Raul Maravilla Gonzalez (December 3, 1930 – September 7, 2014) was the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and was the Secretary of Justice of the Philippines. He was replaced by Agnes Devanadera in 2009 from the orders of
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the House Deputy Speakers since 2022, and previously from 2016 to 2017. She previously ...
.
Early life and education
Gonzalez was born on December 3, 1930, in
La Carlota,
Negros Occidental
Negros Occidental ( hil, Nakatungdang Negros; tl, Kanlurang Negros), officially the Province of Negros Occidental, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas Regions of the Philippines, region. ...
. He was the fourth child of Delfin Quimbiong Gonzalez (son of Leon Gonzalez and Felisa Quimbiong), the last mayor of the former town of
Jaro in the province of
Iloilo
Iloilo (), officially the Province of Iloilo ( hil, Kapuoran sang Iloilo; krj, Kapuoran kang Iloilo; tl, Lalawigan ng Iloilo), is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is the City of Iloilo, the ...
; and Maria Estrella Jover Maravilla (daughter of Tranquilino Maravilla and Consuelo Jover), a school teacher who were married on April 3, 1925, in
Iloilo City
Iloilo City, officially the City of Iloilo ( hil, Siyudad/Dakbanwa sang Iloilo; fil, Lungsod ng Iloilo), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines on the island of Panay. It is the capital city of ...
.
[Delfin Gonzalez and Estrella Maravilla's Marriage Record](_blank)
/ref>
Gonzalez completed his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four yea ...
degree at the Colegio de San Agustin (now University of San Agustin) and his Bachelor of Law
Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Ch ...
degree at the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law in 1955.
Gonzales took the Philippine Bar Examination in 1955 and in the same year, passed with a grade of 99% in Remedial Law and 95% in International Law. He also topped the Judge Advocate General's Office (JAGO) Examinations.
After passing the Bar, Gonzalez became professor of law in the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law, the Far Eastern University Institute of Law, and the Philippine College of Commerce (now Polytechnic University of the Philippines
, mottoeng = ''Light of the Nation''
, type = Public coeducational research higher education institution
, established = October 19, 1904
, closed =
, religious_affiliation = ...
). He was also a professorial lecturer at the Philippine Normal University-Manila
The Philippine Normal University (PNU; fil, Pamantasang Normal ng Pilipinas) is a public coeducational teacher education and research university in the Philippines. It was established in 1901 through Act No. 74 of the Philippine Commissio ...
Graduate School, Assumption College and the College of Holy Spirit. He also lectured in 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 20 ...
Law Center Division of Continuing Legal Education.
Government service and political career
Gonzalez served in the Philippine government in various capacities. He started as a Legal Assistant to the Governor of Iloilo in 1960 before serving as Senior Legal Assistant to the Mayor of Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
in 1961. Gonzalez was Executive Member of the Board of Censors for Motion Pictures under the Office of the President from 1963 to 1969, and Senior Committee Counsel to the Committees on Labor and Immigration in the Philippine Senate
The Senate of the Philippines ( Filipino: ''Senado ng Pilipinas'', also ''Mataas na Kapulungan ng Pilipinas'' or "upper chamber") is the upper house of Congress of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines with the House of Representatives a ...
, among other positions. Gonzalez fought the martial law regime of Ferdinand Marcos by filing several petitions before the Supreme Court when only a few dared. These cases are now part of constitutional law and are part of the curriculum of every law school in the Philippines.
In 1989, after the restoration of democracy, Gonzalez was suspended by the Supreme Court from the practice of law for an indefinite period as a Tanodbayan for ignorance of the law.[Alt URL]
/ref> He denied that he asked the Supreme Court to lift his suspension but according to the decision, penned by Justice Campos He was reinstated four years later, in 1993.
Gonzalez entered politics in 1995, running for and winning as the representative of the lone Legislative district of Iloilo City
The legislative districts of Iloilo City are the representations of the highly urbanized city of Iloilo in the various national legislatures of the Philippines. The city is currently represented in the lower house of the Congress of the Philipp ...
. He kept the position for a total of three terms until 2004, the maximum consecutive allowed by the Philippine Constitution. His eldest son Raul Jr ran for the same position and won two terms immediately after his.
In 2000, as a congressman, he was one of the public prosecutors during the impeachment trial of then President Joseph Estrada
Joseph Ejercito Estrada, (; born Jose Marcelo Ejercito; April 19, 1937), also known by the nickname Erap, is a Filipino politician and former actor. He served as the 13th president of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, the 9th vice presi ...
. The trial ended abruptly in January 2001 when the President was replaced by then-Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the House Deputy Speakers since 2022, and previously from 2016 to 2017. She previously ...
.
Following 2004 election, he was hounded by vote-buying controversies after he promised barangay captains from the city of Iloilo to deliver 12-0 senatorial sweep for the administrations party in the midterm elections. The sweep did not occur. He also promised another cash incentives and free trip to Hong Kong if Iloilo City Council oppositionists Perla Zulueta and Lex Tupas were not to make it to the top 12 (which they did not).
On June 4, 2008, Gonzalez was appointed the Secretary of Justice by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the House Deputy Speakers since 2022, and previously from 2016 to 2017. She previously ...
.
In a controversial statement made during the April 20, 2007 broadcast of a local news program, he stated that murdered American journalist Julia Campbell
Julia Campbell (born March 12, 1962) is an American film and television actress. Her most noted role to date was "mean girl" Christie Masters in ''Romy and Michele's High School Reunion''.
Career
Campbell had a starring role in the feature fil ...
was partially to blame for her death. He stated that the Peace Corps volunteer was "a little irresponsible" and that "if she was not alone, it would not have happened.". He also called Campbell "careless" in the same statement.
Private life
Gonzalez is married to Dr. Pacita Trinidad, a former Representative of the second district of Zambales
Zambales, officially the Province of Zambales ( fil, Lalawigan ng Zambales; ilo, Probinsia ti Zambales; Pangasinan: ''Luyag/Probinsia na Zambales''; xsb, Probinsya nin Zambales), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon re ...
, with whom he has four children. Their eldest son, Raul Gonzalez Jr., is a former Representative of Iloilo City
Iloilo City, officially the City of Iloilo ( hil, Siyudad/Dakbanwa sang Iloilo; fil, Lungsod ng Iloilo), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines on the island of Panay. It is the capital city of ...
. Another son is the current president of the National Book Development Board, an organization committed to upgrade the publishing industry in the Philippines.
Gonzalez was diagnosed end stage renal disease in September 2007. Later that year, he received a kidney transplant
Kidney transplant or renal transplant is the organ transplant of a kidney into a patient with end-stage kidney disease (ESRD). Kidney transplant is typically classified as deceased-donor (formerly known as cadaveric) or living-donor transplant ...
from his driver, Felicito Gunay. Inquirer.net, Driver gives Gonzalez gift of life
/ref>
Death
Gonzalez died on September 7, 2014, of complications due to multiple organ failure.
References
External links
Government Profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gonzalez, Raul M.
20th-century Filipino lawyers
Secretaries of Justice of the Philippines
University of Santo Tomas alumni
1930 births
2014 deaths
People from Negros Occidental
People from Iloilo City
Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Iloilo City
Lakas–CMD politicians
Kidney transplant recipients
Arroyo administration cabinet members
Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives of the Philippines