Gregorio Honasan

Gregorio Ballesteros Honasan II (born March 14, 1948), better known as Gringo Honasan, is a Filipino political figure. He played a key role in the 1986 EDSA Revolution that toppled the alleged dictatorship of President Ferdinand Marcos. He led a series of coup attempts against the administration of Corazon Aquino. President Fidel Ramos granted him amnesty in 1992. He entered politics and became a senator from 1995 to 2004 and again since 2007.

Biography

Early life and career

Gregorio Honasan was born in Baguio City to Colonel Romeo Gillego Honasan and Alicia "Alice" Masip Ballesteros, both from Sorsogon province.^[1] Honasan spent his elementary days at San Beda College from Kindergarten to Grade 6. After which, he went to Taiwan and studied at the Dominican School, Taipei, Taiwan. He then returned to the Philippines and finished his high school at Don Bosco Technical College.He attained his Bachelor of Science degree at the Philippine Military Academy, where he received the title of "Class Baron", the academy's highest leadership award.^[1]

After graduating in 1971, he joined the Philippine Army's Special Force: The Scout Ranger and went into combat duty against separatist and communist insurgents in Luzon and Mindanao. He was wounded in action at battles in Lebak and Jolo.^[1] Making his way up through the armed forces, he became aide-de-camp to Secretary of National Defense Juan Ponce Enrile in 1974, and later became the department's Chief of Security.

Concurrent with his position as security chief, he was a board member of the Northern Mindanao Development Bank and president of the Beatriz Marketing Company.^[2]

EDSA Revolution

In 1986, Honasan and a cabal of colonels, backed by Enrile, tried to use popular unrest to overthrow the dictatorship of President Ferdinand Marcos.^[3] When the plot was uncovered, the conspirators sought refuge in the military headquarters and called on civilians, the media, and the Catholic Church for protection. Hundreds of thousands of people served as human shields to protect Honasan and his men from Marcos' forces, sparking the 1986 People Power Revolution that led to Marcos' fall from power and the installation of Corazon Aquino as president.

Coup attempts

Aquino awarded Honasan a Distinguished Conduct Star for the EDSA Revolution and the Presidential Government Medal in 1986. Under the new government, he was head of a special group in the defense ministry. Using his position, he was covertly involved in various coup attempts against Aquino.^[3] On August 28, 1987, fighting broke out in the streets and Honasan ordered his men to attack government installations, resulting in the deaths of dozens, including many civilians. The attack was put down by government forces, but Honasan was able to escape. He was later captured and imprisoned on a Navy ship on Manila Bay. He later escaped once again by convincing his guards to join his cause.^[3]

Senator

President Fidel V. Ramos, who was elected in 1992, granted amnesty to Honasan. Honasan utilized his rebel infamy to enter politics in 1995, becoming the first independent candidate in Philippine history to win a seat in the Senate. He was re-elected in 2001, and left the Senate when his second term expired in 2004. In the general election held in May 2007, he was again elected to the Senate. Running as an independent candidate, he polled some 11.6 million votes, finishing 10th out of 37 candidates for 12 Senate vacancies. He took up his post on June 30. He was reelected during the 2013 elections, placing twelfth, his fourth consecutive term.

References

External links

• Official campaign site of Gregorio Honasan
• Official Facebook fanpage campaign site of Gregorio Honasan
• Official Twitter account of Gregorio Honasan
• Official Youtube campaign channel of Gregorio Honasan

Senatorial history of Gregorio Honasan II Majority Floor Leader of the Senate of the Philippines Villanueva Engage Laurel Aquino Recto Arranz Francisco Cabili Primicias Roy Tolentino Mercado Guingona Romulo Tatad Drilon Tatad Legarda Pimentel Legarda Pangilinan Zubiri Sotto Cayetano <15th Senators of the 16th Congress of the Philippines (2013-2016) 17th> Senate President Franklin Drilon Senior Senators (2010–2016) Junior Senators (2013–2019) Pia Cayetano Franklin Drilon Juan Ponce Enrile Jinggoy Estrada Teofisto Guingona III Lito Lapid Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. Sergio Osmeña III Ralph Recto Bong Revilla Miriam Defensor Santiago Tito Sotto Sonny Angara Bam Aquino Nancy Binay Alan Peter Cayetano Joseph Victor Ejercito Francis Escudero Gregorio Honasan Loren Legarda Aquilino Pimentel III Grace Poe Antonio Trillanes IV Cynthia Villar Term ends June 30, 2016 Term ends June 30, 2019 <14th Senators of the 15th Congress of the Philippines (2010-2013) 16th> Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile (2010–2013) # Jinggoy Estrada (2013) ## Senior Senators (2007–2013) Junior Senators (2010–2016) Edgardo Angara Joker Arroyo Alan Peter Cayetano Francis Escudero Gregorio Honasan Panfilo Lacson Loren Legarda Francis Pangilinan Aquilino Pimentel III (2011–present)### Antonio Trillanes IV Manny Villar Juan Miguel Zubiri (2007–11)### Vacant (since 2010)#### Pia Cayetano Miriam Defensor Santiago Franklin Drilon Jinggoy Estrada Teofisto Guingona III Lito Lapid Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. Sergio Osmeña III Juan Ponce Enrile Ralph Recto Bong Revilla Tito Sotto Term ends June 30, 2013 Term ends June 30, 2016 # — Ponce Enrile was also the Senate president of the 14th Congress. ##—Estrada is in acting capacity after Ponce Enrile takes his resignation. ### —Zubiri resigned from office on August 3, 2011, replaced by Pimentel afterwards. #### — Vacant due to election of Benigno Aquino III to the presidency. <13th Senators of the 14th Congress of the Philippines (2007-2010) 15th> Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile (2008-2010) Manny Villar (2006-2008) # Senior Senators (2004-2010) Junior Senators (2007-2010) Rodolfo Biazon Lito Lapid Jinggoy Estrada Pia Cayetano Miriam Defensor Santiago Richard Gordon Jamby Madrigal Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. Juan Ponce Enrile Bong Revilla Mar Roxas Vacant ## Edgardo Angara Benigno Aquino III Joker Arroyo Alan Peter Cayetano Francis Escudero Gregorio Honasan Panfilo Lacson Loren Legarda Francis Pangilinan Antonio Trillanes IV Manny Villar Juan Miguel Zubiri Term ended June 30, 2010 Term ends June 30, 2013 # — Villar was also the previous Senate president of the 13th Congress. ## — Vacant due to election of Alfredo Lim as the mayor of Manila. <11th Senators of the 12th Congress of the Philippines (2001-2004) 13th> Senate President Franklin Drilon (2001-2004) # Senior Senators (1998-2004) Junior Senators (2001-2007) Teresa Aquino-Oreta Robert Barbers Rene Cayetano ## Teofisto Guingona, Jr.‡ Gregorio Honasan ‡ Robert Jaworski Loren Legarda Blas Ople ‡‡ John Henry Osmeña Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. Ramon Revilla, Sr. Tito Sotto Edgardo Angara Joker Arroyo Franklin Drilon Luisa Estrada Noli de Castro ‡‡‡ Juan Flavier Panfilo Lacson Sergio Osmeña III Francis Pangilinan Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. Ralph Recto Manny Villar Term ended June 30, 2004 Term ended June 30, 2007 # — Drilon's Senate presidency continued until 2006 during the 13th Congress. ## — Position vacated when Cayetano died in 2003. ‡ — The appointment of Gloria Arroyo to Guingona to vice presidency made his position to the Senate vacant from January 20, 2001. On May 14, 2001, Honasan was elected to fill in Guingona's unfinished term until 2004. ‡‡ — Ople was appointed Foreign Affairs secretary in 2002. ‡‡‡ — In 2004, de Castro vacated his position when he was elected to the vice presidency. <10th Senators of the 11th Congress of the Philippines (1998-2001) 12th> Senate President Marcelo Fernan (1998-1999)† Blas Ople (1999-2000) Franklin Drilon (2000) Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. (2000-2001) Senior Senators (1995-2001) Junior Senators (1998-2004) Nikki Coseteng Franklin Drilon Juan Ponce Enrile Marcelo Fernan† Gregorio Honasan Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. Sergio Osmeña III Raul Roco Miriam Defensor Santiago Francisco Tatad Teresa Aquino-Oreta Robert Barbers Rene Cayetano # Teofisto Guingona, Jr. ‡ Gregorio Honasan ‡ Robert Jaworski Loren Legarda Blas Ople ‡‡ John Henry Osmeña Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. Ramon Revilla, Sr. Tito Sotto Term ended June 30, 2001 Term ended June 30, 2004 † — Position vacated when Fernan died in 1999. # — Position vacated when Cayetano died in 2003. ‡ — The appointment of Gloria Arroyo to Guingona to vice presidency made his position to the Senate vacant from January 20, 2001. On May 14, 2001, Honasan was elected to fill in Guingona's unfinished term until 2004. ‡‡ — Ople was appointed Foreign Affairs secretary in 2002. <9th Senators of the 10th Congress of the Philippines (1995-1998) 11th> Senate President Neptali Gonzales (1995-1996, 1998) Ernesto Maceda(1996-1998) Senior Senators (1992-1998) Junior Senators (1995-2001) Heherson Alvarez Edgardo Angara Neptali Gonzales Ernesto Herrera Ernesto Maceda Orlando Mercado Blas Ople Ramon Revilla, Sr. Alberto Romulo Leticia Ramos-Shahani Tito Sotto Freddie Webb Nikki Coseteng Franklin Drilon Juan Ponce Enrile Marcelo Fernan† Juan Flavier Gregorio Honasan Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. Sergio Osmeña III Raul Roco Miriam Defensor Santiago Francisco Tatad Term ended June 30, 1998 Term ended June 30, 2001 † — Position vacated when Fernan died in 1999.