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Jose Concepcion Maristela Sr.

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Jose Concepcion Maristela Sr.
Maristela c. 1940
Nickname(s)Pepe, Joe
Born(1916-02-04)February 4, 1916
DiedJune 1, 1979(1979-06-01) (aged 63)
Antipolo, Rizal, Philippines
Allegiance Philippines
BranchPhilippine Constabulary
Spouse(s)Matilde Co
ChildrenJose Maristela Jr.
Josephine Maristela
Evangeline Maristela
George Maristela

Jose "Pepe" Maristela Sr (born Jose Concepcion Maristela) retired from the Philippine Military with the rank of General. Pepe Maristela, also referred to and known as Joe Maristela, held the rank of Colonel during active Military Duty.[1] After his service in the World War, Maristela led the Philippine Constabulary as its Chief.[2] In 1963, he ran as the Liberal candidate for mayor of Caloocan, but lost to Macario Asistio Sr. of the Nacionalista Party. Maristela is the grandfather of Joe Maristela, an angel investor in healthcare technology in the U.S.

According to academic Mark R. Thompson, Maristela is responsible with preventing the assassination of Ferdinand Marcos in the early 1970s by foreign contract killers hired by the Workshop Group of Senator Sergio Osmeña Jr., Marcos' Liberal opponent in the 1969 Philippine presidential election.

Early life

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Maristela has roots in Pampanga as well as Tarlac, both provinces in the Philippines.

Military career

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Maristela graduated from the Philippine Military Academy. He was said to have had a "hot temper" and was reprimanded because of this on a number of occasions.[3]

Criminal investigation service and political career

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Before entering into the CIS, in 1957, Maristela served as a Provincial Commander and Director of the Rizal Police Provincial Office.[4]

During the 1960s, Maristela headed the Criminal Investigation Service (CIS) in the Philippines.[5] Maristela was said to have appointed many "special agents" during his tenure, heading the CIS.

In 1963, president Diosdado Macapagal formally announced to the country that Maristela would be running as the Liberal Party candidate for mayor in the City of Caloocan.[6][7]

After retiring from the CIS, Maristela engaged in intelligence-gathering for Malacañang (Office of the President).[8] According to historian Joseph Scalice, who cited academic Mark R. Thompson, Maristela managed to become a mole within the Workshop Group formed by Senator Sergio Osmeña Jr., defeated Liberal presidential candidate in 1969, and inform president Marcos in the early 1970s of the group's covert plans to assassinate him by hiring foreign contract killers.[9]

Maristela died in 1979, at his home in Antipolo, Philippines.[10]

References

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  1. ^ Rodriguez, Ernesto O. (1989). Working with Heroes & Exiles. The University of Michigan: Vantage Press. pp. 45, 107. ISBN 0533078962. Retrieved November 14, 2015.
  2. ^ "CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AND DETECTION GROUP". BRIEF HISTORY. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  3. ^ McCoy, Alfred W. (January 1, 2001). Closer Than Brothers: Manhood at the Philippine Military Academy (January 1, 2001 ed.). Yale University Press. p. 131. ISBN 0300195508.
  4. ^ "Our History". Official Homepage of the Rizal Police Provincial Office. Rizal Police Provincial Office. Archived from the original on November 20, 2015. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  5. ^ The LawPhil Project, Philippine Laws and Jurisprudence Databank (December 29, 1962). "MANUEL F. CABAL, petitioner, vs. HON. RUPERTO KAPUNAN, JR., and THE CITY FISCAL OF MANILA, respondents". Arellano Law Foundation. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  6. ^ "Official Week in Review: September 1 – September 7, 1963". Office of the President. The Official Gazette of the Philippines. September 7, 1963. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  7. ^ "Close fights in prospect in suburbs". The Manila Times. The Manila Times Publishing Company, Inc. November 12, 1963. p. 2. The President handpicked Col. Jose Maristela, former CIS chief, to fight [Macario] Asistio and assigned Dominador Danan, former Lubao (the President's hometown) mayor and guerrilla officer, as Caloocan chief of police.
  8. ^ "Wednesday, February 4, 1970". The Philippine Diary Project. The Philippine Diary Project. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  9. ^ Scalice, Joseph (2023). The Drama of Dictatorship. Ateneo de Manila University Press. pp. 40–41. ISBN 978-621-448-305-1.
  10. ^ "All Military results for Maristela". Ancestry.com. Retrieved November 19, 2015.