Francisco Tatad
Francisco S. Tatad | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 1997 | |
| Senator of the Philippines | |
| In office June 30, 1992 – June 30, 2001 | |
| Senate Majority Leader | |
| In office July 12, 2000 – June 30, 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Franklin Drilon |
| Succeeded by | Loren Legarda |
| In office October 10, 1996 – January 26, 1998 | |
| Preceded by | Alberto Romulo |
| Succeeded by | Franklin Drilon |
| Minister of Public Information | |
| In office 1969–1980 | |
| President | Ferdinand Marcos |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Gregorio Cendaña |
| Mambabatas Pambansa (Assemblyman) from Region V | |
| In office June 12, 1978 – June 5, 1984 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 4, 1939 |
| Party | Independent (1987–1992; 2009–present) |
| Other political affiliations | PMP (2004–2009) Gabay Bayan (1998–2004) LDP (1995–1998) NPC (1992–1995) KBL (1978–1987) Nacionalista (until 1978) |
| Spouse | Fernandita "Fenny" Cantero |
| Relations | Shalani Soledad (niece) |
| Alma mater | University of Santo Tomas Center for Research and Communication |
| Profession | Journalist, politician |
Francisco "Kit" Sarmiento Tatad (born October 4, 1939) is a Filipino journalist and politician best known for having served as Minister of Public Information under President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. from 1969 to 1980, and for serving as a Senator of the Philippines from 1992 to 2001.
Career
Marcos regime
Upon his appointment by President Marcos, Tatad became the youngest member of Marcos' cabinet. During his term, he announced the declaration of martial law on September 23, 1972, just hours before Marcos himself came on the air.[1] While serving as cabinet secretary, he concurrently became a member of the Batasang Pambansa. In 1979, Tatad had a falling-out with Marcos, with the latter removing him as public information minister in February 1980 and appointing Gregorio Cendaña in his place.[2]
In January 1984, Tatad attended the two-day assembly of the Kongreso ng Mamamayang Pilipino (KOMPIL), an initiative chaired by Butz Aquino that sought to unite the various opposition groups. During the assembly, delegates gathered at the Ateneo de Manila University gymnasium in Quezon City for a forum on who could replace Ferdinand Marcos if he resigns, with Tatad representing the Nacionalista Party.[3]
Fifth Republic
During his service in the Senate, he served as Majority Floor Leader from 1996 to 1998 and again from 2000 to 2001. In 2001, he was one of the 11 senators who voted against opening an envelope that had been alleged to contain incriminating evidence against then Philippine President Joseph Estrada, inciting events that led to the EDSA Revolution of 2001.[4]
Tatad ran again for senator under the Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino of actor Fernando Poe Jr. in 2004 but lost. In 2007, he resigned from the governing board of the United Opposition as a protest against the party's decision to draft Alan Peter Cayetano, Joseph Victor Ejercito and Aquilino Pimentel III as its senatorial candidates due to issues of "dynasty-building",[5] as the three have relatives already serving in the Senate. In 2010, he ran again for senator but lost, finishing only in the 27th place.
During the hearing on the impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona on January 19, 2012, Tatad had a verbal confrontation with Senator-Judge Franklin Drilon, accusing him of acting like a part of the prosecution team. Drilon allegedly challenged him to disqualify him from participating in the proceedings.[6]
References
- ^ "Declaration of Martial Law". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Office of the President of the Philippines. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
- ^ Lent, John A. (June 1983). "The Philippine Press at the Advent of the 1980s". Crossroads: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Southeast Asian Studies. 1 (2): 86.
[Ferdinand] Marcos accused [Francisco] Tatad of using his cabinet position to enrich himself after he had given campaign speeches critical of the government[...]
- ^ Coronel, Sheila S. (January 22, 1984). "KOMPIL: An Exercise in Political Unity". Philippine Panorama. Vol. 13, no. 2. p. 6.
- ^ Danao, Efren (January 23, 2001). "Oreta, Tatad in anguish". The Philippine Star. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
- ^ "Former senator Tatad quits UNO over 'dynastic ticket' ". Inquirer Online.
- ^ "Drilon, Tatad clash over pro-prosecution controversy". ABS-CBN News Online.