Norberto Gonzales
Gonzales in 2010
Secretary of National Defense
Acting
November 15, 2009 – June 30, 2010
PresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo
Preceded byGilbert Teodoro
Succeeded byVoltaire Gazmin
Acting
July 2, 2007 – August 7, 2007
PresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo
Preceded byHermogenes Ebdane
Succeeded byGilbert Teodoro
National Security Adviser
In office
February 2005 – July 2, 2007
PresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo
Malacañang Chief of Staff
In office
2004–2005
PresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo
Preceded byRigoberto Tiglao
Succeeded byMike Defensor
Personal details
Born
Norberto Borja Gonzales

(1947-04-17) April 17, 1947
Balanga, Bataan
NationalityFilipino
Political partyPartido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas
Alma materAteneo de Davao
OccupationPolitician

Norberto Borja Gonzales (born April 17, 1947) is a Filipino social democratic[1] politician who served as secretary of national defense and national security adviser under 14th President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Gonzales was a candidate in the 2022 presidential election.

Career

Foundation of the PDSP

Gonzales completed a pre-medicine course in Ateneo de Davao. During the second term of President Ferdinand Marcos, Gonzales joined the burgeoning anti-government protests. The protest movement he co-organized became the Kilusan ng mga Demokratikong Sosyalista ng Pilipinas, which later became the Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas (PDSP). The PDSP worked together with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) to help overthrow Marcos. Once Marcos was ousted, his successor Corazon Aquino appointed him as a negotiator to the MNLF. Two years later, a peace agreement was signed between the government and the MNLF. A decade later. Gonzales was appointed presidential adviser for special concerns and presidential chief of staff by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.[2]

Arroyo administration

Gonzales was appointed as national security adviser in February 2005 until his appointment as the defense chief in July 2007. He briefly served for a month and was replaced by Gilbert Teodoro.[3] As national security adviser, he was ordered detained by the Senate for contempt of Congress in 2005.[4] Later on, he cited the ongoing communist insurgency as a reason why the Philippines remained a "Third World country."[5] He proposed crafting a good strategy to defeat the rebels, or extending President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's term.[6]

After Teodoro's announcement of his presidential candidacy, Gonzales served as the secretary of national defense again from November 2009 until June 30, 2010.[7]

Post-Arroyo administration

Upon Teodoro losing in the 2010 election, he and Gonzales were originally seen to form the new opposition bloc to counter president-elect Benigno Aquino III.[8] In 2015, Senator Antonio Trillanes said that Gonzales was planning a coup to oust Aquino.[9] Gonzales replied that while "coups don't succeed in the Philippines," president Aquino should "step down."[10]

During the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, Gonzales said that "a Chinese invasion is not unthinkable."[11]

2022 presidential campaign

Gonzales is the chairman and official nominee for president in the 2022 election of the Philippine Democratic Socialist Party. He announced and filed his candidacy on October 6, 2021. A lifelong social democrat,[1][2] he insists on a "new and more politically mature approach to winning the nation's heart and its consent to govern."[12] He also wants the Department of Agriculture to be reformed and asserted that "food production" will be his priority if elected.[13] He mentioned President Rodrigo Duterte’s "weak COVID-19 response" as one of the main reasons why he ran for president.[14] He ended up being 9th Place in the 2022 presidential election having about 89,097 votes. [15]

References

  1. 1 2 "Bakit Ikaw? The DZRH Presidential Job Interview - NORBERTO GONZALES". YouTube.
  2. 1 2 B. Fucanan, Terrie (September 12, 2004). "Chief of Staff Norberto Gonzales from the Streets to Government Service". Manila Times.
  3. ↑ "Manila's Arroyo names congressman next defence chief". Reuters. June 30, 2007. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  4. ↑ ESTEVES, PATRICIA (September 22, 2005). "Senate panel orders Gonzales detained". The Manila Times. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  5. ↑ Romero, Paolo. "RP can't shed off Third World image because of insurgency — Gonzales". Philstar.com. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  6. ↑ Aguirre, Marilou (February 14, 2008). "Communists can be defeated if Arroyo term is extended, national security adviser says". Davao Today. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  7. ↑ Romero, Paolo. "Gonzales named acting DND chief". Philstar.com. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Gonzales, Gibo to form new opposition?". ABS-CBN News. June 9, 2010. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Trillanes: Norberto Gonzales plotting to oust Aquino". RAPPLER. February 16, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  10. ↑ Mangosing, Frances (February 17, 2015). "Norberto Gonzales: Coups don't succeed in PH… but Aquino must step down". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Prepare for possible China invasion, ex-defense chief tells PH". RAPPLER. June 10, 2018. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  12. ↑ Fernandez, Daniza (October 6, 2021). "Ex-defense chief files COC for president". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Presidential bet Gonzales: Agri dep't first to be reformed". Business World. January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Former Defense chief, 'Ka Leody' open bids for president too". Manila Standard. October 6, 2021.
  15. ↑ https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/eleksyon2022/%7Cwebsite=gmanetwork.com%7Cdate= May 13, 2022|access-date=May 13, 2022
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