WhereIsAtlas · Politics

Jovito Salonga

The senator who fought the Marcos dictatorship — and made the Philippines' opposition respectable

Deceased — Senator, opposition leader and anti-corruption crusader; survived a 1987 assassination attempt and died in 2016 aged 95.

Jovito Salonga was one of the Philippines' most respected political figures — a lawyer, a senator, and a leading opponent of the Marcos dictatorship. Born in 1920, he rose in politics as a reform-minded liberal, known for his eloquence and his integrity, and he became a central figure in the opposition to Ferdinand Marcos.

During martial law, Salonga was detained along with other opposition leaders, and he endured imprisonment and torture at the hands of the regime. After the 1986 People Power Revolution restored democracy, he was elected senator and named chairman of a new commission tasked with recovering the 'ill-gotten wealth' the Marcos family had accumulated — one of the earliest, most ambitious anti-corruption efforts in the region.

In August 1987, Salonga survived an assassination attempt when gunmen ambushed his motorcade, killing his driver and injuring Salonga himself. The attack — which was never conclusively solved — became a symbol of the dangers facing the post-Marcos opposition. Salonga continued his public career and died in 2016 at the age of 95, widely remembered as a champion of the rule of law.

Quick facts

Born
Jun 22, 1920, Philippines
Role
Senator, opposition leader
Martial law
Imprisoned + tortured under Marcos
PCGG chair
Recovered Marcos 'ill-gotten wealth'
Assassination attempt
Aug 28, 1987 (survived)
Died
2016, aged 95

Sources

Related: ferdinand marcos · ninoy aquino · imelda marcos