Francisco Tatad

Francisco S. Tatad
Senator of the Philippines
In office
June 30, 1992 – June 30, 2001
Senate Majority Leader
In office
July 12, 2000 – June 30, 2001
Preceded byFranklin Drilon
Succeeded byLoren Legarda
In office
October 10, 1996 – January 26, 1998
Preceded byAlberto Romulo
Succeeded byFranklin Drilon
Minister of Public Information
In office
1969–1980
PresidentFerdinand Marcos
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byGregorio Cendaña
Mambabatas Pambansa (Assemblyman) from Region V
In office
June 12, 1978 – June 5, 1984
Personal details
Born (1939-10-04) October 4, 1939 (age 85)
Gigmoto, Albay, Philippine Commonwealth
(now Gigmoto, Catanduanes, Philippines)
Political partyIndependent (1987–1992; 2009–present)
Other political
affiliations
PMP (2004–2009)
Gabay Bayan (1998–2004)
LDP (1995–1998)
NPC (1992–1995)
KBL (1978–1987)
SpouseFernandita "Fenny" Cantero
RelationsShalani Soledad (niece)
Residence(s)Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Alma materUniversity of Santo Tomas
Center for Research and Communication
ProfessionJournalist, Politician

Francisco "Kit" Sarmiento Tatad (born October 4, 1939) is a Filipino journalist and politician best known for having served as Minister of Public Information under President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. from 1969 to 1980, and for serving as a Senator of the Philippines from 1992 to 2001.

Upon his appointment by President Marcos, Tatad became the youngest member of Marcos' cabinet. During his term, he announced the declaration of Martial Law on September 23, 1972, just hours before Marcos himself came on the air.[1] While serving as cabinet secretary, he concurrently became a member of the Batasang Pambansa.

During his service in the Philippines Senate, he served as Majority Floor Leader from 1996 to 1998 and again from 2000 to 2001. In 2001, he was one of the 11 senators who voted against opening an envelope that had been alleged to contain incriminating evidence against then Philippine President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, inciting events that led to the EDSA Revolution of 2001.[2]

  1. ^ "Declaration of Martial Law". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Office of the President of the Philippines. Retrieved 2013-04-01.
  2. ^ Danao, Efren (January 23, 2001). "Oreta, Tatad in anguish". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 2013-04-01.