Teodoro "Teddy Boy" Lopez Locsin Jr. (born November 15, 1948) is a Filipino politician, diplomat, lawyer, and former journalist who is currently serving as the Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom since August 30, 2022. He previously served as the

Secretary of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the government department responsible for the state's diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral relations affairs as well as for providing support for a country's citizens who are abroad. The entit ...

under the Duterte administration from 2018 to 2022. He was a member of the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...

from 2001 to 2010, representing the 1st district of

Makati Makati ( ), officially the City of Makati ( fil, Lungsod ng Makati), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. Makati is the financial center of the Philippines; it has the highest concentration ...

and later served as the Philippine ambassador to the United Nations from 2017 to 2018. He was the host of the editorial segment titled "Teditorial" for

ANC The African National Congress (ANC) is a social-democratic political party in South Africa. A liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid, it has governed the country since 1994, when the first post-apartheid election install ...

's nightly newscast ''

The World Tonight ''The World Tonight'' is a British current affairs radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4, every weekday evening, which started out as an extension of the 10 pm news. It is produced by BBC News and features news, analysis and comment on domes ...

''.

Early life and education

Locsin was born in Manila on November 15, 1948. His father was the prominent newspaperman and publisher Teodoro Locsin Sr. from the Negrense branch of the Locsin family of Molo, Iloilo. He studied at the

Ateneo de Manila University , mottoeng = Light in the Lord , type = Private, research, non-profit, coeducational basic and higher education institution , established = December 10, 1859 , religious_affiliation = Roman Catholic ( Jesuits) , academic ...

and received a bachelor's degree in law and jurisprudence. He also earned a

Master of Laws A Master of Laws (M.L. or LL.M.; Latin: ' or ') is an advanced postgraduate academic degree, pursued by those either holding an undergraduate academic law degree, a professional law degree, or an undergraduate degree in a related subject. In mos ...

degree from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

Supreme Court nominations

When Senior Associate Justice

Leonardo Quisumbing Leonardo A. Quisumbing (November 6, 1939 – January 20, 2019) was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He was appointed by President Fidel Ramos in 1998 and retired as the most senior Associate Justice of the Court on hi ...

retired from the Supreme Court in 2009, Locsin was among the candidates nominated by the Judicial and Bar Council as a potential replacement. However, he was not appointed to the said post. In 2012, he was nominated as chief justice to replace

Renato Corona Renato Tereso Antonio Coronado Corona (October 15, 1948 – April 29, 2016) was a Filipino judge who was the 23rd chief justice of the Philippines from 2010 to 2012. He served as an associate justice after being appointed by President Gloria ...

but the post eventually went to Associate Justice

Maria Lourdes Sereno Maria Lourdes "Meilou" Aranal Sereno (; born Maria Lourdes Punzalan Aranal; July 2, 1960) is a Filipina lawyer and judge who served as de facto chief justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from 2012 until her removal in 2018. Appoin ...

United Nations

Locsin was designated as the Philippines' 20th

Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations The Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations ( fil, Sugo at Palagiang Kinatawan ng Pilipinas sa mga Nagkakaisang Bansa) is the head of the diplomatic mission of the government of the Philippines to the United ...

by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2017. It was announced that he accepted the appointment on September 18, 2016. His term officially began when he presented his credentials to the

Secretary-General of the United Nations The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or SG) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. The role of the secretary-g ...

António Guterres, on April 19, 2017. Under his leadership, the Philippines voted to ''abstain'' from the challenge against the legality of the Independent Expert on SOGI (sexual orientation and gender identity) at a November 2016 session. Also, the Philippines was among 10 nations that voted ''against'' a UN resolution urging Myanmar to end its military campaign against Rohingya Muslims living in the Rakhine state in November 2017. Additionally, the country was one of 35 nations to ''abstain'' on the UN vote to declare the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital null and void during an emergency December 2017 session of the UN General Assembly. In March 2018, Locsin submitted the country's letter of withdrawal from the

Rome Statute The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is the treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC). It was adopted at a diplomatic conference in Rome, Italy on 17 July 1998Michael P. Scharf (August 1998)''Results of the R ...

, the treaty that established the ICC, after President Duterte expressed his intent to withdraw from the court. Locsin vacated the post of permanent representative of the Philippines to the United Nations on October 12, 2018, upon assuming the post of Foreign Affairs Secretary, with the former post being filled up by his successor,

Enrique Manalo Jose Enrique "Joric" Austria Manalo (born July 21, 1952) is a Filipino diplomat currently serving as the Secretary of Foreign Affairs under the Marcos administration since July 1, 2022. He previously served in an acting role under the Duterte ...

Foreign Affairs Secretary

On October 11, 2018, Locsin announced that President Rodrigo Duterte offered him the post of

, which was held by

Alan Peter Cayetano Alan Peter Schramm Cayetano (Tagalog pronunciation: ajɛˈtano born October 28, 1970) is a Filipino politician, lawyer, and diplomat serving as a Senator since 2022 and previously from 2007 to 2017. He was the Senate Minority Leader from 20 ...

. Cayetano intended to run in the May 2019 elections for representative of Taguig–Pateros, effectively vacating the position. He was sworn in by President Duterte as Foreign Affairs Secretary on October 17, 2018, and his appointment confirmed by the

Commission on Appointments The Commission on Appointments ( fil, Komisyon sa Paghirang, abbreviated as CA) is a constitutional body which confirms or rejects certain political appointments made by the President of the Philippines. The current commission was created by th ...

on November 28, 2018.

Ambassador to the United Kingdom

On August 30, 2022, President Bongbong Marcos nominated Locsin to be the next Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom, of which the position has been left vacant since July 7, 2022 after Antonio M. Lagdameo was appointed as the Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations by President Marcos on July 7, 2022. Press Secretary

Trixie Cruz-Angeles Rose Beatrix "Trixie" Laviña Cruz-Angeles (born March 29, 1965) is a Filipino lawyer and vlogger who served as Press Secretary of the Philippines from June 30, 2022 until October 4, 2022. Education Cruz-Angeles attended the University of the ...

announced the appointment on September 4, 2022. Locsin has yet to present his credentials to

King Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to a ...

Personal life

Relationships

Locsin is married to Ma. Lourdes Barcelon, a 2010 candidate for representative of the 1st district of Makati who lost in a tight race to outgoing Councilor

Monique Lagdameo Monique Yazmin María "Nik" Quiríno Lagdaméo (born July 25, 1975) is a Filipino politician who is the Vice Mayor of Makati since 2016. She previously served as a member of the Philippine House of Representatives representing Makati's first di ...

PDP–Laban Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (), abbreviated as PDP–Laban, is a democratic socialist political party in the Philippines founded in 1982. It was part of the country's ruling party alliance from 1986 to 1992 under the administrat ...

. He was formerly married to

Philippine Stock Exchange The Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. ( fil, Pamilihang Sapi ng Pilipinas; ) is the national stock exchange of the Philippines. The exchange was created in 1992 from the merger of the Manila Stock Exchange and the Makati Stock Exchange. Includin ...

director Vivian Yuchengco. They have two daughters, Margarita and Bianca.

Social media presence

Locsin frequently uses social media as a platform to air his views. He is pro-death penalty, citing in Twitter that the President should order the mass murder of cops who hurt others. He has been criticised for his controversial use of social media. He is against the use of Filipino languages such as Tagalog in debates, preferring

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

Career history

*Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom (2022-present) *

(October 11, 2018–June 30, 2022) *Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations (2017–2018) *Law Professor at San Beda University (2015–2017) *Host of #NoFilter on ANC (2016) *Radio anchor of

DZRH DZRH (666 AM) is a radio station owned and operated by Manila Broadcasting Company, which serves as the flagship station. The station's studio is located at the MBC Building, Star City, Vicente Sotto St., CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Pas ...

Executive Session (2014– Present) *Segment anchor of

's TEDitorial (2011–2017) *Former host of Assignment on

ABS-CBN ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Philippine commercial broadcast network that serves as the flagship property of ABS-CBN Corporation, a company unde ...

(1995–2001) *Publisher and editor-in-chief of Today Newspaper (1993–2005) *Executive director of Philippine Free Press magazine (1993–2013) *Publisher of The Daily Globe newspaper (1988–1993) *Presidential speechwriter of Office of the President (1985–1992) *Presidential spokesperson, legal counsel and speechwriter, office of Pres. Corazon Aquino of Ministry of Information, Malacañang (1986–1988) *Locsin was known as the speechwriter of Corazon Aquino, and penned her standing ovation speech at the US Congress (1986) *Lecturer of US War College (1991) *Press Secretary (1986–1987) *Executive assistant to the chairman of Ayala Corporation and Bank of the Philippine Islands (1982–1985) *Associate of Angara, Abello, Concepcion, Regala and Cruz Law offices (1977–1982) *Editorial writer of Philippine Free Press (1967–1972)

Political and societal positions

Locsin has found himself at the center of various controversial public statements via the social media platform Twitter.

Filipino language

In late March 2016, he was chastised by internet users over his Twitter comments calling the Tagalog language "inappropriate to pointed debate" during the Visayas leg of PiliPinas Debates 2016. He later defended his comments concerning the use of Tagalog in debates.

Philippine Drug War

Locsin expressed support for the

Philippine Drug War The Philippine drug war, known as the War on Drugs, is the intensified anti-drug campaign of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, who served office from June 30, 2016 to June 30, 2022. The campaign reduced drug proliferation in th ...

on August 21, 2017, through Twitter, comparing the campaign against drugs of President Duterte to

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

Final Solution The Final Solution (german: die Endlösung, ) or the Final Solution to the Jewish Question (german: Endlösung der Judenfrage, ) was a Nazi plan for the genocide of individuals they defined as Jews during World War II. The "Final Solution to th ...

and said he does not believe in the rehabilitation of drug addicts. He followed this with another remark that the "Nazis were not all wrong" and said people should keep an open mind drawing criticism. He cited Hitler's military and economic policies that "are paying off even now in German primacy in Europe" but conceded that the

Holocaust The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; ...

"wiped out his economic contribution." Locsin later retracted these remarks by deleting the tweet, however threatened individuals who criticized him.

Rape as a heinous crime

On February 20, 2017, the majority bloc members of the

caucused to remove rape from the list of possible death penalty offenses. When the official Twitter account of the ABS-CBN News Channel reported this, Locsin tweeted a reply: Locsin in a tweet said that while rape is a crime; an "indignity" and "outrage" it is not a heinous crime. Though he went on to mention select cases of rape as "heinous" such as a gang rape in India and an incident where the rapist is an ugly man. He then said that killing is not heinous or premeditated saying it's a common crime. His posts were criticized by some users of Twitter.

Philippine Rise

On February 14, 2018, Locsin tweeted that criticizers of the Chinese names imposed by China on the Philippine Rise, which have been recognized by the International Hydrographic Organization, are 'childish and stupid', sparking a word war on the issue. Criticizers noted that Locsin is the current ambassador to the United Nations and should be one of the first to defend the Philippines' sovereignty and sovereign rights. Locsin did not reply afterwards.

Sabah

The Philippines has an unresolved claim to much of eastern

Sabah Sabah () is a state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indonesia to the south. The Federal Territory o ...

. On July 27, 2020, a tweet by the Embassy of the United States to the Philippines regarding the donation of hygiene kits by Filipino expatriates from Sabah indicated that Sabah belongs to Malaysia. Locsin quoted the tweet and replied that "Sabah is not in Malaysia". In response, on July 29, the foreign minister of Malaysia,

Hishammuddin Hussein Hishammuddin bin Hussein ( Jawi: هشام الدين بن حسين; born 5 August 1961) is a Malaysian politician and lawyer who served as Senior Minister of the Security Cluster and Minister of Defence from 2021 to 2022. A member of the Unite ...

, called Locsin's remarks irresponsible and damaging to bilateral ties, and summoned the Philippine ambassador to Malaysia, Charles Jose. In response, on July 30, Locsin also summoned the Malaysian ambassador to the Philippines, Norman Muhamad.

Support of gasoline as a disinfectant

On August 1, 2020, Locsin quoted a tweet by radio and television personality

Mo Twister Mohan Gumatay (born October 19, 1977), known professionally as Mo Twister, is a Filipino American radio and television presenter. He is best known for his ''Good Times'' programs, which started as a radio show and later spun off to the televisi ...

criticizing President Rodrigo Duterte's remarks about using gasoline as a disinfectant for face masks. Locsin asked the radio and television personality "...what if he's uterteright? Seriously, bro." He added that he knew of people in small towns who used to kill

head lice The head louse (''Pediculus humanus capitis'') is an obligate ectoparasite of humans. Head lice are wingless insects that spend their entire lives on the human scalp and feeding exclusively on human blood. Humans are the only known hosts of thi ...

by dropping them into kerosene.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Locsin, Teodoro Jr. 1948 births 20th-century Filipino lawyers Living people ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs people Filipino diplomats Filipino television journalists People from Makati Ateneo de Manila University alumni De La Salle University alumni Harvard Law School alumni Corazon Aquino administration cabinet members Duterte administration cabinet members Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Makati PDP–Laban politicians Permanent Representatives of the Philippines to the United Nations Secretaries of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Ambassadors of the Philippines to the United Kingdom Recipients of the Philippine Legion of Honor