Tomas L. Cabili
Senator Tomas L. Cabili was born in Iligan , Lanao del Norte on March 7, 1903. His parents were Guillermo Cabili and Epifania H. Lluisima. He was also known as Sultang Demasang kay-ko-Ranao.
Cabili studied at Iligan Primary School, (1911-1915) and Iligan Elementary School (1915-1918 ). From 1919 to 1923, he enrolled in four different schools to complete his secondary education; the Zamboanga Provincial High School, (1919 to 1920) Cebu High school, (1920 to 1921) Siliman Institute, (1921 to 1922) and finally, the Cebu Provincial High School, (1922 to 1923).
Cabili received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of the Philippines-Cebu in 1925, then pursued a law course at the Visayan Institute, also in Cebu, from 1925 to 1927. He transfered to the Philippine College of Law, where he completed his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1929. After passing the bar examinations, he practiced law in his home province.
In 1934, he was appointed justice of the peace of the municipal district of Lanao as well as of Dansalan. He became a delegate to the Constitutional Assembly. In 1935, he was elected assemblyman for his district in the First National Assembly, serving on the committees on agriculture, codes, franchises, provincial and municipal government, national language, public instruction, Mindanao and special provinces, appropriations, civil service, and public lands.
He was the only delegate to the Constitutional Convention who did not sign the 1935 Constitution, which was formally ratified on February 8, 1935.
In 1938, Cabili was reelected to the Second National Assembly. He was chairman of the Committee on Privileges and member of the committees on agriculture, appropriations, forest, Minadanao and Special provinces, and national companies.
He was senator from 1946-1955.
Cabili was married to Felicitas N. Pepito of Cebu, they had five children . He died on March 17, 1957 at he age of 54.