Former Agusan Sur governor Paredes dies at 79

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur (MindaNews / 20 April) — Former Governor and Representative of Agusan del Sur Ceferino Paredes, Jr passed away on Good Friday, his daughter, Mayor Grace Carmel Paredes-Bravo announced on her social media post on the same day.

“Today is Good Friday, and we are commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. As we commemorate this day, our dear father, Atty Ceferino S. Paredes, Jr., also bid goodbye to all of us,” Mayor Bravo wrote.

Paredes  was 79. He would have turned 80 on July 5. 

^{Lawyer Ceferino Paredes, former Augustan del Sur Governor (1988-1992) and Representative to Congress (1992-1998) passed away on Good Friday, 19 April 2025. Photo courtesy of Mayor Grace Carmel Paredes-Bravo}

His wake is at their residence in Barangay 3.

Friends, family, colleagues and residents of the province posted tributes on the mayor’s page, among them his colleagues at the Platinum Group Metals Corp. where he was long-time legal counsel, the parish priest of the Sacred Heart of Jesus here, Fr. Marlon Lacal, and townmates whom he helped as s public official.

Paredes , a lawyer, entered public service in the early 1970s when he was Provincial Board Member under the late long-time governor Valentina Plaza. At the same time, he was tasked to head the Provincial Legal Office and the Provincial Planning and Development Office.

A decade later, Paredes joined the anti-Marcos movement in the province and led the opposition group.

As the top leader of the opposition in Agusan del Sur, he was appointed OIC Governor of the province after the dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. was ousted by People Power in February 1986. He was elected Governor of the province in 1988, serving until 1992 and was representative the then lone legislative district of Agusan del Sur for two terms – from 1992 to 1995 and 1995 to 1998. (Chris V. Panganiban / MindaNews)