Malapitan served as city councilor of Caloocan for two consecutive terms from 1992 to 1998. As councilor, he sponsored a 1996 resolution stating that Caloocan should begin with the letter "C" instead of "K" as written in historical documents.{{cite news|last=Baroña|first=Franco|title=Spelling of Caloocan finally resolved?|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jJ8VAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA15|access-date=May 5, 2024|work=Manila Standard|publisher=Kamahalan Publishing Corporation|date=March 4, 1996|page=15}}
=Vice Mayor of Caloocan (1998–2001)=
After two terms as councilor, he was elected vice mayor in 1998, serving one term. It was during this period when he removed his support for Mayor Rey Malonzo in 2000 due to accusations from city council members that Malapitan is "[ignorant] of parliamentary procedures".{{cite news|last=Esguerra|first=Christian V.|author-link=Christian Esguerra|title=Malonzo, vice mayor row heats up in Caloocan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YVM1AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA19|access-date=May 5, 2024|newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer|publisher=The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc.|date=August 9, 2000|page=19}}{{cite news|last=Esguerra|first=Christian V.|author-link=Christian Esguerra|title=Caloocan dads stage coup vs vice mayor|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=clM1AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA18|access-date=May 5, 2024|newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer|publisher=The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc.|date=August 28, 2000|page=18}} As a supporter of President Joseph Estrada, Malapitan later accused Malonzo of sending him "insulting" text messages after Estrada was ousted by EDSA II in January 2001.{{cite news|last=Esguerra|first=Christian V.|author-link=Christian Esguerra|title=Caloocan politicians in text war|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RX42AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA21|access-date=May 5, 2024|newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer|publisher=The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc.|date=January 28, 2001|page=A21}}
That same year, he attempted to run for congress as representative of Caloocan's 1st District, but lost to re-electionist Enrico Echiverri.{{cite news|last1=Botial|first1=Jerry|last2=Laude|first2=Pete|last3=Dizon|first3=Nikko|title=Malonzo proclaims self as mayor|url=https://www.philstar.com/metro/2001/05/28/106136/malonzo-proclaims-self-mayor|access-date=May 5, 2024|work=Philstar.com|publisher=Philstar Global Corp.|date=May 28, 2001}}
=Representative (2004–2013)=
However, Malapitan later defeated Mayor Malonzo for the same position in 2004,{{cite news|last=Estopace|first=Eden|title=Some stars shone, some faded in May 10 elections|url=https://www.philstar.com/news-commentary/2004/06/25/255185/some-stars-shone-some-faded-may-10-elections|access-date=May 5, 2024|work=Philstar.com|publisher=Philstar Global Corp.|date=June 25, 2004|quote=Voters instead chose former vice mayor Oscar Malapitan.}} eventually serving three consecutive terms as congressman until 2013.{{cite news|last=Cui|first=Rey|title=Paggamit sa Diosnong mga gasa|url=https://www.philstar.com/metro/2007/05/23/1671/paggamit-sa-diosnong-mga-gasa|access-date=May 5, 2024|work=Philstar.com|publisher=Philstar Global Corp.|date=May 23, 2007|language=English, Filipino}}{{cite news|last=Laude|first=Pete|title=Incumbents still win in Caloocan|url=https://www.philstar.com/metro/2010/05/13/574418/incumbents-still-win-caloocan|access-date=May 5, 2024|work=Philstar.com|publisher=Philstar Global Corp.|date=May 13, 2010|location=Manila, Philippines}}
As representative, Malapitan pushed for the renovation of Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital to become a tertiary-level hospital, the establishment of Caloocan National Science and Technology High School, and the establishment of four new branches of the Metropolitan Trial Court at Caloocan.
=Mayor of Caloocan (2013–2022)=
File:ID Oscar Malapitan.jpg 2018]]
Malapitan ran for and won the mayoral position in 2013, promising to improve Caloocan's health care and education in a similar manner to Jejomar Binay's mayorship in Makati.{{cite news|last=See|first=Aie Balagtas|title=Pols beat opponents' sons in Caloocan|url=https://www.philstar.com/metro/2013/05/15/942195/pols-beat-opponents-sons-caloocan|access-date=May 5, 2024|work=Philstar.com|publisher=Philstar Global Corp.|date=May 15, 2013|location=Manila, Philippines}}
Throughout his incumbency, Malapitan regularly boasted of a decreased crime rate in Caloocan.{{cite news|author=Manila Standard|title=1,500 drug suspects surrender to mayor|url=https://manilastandard.net/?p=214775|access-date=October 26, 2024|work=Manila Standard|publisher=Manila Standard News, Inc.|date=August 31, 2016}}{{cite news|last=Garcia|first=Danilo|title=Caloocan top 8 sa mababang crime rate|url=https://www.philstar.com/pilipino-star-ngayon/metro/2018/09/03/1848155/caloocan-top-8-sa-mababang-crime-rate|access-date=May 5, 2024|work=Pilipino Star Ngayon|publisher=Philstar Global Corp.|date=September 3, 2018|location=Manila, Philippines|language=Filipino}}{{cite news|last=Pedrajas|first=Joseph|title=Low crime rate in Caloocan despite sensational deaths|url=https://mb.com.ph/2020/10/03/low-crime-rate-in-caloocan-despite-sensational-deaths/|access-date=May 5, 2024|work=Manila Bulletin|publisher=Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation|date=October 4, 2020}}{{cite news|last=David|first=Jun|title=Caloocan crime rate drops 20%|url=https://www.manilastandard.net/?p=345026|access-date=May 5, 2024|work=Manila Standard|date=January 21, 2021}} However, the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF) noted in 2020 that Malapitan's mayorship was characterized with a passivity towards President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs during its first year (2016–2017), with Malapitan asking the local branch of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to take charge of crime control and work vigorously against illegal drugs,{{cite news|last=Agoncillo|first=Jodee A.|title='Boosted' by Duterte, Caloocan mayor declares own war vs drugs|url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/790714/boosted-by-duterte-caloocan-mayor-declares-own-war-vs-drugs|access-date=May 5, 2024|newspaper=Inquirer News|publisher=INQUIRER.net|date=June 15, 2016|location=Manila}}{{cite news|title=More authority: Mayor Oca reorganizes Anti-Drug Council|url=https://metromanila.politiko.com.ph/2016/08/18/more-authority-mayor-oca-reorganizes-anti-drug-council/headlines/|access-date=October 26, 2024|work=Politiko|publisher=MCD Multimedia Corporation|date=August 18, 2016}} which PRIF claimed to have "resulted in a huge spike of deadly police violence" and "excessive levels of vigilantism" during this period.{{cite news|author-link=Manolo Quezon|last=Quezon III|first=Manuel L.|title=Some LGU leaders bloodier than others|url=https://opinion.inquirer.net/141213/some-lgu-leaders-bloodier-than-others|access-date=May 5, 2024|newspaper=Inquirer Opinion|publisher=INQUIRER.net|date=June 16, 2021|quote='[...]in the four others (Caloocan City, Manila City, Quezon City and Bulacan province) fatal police violence exploded, accompanied by high levels of vigilante killings.'}} Many of the high-profile incidents in Duterte's national drug war occurred in Caloocan, including the murders of Luis Bonifacio and his son Gabriel in 2016 and the murders of Kian delos Santos, Carl Arnaiz and Reynaldo de Guzman in 2017.{{cite news|last=Bolledo|first=Jairo|title=Caloocan cops convicted of homicide over killing of father, son in 2016 drug operation|url=https://www.rappler.com/philippines/metro-manila/caloocan-court-convicts-cops-homicide-killing-father-son-luis-gabriel-bonifacio/|access-date=October 23, 2024|work=Rappler|publisher=Rappler Inc.|date=June 18, 2024|location=Manila, Philippines}}{{cite news|last=Bolledo|first=Jairo|title=In hot spot of drug war deaths, victims are immortalized through a shrine|url=https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/drug-war-victims-immortalized-shrine-caloocan-city/|access-date=October 23, 2024|work=Rappler|publisher=Rappler Inc.|date=May 2, 2024|quote=On July 31, 2016, Aurora [Blas] waited for her husband, Thelmo, the whole day but he never came home.... She found Thelmo in a funeral home in Camarin, Caloocan City.}}{{cite news|last=Talabong|first=Rambo|title=Stray bullet, not pneumonia, killed 9-year-old boy during drug war|url=https://www.rappler.com/philippines/boy-killed-by-bullet-drug-war/|access-date=October 23, 2024|work=Rappler|publisher=Rappler Inc.|date=December 5, 2022|location=Manila, Philippines|quote=The victim was Lenin Baylon, almost 10 years old and a resident of an impoverished neighborhood in Camarin, Caloocan City.}}{{cite news|last1=Wee|first1=Sui-Lee|last2=Elemia|first2=Camille|title=Years Later, Philippines Reckons With Duterte's Brutal Drug War|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/29/world/asia/philippines-drug-war-duterte-justice.html|access-date=October 23, 2024|work=The New York Times|publisher=The New York Times Company|date=June 29, 2024|quote=Reymie Bayunon's 7-year-old son, Jefferson, was fatally shot in the city of Caloocan in April 2019 after, Ms. Bayunon said, he witnessed a killing in their neighborhood.}} By September 2017, Caloocan's entire police force was relieved from duty by PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde, despite it receiving the award for Metro Manila's Best City Police Station from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) a month earlier; only newly assigned police chief Jemar Modequillo and his administration deputy were retained.{{cite news|last1=Romero|first1=Paolo|last2=Diaz|first2=Jess|last3=Tupas|first3=Emmanuel|last4=Macairan|first4=Evelyn|author5=AP|author6=Reuters|title=Entire Caloocan City police force sacked|url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/09/15/1739626/entire-caloocan-city-police-force-sacked|access-date=October 26, 2024|work=Philstar.com|publisher=Philstar Global Corp.|date=September 15, 2017}}
Sometime in 2017, Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of the Diocese of Kalookan met with Malapitan, Modequillo and lawyer Sikini Labastilla, all three of whom are members of the Caloocan City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC), to discuss how to better facilitate rehabilitation and drug prevention in the city during the drug war, which lead to the establishment of the Caloocan Anti-Drug Abuse Office (CADAO) the following year.{{cite web|author=URC|title=Expanding Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation in the Philippines – Despite COVID-19|url=https://urc.exposure.co/expanding-communitybased-drug-rehabilitation-in-the-philippines-despite-covid19|website=URC - Exposure|publisher=University Research Co., LLC (URC)|access-date=October 26, 2024|date=November 19, 2021}}{{cite news|title=May pag-asa ang mga drug dependent sa community-based rehabilitation|url=https://filipino.cri.cn/301/2017/11/30/104s153065.htm|access-date=October 26, 2024|work=Radyo Internasyonal ng Tsina|publisher=China Radio International|date=November 30, 2017|language=Filipino}}
Malapitan would come to serve out three consecutive terms as mayor, with his son Along Malapitan succeeding him.{{cite news|last=Adel|first=Rosette|title=Malapitan returns as Caloocan mayor, beats INC-backed bet|url=https://www.philstar.com/nation/2016/05/11/1582309/malapitan-returns-caloocan-mayor-beats-inc-backed-bet|access-date=May 5, 2024|work=Philstar.com|publisher=Philstar Global Corp.|date=May 11, 2016|location=Manila, Philippines}}{{cite news|last=Cayabyab|first=Marc Jayson|title=More incumbents keep posts|url=https://www.philstar.com/nation/2019/05/16/1918144/more-incumbents-keep-posts|access-date=May 5, 2024|work=Philstar.com|publisher=Philstar Global Corp.|date=May 16, 2019|location=Manila, Philippines}}
=Representative (2022–present)=
In 2022, Malapitan ran for representative of Caloocan's 1st District once again and won, switching places with his son Along.{{cite news|last=Mendoza|first=John Eric|title=Along Malapitan proclaimed as new Caloocan mayor; Erice concedes|url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1595980/along-malapitan-proclaimed-as-new-caloocan-mayor-erice-concedes|access-date=May 5, 2024|newspaper=Inquirer News|publisher=INQUIRER.net|date=May 11, 2022|location=Manila, Philippines|quote=Aside from Dale [Gonzalo Malapitan], his running mate Karina Te and the senior Malapitan was proclaimed as vice mayor and the first representative of District 1.}} During the 19th Congress, he serves as the Chairperson of the House Committee on National Defense and Security and Vice Chairperson of the House Committee on Local Government and of House Committee on Metro Manila Development.
Controversies
=Graft=
In 2009, Malapitan was accused of misusing his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), amounting to {{Philippine peso|8 million|link=yes}} allocated to the Kalookan Assistance Council, Inc. (KACI), during his term as representative.{{cite PH act|chamber=GR|number=229811|url=https://lawyerly.ph/juris/view/c10752?user=fbGU2WFpmaitMVEVGZ2lBVW5xZ2RVdz09|date=April 28, 2021|accessdate=June 22, 2024|title=Office of Ombudsman vs. Malapitan|publisher=Lawyerly}} The case was later dismissed by the Ombudsman due to lack of evidence. Malapitan was later acquitted by the Supreme Court of the Philippines in 2021 upon the dismissal of a relevant administrative case.{{cite news|url=https://www.bworldonline.com/the-nation/2021/07/18/383224/sc-upholds-condonation-of-admin-charge-vs-caloocan-mayor-over-pork-barrel-fund-but-not-the-criminal-complaint/|title=SC upholds condonation of admin charge vs Caloocan mayor over pork barrel fund, but not the criminal complaint|date=July 18, 2021|first=Bianca Angelica|last=Añago|website=BusinessWorld|accessdate=June 22, 2024}} However, on July 16, 2024, Rey Malonzo filed a graft and malversation complaint with the Ombudsman against Malapitan, former Social Welfare and Development Secretary Esperanza Cabral, four former Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) officials, and KACI president Cenon Mayor for the same misuse of funds that occurred from 2007 to 2009.{{cite news |last1= Marcelo |first1=Elizabeth |title=Lawmaker faces graft raps over ‘pork’ scam|url=https://qa.philstar.com/nation/2024/07/17/2370751/lawmaker-faces-graft-raps-over-pork-scam |accessdate=July 18, 2024 |publisher= The Philippine Star|date=July 17, 2024}}
On April 22, 2016, during the campaign period for the local elections, Malapitan was charged of graft and plunder with the Office of the Ombudsman over allegedly overpriced birthday gift packages for senior citizens of Caloocan. Malapitan denied the accusations, stating it has no evidence, and added that the {{Philippine peso|500}} senior's social fund, which the complainant claimed she did not receive from the city's social welfare department, was to come from the DSWD.{{cite news|url=https://www.philstar.com/metro/2016/04/26/1577178/caloocan-mayor-faces-plunder-graft-raps|title=Caloocan mayor faces plunder, graft raps|work=The Philippine Star|date=April 26, 2024|accessdate=July 13, 2024}}
=2024 birthday celebration=
In June 2024, Rey Malonzo accused Malapitan of reportedly spending at least {{Philippine peso|3 million}} on his birthday celebration at Solaire Resort & Casino in Parañaque held on June 14 of that same year, drawing scrutiny from local constituents and national figures alike. He and former senator Antonio Trillanes separately criticized the event as insensitive to Caloocan's poor residents.{{cite news|url=https://remate.ph/caloocan-solon-sinita-ng-dating-alkalde-sa-insensitibong-magarbong-bday-party/|title=Caloocan solon sinita ng dating alkalde sa insensitibong magarbong bday party|date=June 18, 2024|publisher=Remate|lang=Filipino|accessdate=June 22, 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://tonite.abante.com.ph/2024/06/26/p3m-pa-birthday-party-ni-mayor-pinuna/|title=P3M pa-birthday party ni mayor, pinuna|date=June 26, 2024|publisher=Abante Tonite|lang=Filipino|accessdate=June 30, 2024}}
Personal life
Malapitan is married to Edna Rigor. Their sons Dale Gonzalo (Along) and Vincent Ryan (Enteng) are also in politics, currently serving as mayor and 1st district councilor of Caloocan, respectively. Their daughter, Sharon Faye Malapitan Bautista, is a Board Director of the Clark Development Corporation since 2024.{{cite news|url=https://metromanila.politiko.com.ph/2024/02/23/rep-oca-malapitans-daughter-gets-a-seat-in-clark-development-corporation/headlines/|title=Rep. Oca Malapitan's daughter gets a seat in Clark Development Corporation|date=February 23, 2024|accessdate=June 22, 2024|website=Politiko Metro Manila}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{commonscat-inline}}
- {{cite web |url=http://www.taoanguna.com/ |title=Tao ang Una kay Oscar *OCA* Malapitan}}
- {{cite web |url=https://www.congress.gov.ph/members/search.php?id=malapitan-o |title=Hon. Malapitan, Oscar G. |access-date=June 22, 2024 |publisher=House of Representatives of the Philippines }}
{{S-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Nancy Quimpo}}
{{s-ttl|title=Vice Mayor of Caloocan|years= 1998–2001}}
{{s-aft|after=Luis Varela}}
{{s-bef|before=Enrico Echiverri}}
{{s-ttl|title=Mayor of Caloocan|years= 2013–2022}}
{{s-aft|after=Along Malapitan}}
{{s-par|ph-lwr}}
{{s-bef|before=Enrico Echiverri}}
{{s-ttl|title=Representative, 1st District of Caloocan|years= 2004–2013}}
{{s-aft|after=Enrico Echiverri}}
{{s-bef|before=Along Malapitan}}
{{s-ttl|title=Representative, 1st District of Caloocan|years= 2022–present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{S-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Malapitan, Oscar G.}}
Category:Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Caloocan
Category:Metro Manila city and municipal councilors