Chess-playing lawyers in Cebu

By Frank “Boy” Pestaño
Chessmoso

Lawyer Alex Tolentino is a dear friend and one of the founders of the Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association (Cepca) back in 1990 together with Art Ynclino, Gerry Tomakin, Loy Miñoza, Antonio Climaco, Danny Pestaño and the late Sonny Sollano – how we miss you Sonny! It is a tribute to these pioneers that Cepca is still active today and considered one of the premier chess clubs in the Philippines.

Alex and I had dinner a few weeks ago to celebrate his election as president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Cebu City chapter. Alex suggested that I write an article on chess-playing lawyers as there seems to be a lot of them around.

To start with one of the earliest members of the club was Sisinio “Babes” Andales, now a barangay captain and one of best chess-playing lawyers here. When we first met across the board, he was playing with the lawyers team and I was with the chemical engineers team in 1990.

Soon after, his neighbor Allan Carlos Cardenas joined the club as well as his brother Eleno, whom I understand is now in the States. Another early member was Damaso Uy, also now abroad, and Ed Areno of NPC. Another notable member was then LTO regional director Manny Iway.

Whenever we had an induction of new officers, our guest of honor was usually former Cebu City mayor Alvin Garcia, an honorary Cepca member. Another honorary member is the incumbent Vice Mayor Michael Rama.

Another member still active now is Gonzalo “Boy” Tumulak of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board.

One of our members who passed away was Migs Enriquez, the hard-hitting radio broadcaster.

Lately, we had another batch of lawyers in the club. They are Central Bank Cebu administrator Lorenzo Zafico, Talisay City Prosecutor Richard Abangan, who won the Club’s April tournament, Jongjong Melendez of the Ombudsman, who has also won a tournament, and Jason Genobiagon, who is into private practice and was fifth in this month’s tournament.

New member Pepe Gador, formerly with the Commission on Elections, is a veteran chess player since the 1950s.

Alex has also mentioned a large number of lawyers who also play chess but are not members, and I hope that through this article they might join us.

When we had our first tournament in 1990, our guest of honor was then vice governor Enrique Rama.

The brother of Alvin Garcia, Sonny, Sun.Star Cebu publisher and former Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) secretary, also plays chess and was my classmate in high school. Through him, Sun.Star Cebu sponsored a tournament some years ago that attracted a large number of masters, including GMs Joey Antonio and Nelson Mariano II.

Godofredo Parawan Jr., Delon Urot and Jessican Cagara are practicing lawyers with the latter also a CPA.

Judges who play chess include Ireneo Lee Gako, NM Rosendo Bandal, now based in Dumaguete City, and my nephew Gilbert Moises.

New lawyers who also play the game are Gay Capangpangan, James Hupp, who has answered some of my logic puzzles in the past, and Ed Mayol, who has an interesting work combination as he is also a geodetic engineer.

ROSENDO BALINAS. The most famous chess playing lawyer is the late grandmaster Rosendo Balinas, the first foreigner to ever win a major tournament in the USSR.

The reason why chess attracts lawyers and why lawyers are good players is because the game requires a forward looking and analytical mind, traits that lawyers possess.

I am sure that there are still a good number of lawyers who play the game but are not mentioned here. Come and join us. You may get in touch with me at 233-8678 or visit me at Handuraw Leisure and Learning Café in Mabolo in the afternoon. You can also call our president Jun Olis at 341-3661.

Lifetime membership in Cepca is P500 with an annual due of P200. However, since we are mostly self-reliant, contributions are expected from members whenever we have tournaments.

If you want to play competitive chess, go to the Colonnade Chess Center, our playing site along Colon St., beside Oriente Theatre. It is open after 12 p.m. and is the most popular and active chess club in the City. Here, you will meet your equal in the game even if you are a master or beginner.