Benjamin Abalos

Benjamin Abalos
Benjamin Abalos
Chairman of the Commission on Elections
	In office; June 5, 2002 – October 1, 2007
Appointed by	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Preceded by	Alfredo Benipayo
Succeeded by	Resurreccion Borra
Chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
	In office; January 20, 2001 – June 5, 2002
President	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Preceded by	Jejomar Binay
Succeeded by	Bayani Fernando
Mayor of Mandaluyong City
	In office; June 30, 1988 – June 30, 1998
Preceded by	Roman delos Reyes (Officer In-Charge)
Succeeded by	Benjamin Abalos, Jr.
Officer In-Charge Mayor of Mandaluyong
	In office; 1986–1987
Preceded by	Ernesto Domingo
Succeeded by	Roman delos Reyes (Officer In-Charge)
Personal details
Born	Benjamin Santos Abalos, Sr.; September 21, 1935; Pangasinan, Philippine Islands
Nationality	Filipino
Political party	Lakas Kampi CMD
Other political; affiliations	Lakas CMD (1992-2009); LDP (before 1992)
Spouse(s)	Corazon "Cora" de Castro
Children	4 (including Benjamin Jr.)
Alma mater	Manuel L. Quezon University
Occupation	Judge, Lawyer

Benjamin Santos Abalos, Sr. (born September 21, 1935 in Pangasinan) is a Filipino politician who served as a former chairman of the Commission on Elections. He was also a former chairman of the MMDA and mayor of Mandaluyong City. He is the father of former Mandaluyong City Mayor Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos, Jr..

Early life

Abalos was born into a poor family in Pangasinan on September 21, 1935. He studied Economics at Ateneo De Manila University and graduated from the Manuel L. Quezon University (MLQU) in 1957. 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

In 1963 Abalos ran for vice mayor of Mandaluyong, which was then part of Rizal and lost to the scion of a political family. After his initial attempt to enter politics, Abalos served as a Trial Court Judge wherein he gained the distinction of being named as outstanding judge for 10 straight years.

He ran for Mandaluyong mayor in 1980, losing to the candidate of former Philippine Dictator 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.

Abalos was a former member of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) later joining the then newly formed Lakas NUCD-CMD.

Chairman of MMDA

On January 20, 2001, Abalos was appointed chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), a post he held until the following year.

Chairman of COMELEC

On June 5, 2002 President Arroyo appointed Abalos to replace Alfredo Benipayo after the latter failed to secure the confirmation of his appointment from the Commission on Appointments (CA)

Impeachment complaint

On September 27, 2007, Iloilo Vice Governor Rolex Suplico filed a 64-page impeachment complaint against Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos, Sr. before the House of Representatives of the Philippines regarding the ZTE national broadband network (NBN) deal. It was endorsed by Representatives Teofisto Guingona III of Bukidnon and Teodoro Casiño of Bayan Muna (People First), and Zamboanga City Representative Ma. Isabelle Climaco. Affidavits from Romulo Neri and Jose de Venecia III supported the complaint.[1][2] On October 1, 2007, Abalos resigned during a press conference. The Commission on Elections appointed Resurreccion Borra as Acting Chairman.[3]

Personal life

He is married to Corazon de Castro with whom he has 5 children including former Mandaluyong City mayor Benjamin Abalos, Jr..

References

Political offices
Preceded by Alfredo Benipayo	COMELEC Chairman 2002–2007	Succeeded by Resurreccion Borra (Acting)
Preceded by Jejomar Binay	Chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority 2001–2002	Succeeded by Bayani Fernando
Preceded by Neptali Gonzales	Mayor of Mandaluyong City Prior to 1988, Officer-in-Charge Mayor of Mandaluyong City 1986–2001	Succeeded by Benjamin Abalos, Jr.

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[1] Inquirer.net, Impeachment raps filed vs Abalos at House by Iloilo vice gov

[2] GMA NEWS.TV, Impeachment raps filed vs Abalos over ZTE controversy

[3] WSJ, Philippine Voting Chief Quits Amid Bribe Queries

Chairpersons of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
Metropolitan Manila Commission	Jejomar Binay (1990–91) Ignacio Bunye (1991–92) Mel Mathay (1992–94)
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority	Prospero Oreta (1994–98) Jejomar Binay (1998–01) Benjamin Abalos (2001–02) Bayani Fernando (2002–09) Oscar Inocentes (2009–10) Francis Tolentino (2010–15) Emerson Carlos (OIC: 2015; 2015–16) Thomas Orbos (OIC: 2016–17) Danilo Lim (2017–)
See also: Governor of Metro Manila (1975–90)