Salonga, Jovito Reyes (1920-2016), a lawyer and politician, was president of the Philippine Senate from 1987 to 1992. He was leader of the Liberal Party and an active supporter of Corazon Aquino at the time she became president of the Philippines in 1986.
Salonga was born on June 22, 1920, in the town of Pasig, at the southern end of metropolitan Manila. He came from a poor family. He graduated in law from the University of the Philippines, and then gained a master’s degree and a doctorate in the United States. In 1961, he entered politics as district representative in Congress. Salonga was elected to the Senate in 1965 and reelected six years later. He was an active opponent of Ferdinand Marcos, who became president in 1965. During the period of martial law (1972-1981) declared by Marcos, Salonga was arrested and kept in isolation for several months. Salonga died on March 10, 2016.
