Primitivo Sato
Primitivo N. Sato (November 27, 1911 – February 10, 1972) was a Filipino Visayan lawyer from Cebu, Philippines and Congressman of Cebu's 3rd district from 1949 until 1952.
Primitivo N. Sato | |
---|---|
Member of the 2nd Congress of the Republic for Cebu's 3rd District | |
In office 1949–1952 | |
Succeeded by | Maximino Noel |
Personal details | |
Born | November 27, 1911 Carcar, Cebu, Philippines |
Died | February 10, 1972 |
Political party | Liberal Party (Philippines) |
Early life
Primitivo N. Sato, the son of Segundo Sato, was born in Carcar, Cebu on November 27, 1911.[1] He passed the bar exams and was admitted to the Philippine Bar by December 23, 1937, becoming known to be a tax and inheritance laws expert[2] and one of the few Filipino lawyers who had a doctorate of Civil Law. He married Julieta Erediano and the couple bore children namely Molly, Wesley, Rene, Bennie, Tita, Lorna, Letecia, and Annabelle.[3]
Career
Campaigning under the Liberal Party,[4] he was voted as representative of the Cebu's 3rd legislative district during the 2nd Congress of the Republic in 1949.[5] His term was cut short in 1952 because he was unseated by Maximino Noel who filed and was successful in an electoral protest at the House Electoral Tribunal.[2][6]
Landmark case on attorney's fees
In a landmark Supreme Court decision on the matter of attorney's fees, Sato successfully defended the right to compensation for services rendered to the estate of Rallos family.[2] Simeon Rallos, the administrator of the estates of Numeriana Rallos and Victoria Rallos, engaged the services of Sato, who was then a Congressman, in reducing tax liabilities. Rallos would later refused to pay, prompting Sato to file a suit. On September 30, 1964, the Supreme Court overruled the lower court's decision dismissing the case and stated that attorney's fees may be collected to an estate even after it was distributed to the heirs.[7]
Academe
The founders of Southwestern University, Matias Hipolito Chavez Aznar II and Anunciacion Barcenilla who were his clients, appointed him as the first dean of the institution's College of Law.
Later years
Sato died on February 10, 1972.[3]
References
- Representatives, Philippines Congress (1940-1973) House of (1950). Official Directory. Bureau of Printing.
- Sato, Clarence Paul (August 28, 2015). "Congressman Primitivo N. Sato". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved 2019-05-22.
- Oaminal, Clarence Paul (October 8, 2015). "Congressman Primitivo N. Sato, 1st Dean of the SWU College of Law (Part II)". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved 2019-05-22.
- Mojares, Resil B. (1986). The Man who Would be President: Serging Osmena and Philippine Politics. M. Cacao.
- "ROSTER OF PHILIPPINE LEGISLATORS". Congressional Library Bureau: House of Representatives. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
- Sidel, John Thayer (1999). Capital, Coercion, and Crime: Bossism in the Philippines. Stanford University Press. ISBN 9780804737463.
- "G.R. No. L-17194 September 30, 1964 - PRIMITIVO SATO v. SIMEON RALLOS : SEPTEMBER 1964 - PHILIPPINE SUPREME COURT JURISPRUDENCE - CHANROBLES VIRTUAL LAW LIBRARY". www.chanrobles.com. Retrieved 2019-05-22.