Salvador Panelo
Panelo in 2017
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel
In office
June 30, 2016 – October 8, 2021
PresidentRodrigo Duterte
Preceded byAlfredo Caguioa
Succeeded byJesus Melchor Quitain
Presidential Spokesperson
In office
October 15, 2018 – April 13, 2020
PresidentRodrigo Duterte
DeputyChina Jocson
Preceded byHarry Roque
Succeeded byHarry Roque
Personal details
Born
Salvador San Buenaventura Panelo

(1946-09-23) September 23, 1946
Naga, Camarines Sur, Philippines
Political partyPDP–Laban
Other political
affiliations		Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (c. 1992)
Residence(s)Marikina, Metro Manila
Alma materUniversity of Nueva Caceres (BS, BA)
University of the Philippines Diliman (LL.B)
OccupationPolitician, radio journalist
ProfessionLawyer

Salvador "Sal" San Buenaventura Panelo (born September 23, 1946) is a Filipino lawyer who served as President Rodrigo Duterte's Chief Presidential Legal Counsel (2016–2021) and Presidential Spokesperson (2018–2020). He was also the legal adviser during Duterte's 2016 presidential campaign.[1] As a private lawyer, he has handled cases involving politicians and other controversial personalities. He is a former director of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).[2][3]

Panelo ran for senator in the May 2022 election under the PDP-Laban party,[4][5] but lost.[6] He was later named by fellow senatorial candidate Robin Padilla as his legislative adviser and mentor in the Senate.[7]

Early life and education

Panelo was born in Naga, Camarines Sur to an Ilocano father from Tubao, La Unión and a Bicolano mother from Camarines Sur.[8][9] He studied elementary school at the Murphy Elementary School and high school at the Roosevelt Memorial High School (AY 1959–1962). He earned his BS in Political Science and BA English degrees at University of Nueva Cáceres.[10] He moved to Manila to go to the University of the Philippines College of Law for his law education. As a student at the University of the Philippines Diliman and a member of the Sigma Rho fraternity, he was involved in student activism during the pre-martial law period.[8] He stayed at the University of the Philippines and completed law school in 1974. He passed the Philippine Bar Examination the same year.[11][2][3]

Career

Presidential Chief Legal Counsel and Spokesperson Salvador Panelo holds a press conference for the Malacañang Press Corps at the Impact Challenger in Nonthaburi, Thailand in November 2019.
Panelo at Loyola Memorial Park, 2023

Early works

Panelo first practiced law at United Laboratories where he served as the company's legal counsel from 1977 to 1987. He assumed the directorship of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in 1983 and presidency of the IBP Rizal Chapter in 1985. In 1987, he was hired as a radio anchor at DZEC Radyo Agila where he worked for one year. It was also in 1987 when he started his private law practice.[2]

Panelo ran in the 1992 Philippine Senate election; with the top 24 candidates winning the election, Panelo, who was running under the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, finished 125th.[12]

Private practice

In his 40 years of law practice, he served as the defense lawyer of prominent politicians such as Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. who was implicated in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre, Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez who was tried for the 1993 Eileen Sarmenta and Allan Gomez murder, and the family of former President Ferdinand Marcos in relation to recovering their ill-gotten wealth.[2][13]

Panelo also lawyered for former Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos who was embroiled in the 2007 elections scandal, Philip Medel who was convicted in the murder of actress Nida Blanca, and the family of slain racing champion Enzo Pastor. His other clients include celebrities such as Deniece Cornejo in her 2014 rape case against actor Vhong Navarro, and Dennis Roldan who was convicted of kidnapping a Filipino-Chinese boy in 2005.[2][13]

Duterte cabinet member

Prior to joining the government of Rodrigo Duterte on June 30, 2016, he was his legal counsel and defense lawyer on the charges of hidden wealth by vice presidential candidate Antonio Trillanes during the presidential campaign. He eventually served as the President-elect's transitional spokesperson before being designated as Chief Presidential Legal Counsel.[2][13] On May 1, 2020, Panelo began hosting a talk show on People's Television Network titled Counterpoint with Secretary Salvador Panelo, produced by the Presidential Broadcast Staff - Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM).[14][15] Panelo created the program for the purpose of "discussing the issues affecting our country," as well as to "analyze, dissect issues raised by certain critics and others against certain policies of the government".[14]

Panelo ran and lost in the 2022 Senate election, as he did not finish in the top 12 positions.[16]

Personal life

Panelo resides in Marikina.[17] He had a son, Carlo, who died of heart complications from Down syndrome on January 6, 2017, at the age of 27.[18]

Panelo is a member the Rotary Club of Makati Southwest chapter, a member of the Board of Trustees of the San Beda Law Alumni Association, and Secretary General of the Asean Law Association Golfers’ Club.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Ranada, Pia (October 11, 2018). "Sal Panelo is Duterte's new spokesman". Rappler. Manila, Philippines. Retrieved June 9, 2020. Presidential aide Bong Go said Panelo's appointment is effective 'today,' Thursday, October 11.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Inquirer Research; Pacia, S.I. "The Duterte Administration". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "The Duterte Cabinet". InterAksyon. June 1, 2016. Archived from the original on June 9, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
  4. ↑ Mendoza, John Eric (October 8, 2021). "Salvador Panelo files candidacy for senator". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  5. ↑ Cordova, Calvin (April 1, 2022). "PDP-Laban members, non-members get Duterte's endorsement for Senate race". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on April 1, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  6. ↑ Gita-Carlos, Ruth Abbey (May 10, 2022). "Senate bets Panelo, Langit concede defeat". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
  7. ↑ Valente, Catherine (May 14, 2022). "Padilla taps Panelo as legislative adviser". The Manila Times. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  8. 1 2 Natividad, J. (May 26, 2016). "Naga City, Bicol mediamen vouch for Sal Panelo's designation as permanent Press Secretary, spokesman". Bicol Today. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
  9. ↑ Interview with Salvador Panelo. SMNI News Channel – via YouTube.
  10. ↑ "Welcome to the ALB Philippine Law Awards 2018!". Asian Legal Business. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Lawyers List". Integrated Bar of the Philippines. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
  12. ↑ Nery, John (August 23, 2016). "The unfortunate Salvador Panelo". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  13. 1 2 3 Gavilan, J. (May 18, 2016). "Duterte's spokesman Salvador Panelo and his high-profile cases". Rappler. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
  14. 1 2 Kabiling, Genalyn (May 1, 2020). "Panelo launches TV show to defend Duterte from critics". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  15. ↑ RTVMalacanang (May 5, 2020). "Counterpoint with Secretary Salvador Panelo 5/1/2020". YouTube. Retrieved June 9, 2020. New Executive Building (NEB), Malacañang
  16. ↑ "Senate bets Panelo, Langit concede defeat". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Panelo commutes for 3.5 hours, still insists there's no transport crisis". CNN Philippines. October 11, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Panelo son passes away at 27". Philippine Daily Inquirer. January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2017.
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