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The Crisologos – one of the most prominent political families of Vigan, a principal political dynasty, so to speak.  The most popular street of Vigan was in fact named after them.  Their lives were filled with political drama and violence.

Floro Crisologo was a veteran and a long time congressman.  On Oct 18, 1970, while standing in line for communion, a lone gunman entered the church and shot him.  The assassin escaped during the chaos that ensued and the murder case remains unresolved to this day.  As rumors have it, it was politically motivated.

His wife Carmeling, once a Governor of Vigan, survived him.  She also had her fair share of political violence when she was ambushed in her car in 1961.  She lived to tell the tale.

Their son Bingbong on the other hand, served time in the Bilibid prison for burning down two villages in Ilocos Sur in 1970.  It was rumored that it was done in retaliation for the residents voted for his mother’s opponent.  Today, he is a congressman for a district in Quezon City.

Housing the memorabilia and antique collections of this family is their ancestral home now turned museum, the Crisologo Museum. Truth be told, when compared to the well-kept Syquia Mansion, this was a let down and anti-climactic.

Did you ever own one of this?

Or this?

I hope not this.   🙂

A Tourism apprentice who knows very little about the family and its (very colorful) history took us around and when bombarded with questions, the poor girl couldn’t answer most of it.

The house however, albeit not as well kept as the one of the Syquia’s, was interesting enough showcasing a lot of paintings and photos of the family.