Salvador Panelo | |
|---|---|
 Panelo in 2017 | |
| Chief Presidential Legal Counsel | |
| In office June 30, 2016 – October 8, 2021 | |
| President | Rodrigo Duterte |
| Preceded by | Alfredo Caguioa |
| Succeeded by | Jesus Melchor Quitain |
| Presidential Spokesperson | |
| In office October 15, 2018 – April 13, 2020 | |
| President | Rodrigo Duterte |
| Deputy | China Jocson |
| Preceded by | Harry Roque |
| Succeeded by | Harry Roque |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Salvador San Buenaventura Panelo (1946-09-23)September 23, 1946 (age 79) Naga, Camarines Sur, Philippines |
| Political party | PDP |
| Other political affiliations | KBL (c. 1992) |
| Residence(s) | Marikina,Metro Manila |
| Alma mater | University of Nueva Caceres (BA) University of the Philippines Diliman (LL.B) |
| Occupation | Politician, radio journalist |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Salvador San Buenaventura Panelo (born September 23, 1946) is a Filipino lawyer who served as PresidentRodrigo Duterte's Chief Presidential Legal Counsel (2016–2021) andPresidential Spokesperson (2018–2020). He was also the legal adviser during Duterte's2016 presidential campaign.[1] As a private lawyer, he has handled cases involving politicians and other controversial personalities. He is a former director of theIntegrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).[2][3]
Panelo ran for senator in theMay 2022 election under the partyPDP–Laban,[4][5] but lost.[6] He was later named by fellow senatorial candidateRobin Padilla as his legislative adviser and mentor in the Senate.[7]
Panelo was born inNaga, Camarines Sur to anIlocano father fromTubao,La Unión and aBicolano mother fromCamarines 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 BA in Political Science and BA English degrees atUniversity of Nueva Cáceres.[10] He moved toManila to go to theUniversity of the Philippines College of Law for his law education. As a student at theUniversity of the Philippines Diliman and a member of theSigma Rho fraternity, he was involved in student activism during the pre-martial law period.[8] He stayed at theUniversity of the Philippines and completed law school in 1974. He passed thePhilippine Bar Examination the same year.[11][2][3]
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Panelo started practiced law atUnited Laboratories where he served as the company's legal counsel from 1977 to 1987. He assumed the directorship of theIntegrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in 1983 and presidency of the IBPRizal Chapter in 1985. In 1987, he was hired and worked as a radio anchor atDZEC Radyo Agila for one year. It was also in 1987 when he started his private law practice.[2]
Panelo ran in the1987 and 1992 Philippine Senate elections commonly underKilusang Bagong Lipunan, with the top 24 candidates winning the election. However, he lost in both instances.[12]
In his 40 years of law practice, he served as thedefense lawyer of prominent politicians such as Datu Unsay MayorAndal Ampatuan Jr. who was implicated in the 2009Maguindanao massacre, Calauan MayorAntonio Sanchez who was tried for the 1993Eileen Sarmenta and Allan Gomez murder, and the family of former PresidentFerdinand Marcos in relation to recovering their ill-gotten wealth.[2][13]
Panelo also lawyered for formerCommission on Elections ChairmanBenjamin Abalos who was embroiled in the2007 elections scandal, Philip Medel who was convicted in the murder of actressNida Blanca, and the family of slain racing championEnzo Pastor. His other clients include celebrities such as Deniece Cornejo in her 2014 rape case against actorVhong Navarro, andDennis Roldan who was convicted of kidnapping a Filipino-Chinese boy in 2005.[2][13]
Prior to joining the government ofRodrigo Duterte on June 30, 2016, he was his legal counsel and defense lawyer on the charges of hidden wealth by vice presidential candidateAntonio 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 onPeople's Television Network (PTV) titledCounterpoint with Secretary Salvador Panelo, produced by thePresidential 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 the2022 Senate election, as he did not finish in the top 12 positions.[16] Later on, he returned to his talk showCounterpoint, now airing onNet 25.[17] He also writes his column published weekly inThe Manila Times.
Panelo resides inMarikina.[18] He had a son, Carlo, who died of heart complications fromDown syndrome on January 6, 2017, at the age of 27.[19]
Panelo is a member theRotary 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]
Media related toSalvador Panelo at Wikimedia CommonsPresidential aide Bong Go said Panelo's appointment is effective 'today,' Thursday, October 11.
New Executive Building (NEB), Malacañang
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Presidential Spokesperson 2018–2020 | Succeeded by |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by | Chief Presidential Legal Counsel 2016–2021 | Succeeded by |
