Gregorio Honasan
Gregorio " Gringo " Ballesteros Honasan II ( born March 14, 1948 in Baguio City, Benguet, Philippines ) is a Filipino colonel and politician.
Biography
After schooling he joined the Armed Forces ( Armed Forces of the Philippines, AFP ) and closed the officer training in 1971 at the Military Academy ( Philippine Military Academy ) from. Subsequently, he was used by the armed conflict with Islamic rebels in Mindanao. In 1982 he founded an organization of officers who turned against the growing control of the army by followers of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos. This organization, as reform the Armed Forces ( RAM) was known, was the end of the reign of Marcos 300 members.
After Marcos Santos Avenue, was due to the massive protests during the EDSA Revolution, named after Epifanio de los EDSA briefly went in February 1986 into exile, Honasan was the beginning of the term of President Corazon Aquino promoted to Colonel and Chief of Security of Defense Juan Ponce Enrile appointed. Honasan, who previously feared a disclosure of the activities of the RAM by Marcos, it was one of Enriles closest supporters and was due to his attitude towards dictator Marcos folk hero. However, in several interviews, he criticized soon after the lack of hardness on the part of President Aquino against the communist New People's Army (NPA ) and the slowness of the reform of the armed forces. Due to the suspicion of sympathy from Enrile and Honasan against a military coup in late 1986 Defense Minister Enrile was released on 23 November 1986, Honasan posted to train recruits after Zentralluzon.
On August 28, 1987, he was the leader of an experiment for the acquisition of several important institutions in Metro Manila. However, already within 24 hours, most of his supporters had surrendered. He was arrested in December 1987 in Manila and discharged from the army. In April 1988, he escaped from a prison in the Navy, so that he could once again lead a coup against President Aquino in December 1989. In December 1992 he appeared at peace talks that were offered by the new President Fidel Ramos.
In 1995 he was elected as the first independent candidate in the history of the Philippines as a member of the Senate ( Senado ng Pilipinas ). He held until 2004 this position.
Later, he was accused of being involved in the July 2003 and in February 2006 in military mutinies and attempted coups d'état against President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo. For this reason, he was briefly detained in November 2006.
In May 2007, he ran after his release again successfully as an independent candidate for a seat in the Senate and was elected with 11.6 million votes as a tithe Best senator for one of the 12 Senate seats to be filled.