Renato Zosimo Evangelista, first Mangyan lawyer; 52
CALAPAN CITY—Lawyer Renato Zosimo Evangelista, recognized as the first Mangyan lawyer and a staunch defender of indigenous peoples’ rights, has died. He was 52.
Evangelista, known in the community as “Zosing,” passed on Tuesday at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, according to his daughter, Angelique. He was confined following a stroke, but died of cardiac arrest.
A member of the Hanunuo Mangyan community, Evangelista broke barriers when he entered the legal profession, becoming a symbol of hope for indigenous peoples long marginalized in Philippine society.
“He was the first Hanunuo who became a lawyer and fought for ancestral lands,” said Ma. Yvette Macaruyo, Evangelista’s former classmate.
Throughout his career, Evangelista dedicated his legal work to advancing the rights and welfare of Mangyan communities, particularly in issues involving ancestral domains and land ownership.
He began his legal career at the Roco, Kapunan, Migallos, Perez and Luna Law Offices, one of the country’s prominent firms, where he worked until 2004. He later returned to Oriental Mindoro upon the request of the provincial government to serve as provincial legal officer.
That same year, he earned a coveted spot in the British Chevening Scholarship Program and pursued a master of laws degree at the University of Essex in the United Kingdom from 2004 to 2005.
His research on trade-related intellectual property rights of indigenous peoples received a distinction—an honor granted to only six out of 70 students in his class.
Upon returning to the Philippines, Evangelista established his own law practice and eventually became managing partner of Crisologo, Evangelista and Associates Law Office. He handled mostly property-related cases and served as legal adviser on various Mangyan concerns, including a landmark ancestral land case in the community of Paitan in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
Cultural advocate
Beyond the courtroom, Evangelista was deeply engaged in cultural advocacy. As president of the Mangyan Heritage Center, he helped promote indigenous culture on the global stage, including representing the group at a book fair in Frankfurt, Germany last year.
His contributions to society earned him recognition as one of Oriental Mindoro’s outstanding citizens during the “Gabi ng Pagpupugay,” which honored exemplary Mindoreños for their achievements and service to their communities last year.
Leaders and members of indigenous groups mourned his passing, describing it as a “great loss” to the Mangyan people, especially the Hanunuo tribe.
“Kauna-unahang abogado ng mga Katutubo … nagluluksa ang buong Katutubo ng Oriental Mindoro (The first lawyer representing local indigenous peoples … the whole community of indigenous peoples in Oriental Mindoro is grieving),” one community member said in a message of condolence.
Even as he rose in the legal profession, Evangelista remained rooted in his mission to serve his people—using his knowledge and voice to defend their rights and uplift their communities.
Evangelista is survived by his wife, Helen, and their two children, Philip and Angelique.
