In the Know: Raul Gonzalez
MANILA, Philippines–Former Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez played key roles in the prosecution of two landmark cases in the country—the Aquino-Galman double-murder case and the impeachment of former President Joseph Estrada.
Gonzalez, as then Tanodbayan (precursor of Ombudsman), was at the forefront of prosecution efforts when the administration of President Corazon Aquino reopened the case of the murders of former Sen. Benigno Aquino and his purported assassin, Rolando Galman, in April 1986.
Gonzalez was also one of the 11 prosecutors of the House of Representatives during the impeachment trial of Estrada in 2000.
In 2004, Gonzalez was appointed by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as justice secretary, a position he held until 2009 when he was moved to Malacañang as chief presidential legal counsel.
Under his watch as justice secretary, the Department of Justice handled various high-profile cases, such as the Dacer-Corbito murders.
He reconvened the original panel of prosecutors that investigated the 2000 murder of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito due to the impending extradition of former Senior Supts. Cezar Mancao II, Glenn Dumlao and Michael Ray Aquino from the United States to face trial in the Philippines.
Article continues after this advertisementAs a member of the Arroyo Cabinet, Gonzalez was vocal in defending the President against those who called for her resignation, to the extent of attacking former President Corazon Aquino and her family.
Article continues after this advertisementGonzalez once asked the late Cory Aquino—who had called for the resignation of Arroyo—to mind the personal affairs of her daughter Kris, instead of minding the affairs of the state.
In 2010, Gonzalez ran for mayor of Iloilo City but was defeated by then outgoing Vice Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.
Before becoming part of the Arroyo administration, Gonzalez served as congressman starting in 1995 when he won the first of his three terms as representative of Iloilo City.
Prior to his term in Congress, he held various positions in government, starting as a legal assistant to the governor of Iloilo in 1960; senior legal assistant to the mayor of Manila in 1961; executive member of the Board of Censors for Motion Pictures from 1963 to 1969; senior counsel to the committees on labor and immigration in the Senate; and counsel to the committee on education of the House of Representatives from 1970 to 1972.
Gonzalez obtained his law degree from the University of Sto. Tomas in 1955, graduating at the top 10 of his class.–Inquirer Research
Sources: Inquirer Archives, jbc.supremecourt.gov.ph
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