Blas Ople

Blas Fajardo Ople ( February 3, 1927 *, † December 14, 2003 in Taoyuan, Taiwan) was a Filipino politician and minister.

Biography

Ople was in 1967 appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos to the labor minister and held that post until the fall of Marcos by a popular uprising in 1986. Due to its loyal to the end position on Marcos it came to that Ople of President Corazon Aquino was recalled as a member of the Constitutional Commission in 1987.

In 1992, he began his political career by continuing, he was elected as a candidate of an opposition party senator. As such, he was between 1996 and 1998 Senate President Pro Tempore, and after the death of Marcelo B. Fernan on July 11, 1999, for a short time until 2000, President of the Senate.

In July 2002 he gave up his Senate seat after President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo had him appointed Secretary of State. This was Ople successor Teofisto Guingona, with President Arroyo had a dispute because of the attitude to the presence of the United States Army in the Philippines. While Oples tenure, he had significant influence on the shaping of foreign policy, such as in the form of permission for the establishment of the U.S. anti- terror training units. In addition, there was a dispute with the neighboring country Malaysia for the local treatment of illegal Filipino immigrants. Finally, he was also a leader in supporting the US-led invasion of Iraq.

On December 14, 2003, he died in a hospital in Taoyuan in Taiwan, having previously suddenly became seriously ill on a flight from Tokyo to Bangkok. On 20 December 2003 the appointment of former State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Delia Domingo -Albert, the new Foreign Minister.

Pictures of Blas Ople

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