Roquito "Roque" R. Ablan, Jr. (April 22, 1932 – March 26, 2018) was a Filipino politician who served as representative from

Ilocos Norte Ilocos Norte, officially the Province of Ilocos Norte ( ilo, Probinsia ti Ilocos Norte; tl, Lalawigan ng Ilocos Norte), is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region. Its capital is Laoag City, located in the northwest corner o ...

. He is one of the most prominent politicians in Ilocos Norte, having served 8 terms in Congress.

Early life and education

He was born on April 22, 1932, in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. He was the son of former Ilocos Norte governor Roque Ablan, Sr. and Dona Manuela R. Ablan. He graduated from the

University of the Philippines The University of the Philippines (UP; fil, Pamantasan ng Pilipinas Unibersidad ng Pilipinas) is a state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by Republic Act No. 9500 (UP Charter of 200 ...

College of Law where he joined the

Upsilon Sigma Phi The Upsilon Sigma Phi () is the oldest Greek-letter organization and fraternity in Asia. Founded in 1918, it is also the oldest student organization in continuous existence in the University of the Philippines. It has two chapters — a single ch ...

fraternity with Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. in 1950. Ablan was known to be a close ally of President

Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martia ...

. In an interview, Ablan mentioned that he ran errands to deliver bar examination review materials to a then-detained Marcos.

Political career

He was first elected as Ilocos Norte provincial board member in 1963, and concurrently served as Chairman of the League of Provincial Board Members in the Philippines until 1967. In 1967, he was elected into the House of Representatives through a special election and served until 1972. He was also elected to the 1971 Constitutional Convention as a delegate from Ilocos Norte. After the 1986

People Power Revolution The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, was a series of popular Demonstration (people), demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a ...

, he was again elected as representative of Ilocos Norte and served from 1987 to 1998 and from 2001 to 2010, respectively. During these terms, he chaired the congressional committees on Housing, Dangerous Drugs, and Inter-Parliamentary Relations and Diplomacy. Among his notable legislation include the Rent Control Act of 2009, the Death Penalty Law, and the Magna Carta for Migrant Workers. In 1998, he ran for Ilocos Norte governor but lost to Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

Legal career

In 1968, Ablan and Filipino lawyer and bar topnotcher Amado M. Santiago, Jr. co-founded Ablan & Santiago, a law firm which held office at

Ermita, Manila Ermita is a district in Manila, Philippines. Located at the central part of the city, the district is a significant center of finance, education, culture, and commerce. Ermita serves as the civic center of the city, bearing the seat of city ...

. Ablan later on left the firm to run for public office.

Military service

Ablan served as a soldier under the 5th Special Forces of the United States of America in Vietnam. Although an incumbent Ilocos Norte Representative, he was also a member of the Philippine Civic Action Group (PHILCAG) in South Vietnam from 1968 to 1975.

Death

Ablan died on March 26, 2018, in St. Luke's Medical Center, Taguig City. He is buried in the Maharlika cemetery in Laoag City. He is survived by his son, PCOO Assistant Secretary and former Ilocos Norte Board Member Kristian Ablan.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ablan, Roque Jr. 1932 births 21st-century Filipino politicians 20th-century Filipino lawyers Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Ilocos Norte University of the Philippines Diliman alumni 2018 deaths