Leadership
Eugene Louie P. Gonzalez
Eugene Louie P. Gonzalez has a bachelor’s degree in Naval Systems Engineering at the Philippine Military Academy, graduating in 1995. He joined the Philippine Navy after graduation and pursued his career as an officer in the Armed Forces having been assigned in various shipboard duties.
As a naval officer he specialized in intelligence and was assigned at the Naval Intelligence and Security Force for most of his career before being detailed in the Department of National Defense serving in the Office of the Military Assistant to the Secretary of National Defense. He completed his Masters in Government Management at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila on 2013.
He is formerly the Security Director of the 3rd NSP Protective Services, Inc., where his company had provided corporate and personal security solutions provider. He is also a subject matter expert (SME) for the PNP Center for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism under the National Police College.
He consulted for the Port Operations Service of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for a few months and was tasked in carrying out policy projects for the Bureau including its Fuel Marking Program, National Coast Watch Center Program, Programs for the Port Operations Coordination Division and Strategic Trade Management and Export Control Programs.
He was assigned at the Anti-Terrorism Council – Program Management Center (ATC-PMC) for more than 3 years as the Director of the National Terrorism Prevention Office (NTPO), where he performed various functions. He was with the ATC-PMC from its beginning in 2011 starting as the Intelligence Fusion Officer for the NTPO. While with the ATC-PMC he was involved in other various programs of the center such as the Centers of Excellence Program (CoE) of the European Union (EU) which tackles CBRN risk mitigation and responses in Southeast Asia region. He is also deeply involved in the establishment of export controls and strategic trade management policies, having studied Strategic Trade Management at the Center for Trade Security in the University of Georgia in Athens Georgia, USA.
He is married to Mrs. June Joyce Gonzalez and is blessed with 4 children Jillian, Sydny, Ethan and Logan. He lives in Imus, Cavite.
Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV
Antonio Fuentes Trillanes IV, or Sonny to his relatives and friends, was born and raised in Caloocan City. He traces his roots to Ligao, Albay in Bicol where his late father, Antonio Sr., grew up. His mother, Estelita, hails from the province of Capiz.
He studied at De La Salle University in Manila where he took up BS ECE from 1987 to 1991.
He formally entered into public service in 1991 as a cadet in the Philippine Military Academy where he graduated Cum Laude in 1995.
In 2002, Sonny took up graduate studies at the University of the Philippines and got his master’s degree in Public Administration major in Public Policy and Program Management.
For the duration of his master’s program, he received two University Scholar Awards for obtaining two semestral GPAs of 1.0 to 1.25.
In 2015 and 2014, he finished the Leadership in Development and the National and International Security Programs, respectively, at the Harvard Kennedy School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
After graduating from PMA, Sonny went through all shipboard assignments starting from Mess & Supply Officer, and, ultimately as Acting Commanding Officer of a patrol gunboat.
During his five-year sea duty experience, his unit apprehended dozens of smugglers, illegal loggers, poachers, human smugglers and illegal fishermen in numerous maritime law enforcement operations conducted in the waters of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao, Scarborough, Palawan, Batanes, and the Visayas.
One of the highlights of his military profession was the daring search and rescue operation for the survivors of the ill-fated M/V Princess of the Orient at the height of a super typhoon in 1998. For this act of risking their own lives in the fulfillment of their duty, Sonny and his unit managed to rescue thirty-two (32) survivors.
He was also involved in numerous naval operations in support of ground operations directed against the Abu Sayyaf and other lawless elements.
As procurement officer of the Naval Training and Education Command, Philippine Navy, Sonny reformed the procurement system, which resulted to millions of pesos of savings in favor of the government.
For his meritorious service to his country, Sonny has been awarded a total of 23 assorted merit medals, campaign ribbons and badges.
Sonny, thereafter, became widely known for his prominent role in the uprisings directed against the oppressive Arroyo regime which put him in jail for 7½ years. In 2007, he ran and won as senator while in detention, the first and only national candidate to achieve such feat. He is the youngest ever elected senator, at the age of 35, under the 1987 Constitution.
As a Senator from 2007 to 2019, Sonny advocated for measures on peace and order, anti-corruption, and poverty alleviation. He served as Chairman of various committees such as the Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation, the National Defense and Security, the Congressional Oversight Committee on the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, Congressional Oversight Committee on the AFP Modernization Act, the Select Oversight Committee on Intelligence and Confidential Funds, and the Legislative Oversight Committee on the Visiting Forces Agreement.
After his 12-year stint as a Senator, Sonny was officially recognized by the Philippine Senate for having the most number of national bills passed into law as principal author and principal sponsor. He filed a total of 1,490 bills and resolutions. Of these, 98 were passed into law. Foremost of which are the: AFP Modernization Law; Philippine Baselines Law; Salary Standardization Law 3; National Health Insurance Act; Immediate Release of Retirement Benefits of Government Employees; Magna Carta of the Poor; Institutionalized Pantawid Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act; Magna Carta for Disabled Persons; Expanded Senior Citizens Act; Anti-Bullying Act; and Increase in Subsistence Allowance for Soldiers and Policemen.
Sonny remains the Chairman of the Magdalo Party. He has also entered the academe as Professor of Praxis at the Ateneo School of Government, Ateneo De Manila University, and Professorial Lecturer at the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance, teaching subjects on Governance and Public Policy.
Gary C. Alejano Sr.
Gary C. Alejano Sr. was born on 22 January 1973 in
Sipalay City, Negros Occidental. He is married to
Minerva Cojuangco Alejano of Bamban, Tarlac.
Their marriage was blessed with three daughters and two sons: twins Martine Gwyneth and Micah Gabrielle, Maxine Gail, Gary Alejano Jr., and Gian Marcus.
Gary C. Alejano Sr. or “Gary” as he is fondly called by his friends is a current member of the 17th Congress of the Philippines, representing the sectors of former and retired members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the urban poor, and the youth.
Education
He took up Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1989 at Cebu Central Colleges (now University of Cebu) in Cebu City. However, he only completed two years as it was cut short with his admission in the Philippine Military Academy in 1991 where he finished Bachelor of Science in Naval System Engineering. He is a member of “Marilag” Class of 1995.
He holds a Masters of Management degree from the UP Open University and a New Enterprise Planning certificate, also from the same university. In August of 2016, he attended the prestigious Harvard Kennedy School where he finished Senior Executives in National and International Security Program along with 75 others from 23 countries.
In 2003 and 2007, Representative Cabochan joined the Magdalo which staged the Oakwood and Manila Peninsula protests against the corruption during the Arroyo administration. This resulted to his incarceration for seven long years.
Military Career
As a former captain in the Philippine Marine Corps, he held various positions of increasing responsibility in Combat and Intelligence Operations, Training, Field Supervision, Administration, and Logistics. His special military skills set include expertise in martial arts, sniping, scuba diving, close-quarter battle, and paratrooping (HALO/HIHO), among others. He was a member of the elite Marine Force Reconnaissance Battalion and was a Marine Scout sniper.
He was involved in various combat and rescue operations especially against the dreaded Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and other lawless elements in Western Mindanao.He was also in the forefront during the Camp Abubakar Campaign in 2000 where he was “wounded in action” when his Recon Company infiltrated and captured some of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) defenses west of Narciso Ramos Highway in Matanog, Maguindanao. As a result of his military exploits, he was awarded various medals, the highest of which was the Distinguished Conduct Star in lieu of the Medal For Valor for conspicuous gallantry in action above and beyond the call of duty. His recommendation for a Medal For Valor award is currently under appeal.
As a Philippine Marine, he was assigned and saw action in different parts of the country. Inadvertently however, his exposure enabled him to see the true sad and sorry state of the country. He saw injustice, hunger and destitution in the countryside where basic government services is lacking or non-existent at all.
Oakwood Incident
As a result of the said exposure, Gary became radicalized. Together with about 300 young soldiers, he became involved in the Oakwood incident in 2003 and later, in the Manila Peninsula siege. His involvement in these protests led to his incarceration for almost four years. Inside detention, they formed the Magdalo Para sa Pagbabago Movement (MPPM) and organized the Samahang Magdalo, Inc. (SMI) under it. In 2010, he was granted amnesty together with other members of Magdalo by the newly installed Aquino administrator. Years in detention have not dampened his spirit.
Upon release from detention and together with other Magdalo officers, they strengthened and expanded the Magdalo movement. As a founding President of the Samahang Magdalo, Inc., a non-government organization, he worked for its rapid expansion by organizing chapters all over the country and even abroad, which expanded the membership to almost 90,000members. When they were released in detention in 2010, SMI has around 200,000 members as of October of 2016.
Philippine House of Representatives
In the 2013 elections, the Magdalo Para sa Pilipino Party-List (MPPPL) garnered more than 567,000 votes in the National Elections, which was enough to secure the Party-List two (2) seats in the 16th Congress. Gary Alejano, being the number one nominee of the Partylist, was proclaimed by COMELEC as one of its representatives. In addition, Sonny Trillanes, another Magdalo leader was also elected on his second term asa Senator of the Republic (Sonny Trillanes was first elected in the 2007 national election inside detention).
Magdalo Partylist aims to represent the sectors of former and retired members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the urban poor, and the Youth since these sectors comprise mostly the membership of the Samahang Magdalo.
In the 16th Congress, a total of 111 infrastructure projects were undertaken, including the construction of local roads, provision of water service, construction/rehabilitation of multi-purpose halls, construction of school building, completion of covered court, and flood control.
In the current 17th Congress, 39 various infrastructure projects have already been undertaken. This number will still grow as more resources become available. Alejano has filed 149 Bills and 59 Resolutions, 6 of which have already been enacted into law. Alejano maintains perfect attendance (except when he is on official mission abroad) in all sessions of the House of Representatives from 2013 to present.
Rep. Alejano looks forward to the enactment of more laws that will benefit the Filipino people and the nation as a whole. During the 16th Congress, the Magdalo Partylist was adjudged the Most Productive Partylist of the 16th Congress by ABS-CBN. He is poised to surpass his accomplishment in the 16th Congress as he has already filed 100 House bills and 31 House resolutions that he has authored. His perfect attendance in all House deliberations (except when he is out of the country on official business) is a manifestation of Rep. Alejano’s passion, commitment and dedication to his sworn duty to serve the people and the country.
Awards and Recognition
Captain Alejano is a bemedalled soldier. Among the notable awards he received were the Distinguished Conduct Star in lieu of the Medal for Valor (which is under appeal), a Gold Cross Medal, two Bronze Cross Medal, four Military Merit Medal, six Military Commendation Medal, a Wounded Personnel Medal, and two Award of Luzon Campaign Medal, among many others. In addition, he also received 11commendations,8 certificate of merit, 10 certificate of appreciation, 13 plaques of recognition, 14 plaques of appreciation, and 8 skill / proficiency badges,.
In civilian life, he was an Outstanding PMA Alumnus Awardee. He was also awarded as one of the “TOP Congressman of the Philippines” by the Publishers Association of the Philippines. Recently, he was awarded as the 2015 UP Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni in Public Service.
Manuel DG Cabochan III
Graduate of the Philippine Military Academy with a degree
in Naval Systems Engineering
Member of PMA Marilag Class of 1995
Holds a Master’s Degree in Government Management from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila
Magdalo Party-list Representative for the 18th Congress
Upon graduation from the Philippine Military Academy, Representative Cabochan joined the Philippine Navy. He served from 1995 to 2003 as Administrative, Training, and Intelligence Officer in different units of the Philippine Navy, contributing to the enhancement of the Philippine Fleet, Navy Communications and Information Systems Center and Naval Special Warfare.
In 2003 and 2007, Representative Cabochan joined the Magdalo which staged the Oakwood and Manila Peninsula protests against the corruption during the Arroyo administration. This resulted to his incarceration for seven long years.
After his detention, Representative Cabochan pursued further studies and completed his master’s degree in Government Management from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila in 2011. He then served in different key positions in the Office of Senator Trillanes from 2010 to 2018. At the same time, he served as the President of the Magdalo Movement. During his stint, he actively promoted volunteerism among Magdalo members especially in times of crises and calamities. Meanwhile, as Magdalo Vice Chairman, he spearheaded community outreach programs, relief and rescue operations and blood donation drives.