Leoncio Imperial

Leoncio Imperial was born in the province of Albay. He was one of six children of Paciano Imperial^[2] and Josefa Duran. His father was Provincial Secretary of the Revolutionary Government during the Philippine Revolution. Imperial's grandfather, was Sinforozo Imperial, a mayor of Daraga and Legazpi in the mid-19th century.^[3] Leoncio Imperial was admitted to the Philippine bar in 1902.

Imperial served as governor of Albay from 1913 to 1916.^[4] In 1917, he was elected to the newly created Senate of the Philippines from the 6th district following a scandal that led to the nullification of the previous results due to fraud and a rerun of the election.^[2] Because he received more votes than the other elected candidate Mario Guariña, his term in the Senate lasted six years.^[5] At the end of his term in 1922, Imperial was again elected governor of Albay, serving until 1925.^[4] In 1949, he was appointed as technical assistant to President Elpidio Quirino.^[6]

Imperial belonged to a family that dominated politics in Albay for many years. His brother Carlos Imperial was Albay's representative to the 1st Philippine Legislature and a Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. His cousin Domingo Imperial was also a senator from 1934 to 1935 and from 1945 to 1946. Another cousin, Jose Imperial was also governor of Albay. His second cousin, Carlos R. Imperial, was a congressman for the 2nd district of Albay and an MP in the Interim Batasang Pambansa.^[2][7][8]