Franklin Drilon: The gentleman from Iloilo

2026-02-07 - 10:06

For nearly three decades, he had dazzled the august chamber with legal mastery and a firm grasp of the issues before it. When he retired from politics in 2022, his presence was deeply felt and missed in the Senate. As the nation grapples with earthshaking scandals and recurring controversies, many Filipinos find themselves longing for the days when he brought light, clarity, and rigor to public hearings. He asked the difficult questions — regardless of whose toes he might step on or whose ego might be bruised — and pursued answers with discipline and patience. His brilliance and confidence in tackling issues head-on could be intimidating, but also reassured everyone in the room: however uncooperative or evasive the resource persons might be, he would press until the truth came into view. Franklin Magtunao Drilon did not come from a political dynasty. He was the eldest child of the late lawyer Cesar Drilon and the late Primitiva Magtunao. He learned early the value of education and absorbed the virtues his parents insisted upon: honesty, integrity, hard work, and love of God. He has often said that his father, who inspired him to study law, was the most influential figure in his life. An outstanding graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Law, Drilon placed third in the 1969 Bar examinations and had worked for the country’s top law firms. Must Read In Iloilo, Drilon bids goodbye to politics through ‘parting gifts’ Service across administrations In 1986, after the People Power toppled the decades-long Marcos dictatorship, Drilon left a private lucrative career to serve as labor secretary.