Filipino politician
Benjamin Abalos Sr.
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Abalos, portrait
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Assumed office
June 30, 2022
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Vice Mayor
| Carmelita Abalos
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Preceded by
| Carmelita Abalos
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In office
February 2, 1988 ? June 30, 1998
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Preceded by
| Roman delos Reyes
(
OIC
)
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Succeeded by
| Benjamin Abalos Jr.
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In office
February 25, 1986 ? December 1, 1987
Officer In Charge
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Appointed by
| Corazon Aquino
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Preceded by
| Ernesto Domingo
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Succeeded by
| Roman delos Reyes
(
OIC
)
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In office
June 5, 2002 ? October 1, 2007
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Appointed by
| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
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Preceded by
| Alfredo Benipayo
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Succeeded by
| Resurreccion Borra
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In office
January 20, 2001 ? June 5, 2002
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President
| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
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Preceded by
| Jejomar Binay
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Succeeded by
| Bayani Fernando
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Born
| Benjamin Santos Abalos
(
1934-09-21
)
September 21, 1934
(age 89)
Pangasinan
,
Philippine Islands
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Nationality
| Filipino
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Political party
| PFP
(2023?present)
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Other political
affiliations
| PDP?Laban
(2017?2023)
Lakas-CMD
(1991?2017)
LDP
(1988-1991)
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Spouse
|
Corazon de Castro
(
m.
1960; died 2021)
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Children
| 5 (including
Benjamin Jr.
)
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Residence(s)
| Mandaluyong
,
Metro Manila
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Education
| Ateneo de Manila University
(
A.B.
)
Manuel L. Quezon University
(
LL.B
)
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Occupation
| Judge
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Profession
| Lawyer
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Benjamin Santos Abalos Sr.
(born September 21, 1934) is a
Filipino
politician who currently serves as the mayor of
Mandaluyong
,
Metro Manila
since 2022, a position he also held from 1986 to 1987 and from 1988 to 1998. He also served as a chairman of the
Commission on Elections
and chairman of the
MMDA
. He is the father of former Mandaluyong mayor and
Interior and Local Government Secretary
Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos Jr.
Early life
[
edit
]
Abalos was born into a poor family in Pangasinan on September 21, 1934. He studied economics at
Ateneo de Manila University
and graduated from the
Manuel L. Quezon University
in 1957. Abalos was admitted to the roll of attorneys of the Supreme Court in 1958 and then into the
Integrated Bar of the Philippines
in 1973. Abalos supported himself through college by taking several jobs, working as a janitor, factory worker, and a caddy at the
Wack Wack Golf and Country Club
.
Political career
[
edit
]
In 1963, Abalos ran for vice mayor of Mandaluyong, which was then a municipality of
Rizal
, and lost to the scion of a political family.
He ran for Mandaluyong mayor in 1980, losing to the candidate of former President
Ferdinand Marcos
. In 1986, shortly after Marcos was ousted through a popular uprising, President
Corazon Aquino
appointed him as Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the then municipality of Mandaluyong.
As OIC of the town, he ran for the post of mayor and won in the local elections of 1988, the first local elections under the 1987 Constitution. He was re-elected two times in the elections of 1992 and 1995, making him one of the two Aquino OIC appointees who survived and secured the constitution-mandated three consecutive terms limit for local officials. Abalos made Mandaluyong's cityhood in 1994. In 1998, Abalos ran for congressman but lost to
Neptali Gonzales II
.
Abalos was a former member of the
Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino
later joining the then newly formed Lakas NUCD-CMD.
Chairman of MMDA
[
edit
]
On January 20, 2001, Abalos was appointed
chairman
of the
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
, a post he held until the following year.
Chairman of COMELEC
[
edit
]
On June 5, 2002, President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
appointed Abalos to replace Alfredo Benipayo after the latter failed to secure the confirmation of his appointment from the
Commission on Appointments
.
[
citation needed
]
Impeachment complaint
[
edit
]
On September 27, 2007,
Iloilo
Vice Governor Rolex Suplico filed a 64-page
impeachment
complaint against Abalos, in his capacity as Commission on Elections Chairman, before the
House of Representatives of the Philippines
regarding the
NBN?ZTE deal corruption scandal
. It was endorsed by Representatives
Teofisto Guingona III
(
Bukidnon?2nd
),
Teodoro Casino
(
Bayan Muna
), and Representative
Ma. Isabelle Climaco
(
Zamboanga City?1st
).
Affidavits
from
Romulo Neri
and
Jose de Venecia III
supported the complaint.
[1]
[2]
On October 1, 2007, Abalos resigned during a press conference; and
Resurreccion Borra
would be appointed Acting Chairman.
[3]
Return as Mayor of Mandaluyong
[
edit
]
Abalos ran for mayor of Mandaluyong in
2022
under
PDP-Laban
, with his daughter-in-law, incumbent mayor
Menchie Abalos
, as his running mate for vice mayor.
[4]
He said that he would run to fulfill his promise to his deceased wife that he would spend his remaining years serving the people of Mandaluyong.
[5]
He won the elections in a landslide victory, securing a comeback as mayor after 24 years.
[6]
Personal life
[
edit
]
He married Corazon de Castro in 1960 with whom he has five children, including
Benjamin Abalos Jr.
, the incumbent
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government
who also served as mayor of Mandaluyong and
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
chairman.
[7]
His wife died on January 25, 2021, due to
severe sepsis
, secondary to
pneumonia
caused by
COVID-19
.
[8]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Impeachment raps filed vs Abalos at House by Iloilo vice gov"
.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
.
- ^
"Impeachment raps filed vs Abalos over ZTE controversy"
. September 27, 2007.
- ^
WSJ, Philippine Voting Chief Quits Amid Bribe Queries
[
permanent dead link
]
- ^
"Certified List of Candidates (Mandaluyong)"
(PDF)
.
Commission on Elections
. Retrieved
December 29,
2021
.
- ^
Mendoza, John Eric (October 6, 2021).
"Ex-Comelec chair Ben Abalos Sr. files candidacy for mayor in Mandaluyong"
.
INQUIRER.net
. Retrieved
December 29,
2021
.
- ^
Mendioza, John Eric (May 11, 2022).
"Benjamin Abalos Sr. proclaimed as Mandaluyong mayor"
.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
. Retrieved
May 18,
2022
.
- ^
"Charisse Abalos marks what would've been her grandparents' 61st wedding anniversary"
.
Politiko Metro Manila
. Retrieved
March 15,
2021
.
- ^
"Abalos family matriarch Corazon dies after contracting COVID-19"
.
ABS-CBN News
. January 26, 2021
. Retrieved
January 26,
2020
.
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Italic
indicates acting chairperson.
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Metro Manila Council
(2022?2025)
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