Teodoro Locsin Jr.

His Excellency
Teodoro L. Locsin Jr.
PLH
Ambassador Locsin at an Asia Society event in New York City on September 2017.
Secretary of Foreign Affairs
Assuming office
TBD
President Rodrigo Duterte
Succeeding Alan Peter Cayetano
20th Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations
In office
April 19, 2017 – October 12, 2018
President Rodrigo Duterte
Preceded by Lourdes Yparraguirre
Succeeded by Vacant
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives of the First District of Makati City
In office
June 30, 2001 – June 30, 2010
Preceded by Joker Arroyo
Succeeded by Monique Yazmin Lagdameo
Press Secretary
In office
March 26, 1986 – September 14, 1987
Preceded by Alice C. Villadolid
Succeeded by Teodoro C. Benigno Jr.
Personal details
Born Teodoro Lopez Locsin Jr.
(1948-11-15) November 15, 1948
Manila, Philippines
Nationality Filipino
Political party PDP-Laban
Spouse(s) Ma. Lourdes Barcelon
Alma mater Ateneo de Manila University
Occupation Businessman, Journalist, Ambassador
Profession Lawyer, Politician, Diplomat

Teodoro "Teddyboy" Lopez Locsin Jr. PLH is a Philippine politician, diplomat, lawyer, and former journalist who served as congressman for the 1st district of Makati from 2001 to 2010.[1] He was the host of the editorial segment titled "Teditorial" for ANC's nightly newscast, The World Tonight[2] and is the Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations as appointed by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte due to "same thinking." Locsin was an ally of Ferdinand Marcos during the dictatorship, but shifted alliance to Corazon Aquino after the People Power Revolution toppled the Marcos regime. He also became an ally of Noynoy Aquino during his presidency, but later shifted alliance when Rodrigo Duterte came to power.[3]

Early life

Locsin was born in Manila on November 15, 1948. His father was the prominent newspaperman and publisher Teodoro Locsin Sr.[1] He studied in Ateneo de Manila University and got his Bachelor's degree in Law and Jurisprudence.

Supreme Court nominations

When Senior Associate Justice Leonardo Quisumbing retired from the Supreme Court in 2009, Locsin was among the candidates nominated by the Judicial and Bar Council as a potential replacement. However, he was not appointed to the said post.[4] In 2012, he was nominated as chief justice to replace Renato Corona[5] but the post eventually went to then-Associate Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. His non-appointment was eventually revealed to be due to his attitude and his history of dishonesty and "doubtless sycophantism" throughout his career.[6]

United Nations

He was designated as the Philippines' Permanent Representative to the United Nations by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2017. It was announced that he accepted the appointment on September 18, 2016.[3] His term officially began when he presented his credentials to António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, on April 19, 2017.[7] Under his leadership, the Philippines voted to abstain from the challenge against the legality of the Independent Expert on SOGI (sexual orientation and gender identity) at a November 2016 session.[8] Also, the Philippines was among 10 nations that voted against a UN resolution urging Myanmar to end its military campaign against Rohingya Muslims living in the Rakhine state in November 2017.[9] Additionally, the country was one of only 35 nations to abstain on the UN vote to declare the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital null and void during an emergency December 2017 session of the UN General Assembly.[10] On March 2018, Locsin submitted the country's letter of withdrawal from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, after President Duterte expressed his intent to withdraw from the court.[11]

Foreign Affairs Secretary

In October 11, 2018, Locsin announced that president Rodrigo Duterte offered him the foreign affairs secretary post, which was held by Alan Peter Cayetano. Cayetano will run in the 2019 elections for representative of Taguig city, effectively vacating the position. Locsin has also verified that he accepted the position.[12][13]

Personal life

Relationships

He is married to Ma. Lourdes Barcelon, who ran for Congress at the First District of Makati for the Liberal Party, but lost to outgoing Councilor Monique Yasmin Lagdameo of PDP-Laban. She ran for such post as her husband is ineligible to seek reelection after three consecutive terms of service.

He was formerly married to Philippine Stocks Exchange officer Vivian Yuchengco. They have two daughters, Margarita and Bianca.

Social media presence

Locsin frequently uses social media as a platform to air his views. He is pro-death penalty, citing in Twitter that the President should order the mass murder of cops who hurt others. He is also against the usage of indigenous Filipino languages such as Tagalog in debates, rather, he prefers only foreign languages such as English. He has also been criticised for his controversial use of social media.[14]

Career history

  • Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations (2016–present)
  • Law Professor at San Beda College (2015–2017)
  • Host of #NoFilter on ANC (2016)
  • Radio anchor of DZRH Executive Session (2014– Present)
  • Segment anchor of The World Tonight's TEDitorial (2011–2017)
  • Former host of Assignment on ABS-CBN (1994–2003)
  • Publisher and editor-in-chief of Today Newspaper (1993–2005)
  • Executive director of Philippine Free Press magazine (1993–2013)
  • Publisher of The Daily Globe newspaper (1988–1993)
  • Presidential speechwriter of Office of the President (1985–1992)
  • Presidential spokesperson, legal counsel and speechwriter, office of Pres. Corazon Aquino of Ministry of Information, Malacañang (1986–1988)
  • Locsin was known as the speechwriter of Corazon Aquino, who penned her standing ovation speech at the US Congress (1986)
  • Lecturer of US War College (1991)
  • Press Secretary (1986-1987)
  • Executive assistant to the chairman of Ayala Corporation and Bank of the Philippine Islands (1982–1985)
  • Associate of Angara, Abello, Concepcion, Regala and Cruz Law offices (1977–1982)
  • Editorial writer of Philippine Free Press (1967–1972)

Political and societal positions

Locsin has found himself at the center of various controversial public statements via the social media platform Twitter.

Filipino language

In late March 2016, he was chastised by internet users over his Twitter comments calling the Tagalog language "inappropriate to pointed debate" during the Visayas leg of PiliPinas Debates 2016.[15] He later defended his comments concerning the use of Tagalog in debates.[16]

Philippine Drug War

Locsin expressed support for the Philippine Drug War on August 21, 2017, through Twitter, comparing the campaign against drugs of President Rodrigo Duterte to Adolf Hitler's Final Solution and said he does not believe in rehabilitation of drug addict.[17] He followed this with another remark that the "Nazis were not all wrong" and said people should keep an open mind drawing criticism.[18] He cited Hitler's military and economic policies that "are paying off even now in German primacy in Europe" but conceeded that the Holocaust "wiped out his economic contribution."[19] Locsin later retracted these remarks by deleting the tweet, however threatened individuals who criticised him.[17]

Rape as a heinous crime

On 20 February 2017, the majority bloc members of the House of Representatives caucused to remove rape from the list of possible death penalty offenses.[20] When the official Twitter account of the ABS-CBN News Channel reported this, Locsin tweeted a reply:[21]

Locsin in a tweet said that while rape is a crime; an "indignity" and "outrage" it is not a heinous crime. Though he mentioned went on to mention select cases of rape as "heinous" such as a gang rape in India and an incident where the rapist is an ugly man. He then said that killing is not heinous or premeditated saying its a common crime. His posts were criticized by some users of Twitter.[21]

Philippine Rise

On February 14, 2018, Locsin tweeted that criticizers of the Chinese names imposed by China on the Philippine Rise, which have been recognized by the International Hydrographic Organization, are 'childish and stupid', sparking a word war on the issue. Criticizers noted that Locsin is the current ambassador to the United Nations and should be one the first to defend the Philippines' sovereignty and sovereign rights. Locsin did not reply afterwards.[22][23][24]

References

  1. 1 2 "Locsin, Teodoro Jr | Personal Information". i-site.ph. Archived from the original on April 16, 2013. Retrieved November 7, 2009.
  2. ↑ "Teditorial". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Teddy Locsin Jr. is new envoy to UN". ABS-CBN News. September 18, 2016.
  4. ↑ Purple Romero (June 14, 2012). "Teddy Boy Locsin nominated for chief justice". Rappler. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  5. ↑ Lorenz Niel Santos and Karl John Reyes (June 14, 2012). "InterAksyon columnist Teddyboy Locsin among 14 nominees to Chief Justice post". Interaksyon. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  6. ↑ Jesus, Tetch Torres, Totel V. de. "Teddy Boy Locsin declines Chief Justice nomination". Retrieved 2017-12-26.
  7. ↑ "New Permanent Representative of Philippines Presents Credentials". United Nations. 19 April 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  8. ↑ https://www.rappler.com/thought-leaders/153237-philippines-fencesitting-lgbtiq-rights
  9. ↑ https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/10/12/1859485/how-philippines-voted-un-locsin
  10. ↑ https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/10/12/1859485/how-philippines-voted-un-locsin
  11. ↑ https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/10/12/1859485/how-philippines-voted-un-locsin
  12. ↑ https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/10/12/1859471/teddy-locsin-take-over-dfa
  13. ↑ https://www.rappler.com/nation/213936-teodoro-locsin-jr-offered-foreign-secretary
  14. ↑ Leloy Claudio (May 14, 2012). "Teddyboy's homicidal view of politics". GMA News Online. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  15. ↑ Rap Torres (March 21, 2016). "Netizens irked by Teddy Locsin’s remarks on #PiliPinasDebates2016". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on April 24, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  16. ↑ Rose Carmelle Lacuata (March 21, 2016). "After drawing flak, Teddy Locsin Jr. defends 'Tagalog' comment". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  17. 1 2 Pocholo Concepcion (4 October 2016). "Teddyboy's tweet sparks word war". Inquirer.
  18. ↑ Katerina Francisco (1 October 2016). "Look Back: Hitler and the Holocaust". Rappler.
  19. ↑ Katerina Francisco (2 August 2016). "Look Back: Hitler and the Holocaust". Rappler.
  20. ↑ Cruz, Rg (20 February 2017). "House majority drops rape from crimes punishable by death". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  21. 1 2 Valencia, F. (21 February 2017). "Teddy Locsin Jr. Draws Flak For Tweeting 'Rape Is Not A Heinous Crime'". Cosmopolitan Philippines. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  22. ↑ https://twitter.com/dzrhnews/status/963681277818867712
  23. ↑ https://www.rappler.com/nation/196018-philippines-rejects-chinese-names-benham-rise-features
  24. ↑ http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2018/02/14/Philippines-wont-recognize-Chinese-names-of-Benham-Rise-features.html
House of Representatives of the Philippines
Preceded by
Joker Arroyo		 Representative, 1st District of Makati City
2001–2010		 Succeeded by
Monique Yazmin Lagdameo
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