Prospero Nograles

Prospero Castillo Nograles (October 30, 1947 – May 4, 2019,[1] pronounced [nɔˈɡrɐlɛs]) was a Filipino politician who served as a Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from 2008 to 2010.[2] He was elected as the Speaker of the House on February 5, 2008, the first ever elected Speaker from Mindanao in a hundred years of Philippine legislative history.[3] Beginning in 1989, Nograles was elected to five terms as a member of the House of Representatives, representing the 1st District of Davao City.

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Castillo and the surname or paternal family name is Nograles.

The Honourable Prospero C. Nograles
22nd Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
In office February 5, 2008 – June 30, 2010
President	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Preceded by	Jose de Venecia Jr.
Succeeded by	Feliciano Belmonte Jr.
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Davao City's 1st District
In office June 30, 2001 – June 30, 2010
Preceded by	Rodrigo Duterte
Succeeded by	Karlo Nograles
In office June 30, 1995 – June 30, 1998
Preceded by	Jesus Dureza
Succeeded by	Rodrigo Duterte
In office June 16, 1989 – June 30, 1992
Preceded by	Jesus Dureza
Succeeded by	Jesus Dureza
Personal details
Born	Prospero Castillo Nograles (1947-10-30)October 30, 1947 Davao City, Philippines
Died	May 4, 2019(2019-05-04) (aged 71) Davao City, Philippines
Nationality	Filipino
Political party	Lakas-Kampi-CMD (until 2010) National Unity Party (2011–2019)
Spouse(s)	Rhodora Bendigo
Children	Karlo Alexei Jericho Margarita
Residence	Davao City, Philippines
Alma mater	Ateneo de Manila University
Profession	Lawyer
Website	speakernograles.com

Early life

Nograles was born in Davao City, and finished his primary and secondary education at the Ateneo de Davao University. He then studied at the Ateneo de Manila University, obtaining his Bachelor of Arts Degree major in Political Science in 1967, and his Bachelor of Laws degree from the Ateneo de Manila Law School in 1971.[4][5] He placed second in the 1971 bar examinations with an average of 90.95%.

Political career

Nograles was active in the political opposition against President Ferdinand Marcos.[1] He was involved in the litigation of human rights cases during that period, and was an active campaigner for Corazon Aquino during the 1986 snap presidential elections.[6][1] After Aquino assumed the presidency, Nograles sought a seat in the House of Representatives, representing the 1st district of Davao City. Although his opponent Jesus Dureza was initially proclaimed as winner, Nograles was seated in the House in 1989 following a favorable decision of the House Electoral Tribunal.[6] He gave up his House seat in 1992 to make an unsuccessful challenge to the re-election of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte,[5][7] In 1998, Nograles again gave up his House seat to make another unsuccessful bid for election as Davao City mayor against Duterte-backed Benjamin de Guzman and lost in his bid. He again won election to the House in 2001. In the 2004 and 2007 elections, Nograles ran unopposed for two consecutive terms.[6] In 2008 to 2010, he served as a House Speaker during the administration of then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.[8]

In his stay in Congress, Nograles was able to author 17 House bills and co-authored 85. He chaired the Special Committee on Law Enforcement and its subcommittee on Gambling, Committee on Housing and Urban Development, and the Committee on Rules.[6]

He ran again for the mayorship of Davao City in 2010.[9] It's now against Vice-Mayor Sara Duterte, daughter of then-mayor and now President Rodrigo Duterte who ran for vice-mayor.[9] After 30 years of rivalry between Nograles and Duterte, they eventually reconciled on November 27, 2015 when Nograles supported the 2016 presidential bid of then-city Mayor Duterte.[9]

On September 15, 2016, it was reported that Nograles's bodyguards were killed by the Davao Death Squad (DDS) when he ran for mayor against now-President Duterte in 2010, whom they were rival at the time. Nograles denied the claim.[10] However, a confessed DDS member named Edgar Matobato said that the group has kidnapped and killed four supporters of Nograles Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte upon the orders of then-mayor Duterte.[11]

On March 7, 2017, Nograles faced charges of "graft and malversation" filed by the Ombudsman for allegedly misusing of pork barrel funds for "ghost projects" when he was caretaker of Misamis Oriental.[12] The investigation by the Ombudsman showed that the Department of Budget and Management has released P47 million of Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) for the various projects and "bogus" foundations.[12]

House Speaker

In early 2008, several members of Congress dissatisfied with the leadership of House Speaker Jose de Venecia expressed support for Nograles as the new Speaker.[13] Shortly after midnight, February 5, 2008, the House of Representatives approved a motion to declare the position of House Speaker as vacant.[14] Several minutes later, de Venecia nominated Nograles to be his replacement. Nograles was immediately elected as Speaker after no other representative was nominated to the post and no objection was posed to his election.[3]

Death

Nograles died on May 4, 2019. According to the report of ABS-CBN News, Karlo Nograles said that his father succumbed to "respiratory failure, secondary to pneumonia".[15] His remains will be flown to Davao on May 7.[15] President Rodrigo Duterte expressed his condolences to the family of Nograles.[8]

Notes

1. "Former House Speaker Prospero Nograles dies at 71". Rappler. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
2. "Former House Speaker Prospero Nograles dies at 71". Inquirer.
3. Ager, Maila (February 5, 2008). "Nograles is new House Speaker". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 5, 2008.
4. "Prospero Nograles – Personal Information". I-Site.ph. Retrieved February 4, 2008.
5. "Duterte condoles with family of late ex-Speaker, rival Nograles". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 5, 2019. In 1992, Prospero ran against but lost to then reelectionist mayor and now President Duterte.
6. Tupas, Jeffrey M.; Germelina Lacorte (February 4, 2008). "Nograles from human rights lawyer to Arroyo's 'lapdog'". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved February 4, 2008.
7. "Ex-House Speaker Prospero Nograles dead at age 71". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 5, 2019. Their rivalry started in 1992 during the Davao mayoral elections when both traded barbs against each other. Duterte was then running for second term as mayor and Nograles was trying his hand for the mayoral post. Nograles was defeated by Duterte.
8. "Duterte speaks of Nograles legacy". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
9. "Nograles, Duterte end decades of political rift". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved May 5, 2019. In 2010, Prospero ran again for mayor but lost to Duterte’s daughter Sara.
10. "Ex-Speaker Nograles: Aides alive, not killed by Davao Death Squad". September 15, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
11. "'DDS member' says Duterte ordered slay of Nograles supporters". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
12. "Nograles faces raps for P47-M pork barrel misuse". Philippine Daily Inquirer. March 7, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
13. Bordadora, Norman (February 4, 2008). "Would-be successor was De Venecia's No. 2". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on February 4, 2008. Retrieved February 4, 2008.
14. "De Venecia ousted as House speaker". Philippine Daily Inquirer. February 5, 2008. Archived from the original on February 7, 2008. Retrieved February 5, 2008.
15. "Ex-Speaker Prospero Nograles passes away". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved May 5, 2019.

External links

• Official website of Speaker Prospero Nograles

House of Representatives of the Philippines
Preceded by Jesus Dureza Jesus Dureza Rodrigo Duterte	Member of the House of Representatives, 1st District of Davao City 1989–1992 1995–1998 2001–2010	Succeeded by Jesus Dureza Rodrigo Duterte Karlo Alexei Nograles
Preceded by Jose de Venecia	Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines 2008–2010	Succeeded by Feliciano Belmonte, Jr.
Party political offices
Preceded by Jose de Venecia	Chair of Lakas-CMD 2008–2009	Position abolished Parties merged into Lakas-Kampi-CMD
Position established	Vice Chairman of Lakas-Kampi-CMD 2009–2010 Served alongside: Ronaldo Puno	Succeeded by Edu Manzano