Maceda, Senate’s Mr. Exposé, 81

MANILA, Philippines - Former Senate president Ernesto Madarang Maceda died last night at St. Luke’s Hospital in Quezon City after suffering a stroke two weeks ago.

The family announced that Maceda was taken off life support at 8:58 p.m. after his eldest son Manny arrived from the US.

Maceda, 81, has had a colorful political life and an outstanding record of public service that spanned 43 years, including being one of 12 senators who voted for the ouster of the US bases in 1991.

Earlier in the day, Maceda’s son Edmond said they were just waiting for Manny to arrive from the United States before doctors made a final assessment on whether to “turn off the machine.”

Elected to the Senate a year before martial law was declared by then president Ferdinand Marcos, Maceda was nicknamed “Mr. Exposé” by the defunct Philippine Free Press magazine for his various privilege speeches that exposed irregularities in government.

In one such speech, he labeled the multibillion-peso deal between the Public Estates Authority and a Thai company named Amari as the “grandmother of all scams.”

The transaction, which took place during the Ramos administration, involved the acquisition of 158 hectares of reclaimed land on Manila Bay.

Maceda, Manong Ernie to friends, investigated several anomalous deals between the government and private entities and individuals as chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee.

He started his political career in Manila, where he was elected No. 1 councilor at the age of 23. He was voted Outstanding Councilor of Manila for his achievements as a member of the city council.

He was born on March 26, 1935 in Pagsanjan, Laguna. He earned his associate in arts degree, magna cum laude, in 1952 and his law degree, cum laude, in 1956 from the Ateneo de Manila University. The following year, he finished his master of laws, taxation and international law at Harvard University.

Maceda became the youngest member of the Cabinet of then president Marcos in 1966, when he was appointed presidential assistant on community development. The late strongman later named him executive secretary and subsequently secretary of commerce and industry.

Maceda was first elected senator in 1971 under the Nacionalista Party of Marcos. He would have served until 1977 had Marcos not declared martial law in 1972 and padlocked Congress.

After distancing himself from the strongman, he joined then senator Benigno Aquino Jr. in exile in the United States. By his own account, he was chief aide and adviser to Aquino.

After the airport assassination of Aquino in August 1983, Maceda returned to the country with Aquino’s widow Corazon.

When the Marcoses were forced from power and Mrs. Aquino was installed president, she appointed Maceda as her minister for natural resources.

In the 1987 elections, he won his first term as post-martial law senator, serving until June 30, 1992. He won his second term in 1992. He served as Senate president between 1996 and 1998.

It was during his second term that he earned the nickname Mr. Exposé, which he carried until his death.

After his Senate term ended in 1998, then president Joseph Estrada appointed him ambassador to the United States. He served until 2001.

Since then, he tried twice to make a Senate comeback but lost.

He was married to the former Marichu Vera-Perez. They have five children: Emmanuel, Ernesto Jr., Erwin, Edmond and Edward, who is a newly elected Manila congressman.

Asked by a reporter, Manong Ernie listed 14 important milestones in his colorful public service career:

1. Played a vital role in Edsa 1 to help restore democracy in the country. (Photo of Cory’s oath taking shows me standing behind Cory at Club Filipino).

2. Acted as Ninoy Aquino’s chief aide and adviser while in the US. Accompanied Ninoy on trips to Saudi Arabia, Nicaragua, Mexico and all over the United States.

3. Served as executive secretary to President Marcos in 1969, served as presidential campaign manager of Marcos and reelected him, the first and only president to be reelected.

4. The only Filipino to hold five Cabinet positions.

5. With only two senators from the NPC (Nationalist Peoples’ Coalition), was elected Senate president in 1996.

6. Was in the committee handling the visit of Pope John Paul II. Selected as one of 50 to receive communion from the pope.

7. Secured an invitation from President Clinton to President Estrada to make an official visit to Washington.

8. As ambassador, secured the grant of eight helicopters, two C-130s, 200 trucks and firearms. Also got the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) to allow entry of Guimaras mangoes. Increased Food for Peace grant from $20 to $40 million.

9. One of “12 Magnificent Senators” who voted to reject the US bases extension. Received the Claro M. Recto Award from UST.

10. Was cheated together with FPJ in the 2004 elections.

11. Was named by the Philippine Free Press as Mr. Exposé. Exposed the PEA-Amari deal.

12. Authored and co-authored or sponsored 200 laws, including the Maceda Law extending protection for real estate buyers.

13. Received TOYM (Ten Outstanding Young Men) for Public Service Award in 1967. Received 40 national and international awards.

14. Was campaign manager in 2010 for the Erap-Binay team.

His wake would be at Mt. Carmel Church, Quezon City, Policarpio said. Necrological services will be held at the Senate on Thursday morning. Interment is scheduled tentatively after that at Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina.