Guillermo Villanueva

Guillermo "Memong" Zosimo Villanueva y Teves was a Filipino politician who served as Governor of Negros Oriental during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines.

Biography

Education

Villanueva earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Silliman Institute in 1912, and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Michigan University in 1918.

Political career

After completing his education in the United States, Villanueva returned to the Philippines in 1919 and was appointed counselor of Bais in 1920.
In 1922, he was elected to Congress as representative from Negros Oriental's 1st congressional district. He was re-elected to the same office in 1925, 1928, and 1931.
He was elected Governor of Negros Oriental in the 1941 Philippine general election.

Death

Villanueva was killed on September 18, 1945 by retreating Japanese forces in Zamboanguita. There was no conclusive evidence to point out the reasons the Japanese forces killed him, and his remains were never recovered. His death came shortly before the main body of Japanese forces surrendered on September 22, 1945.