Bonifacio Gillego

Bonifacio Hubilla Gillego (June 5, 1921 – August 1, 2002) was a Philippine politician, military officer, and author. He served in the Philippine House of Representatives for three terms (1987–1998), representing the 2nd Legislative District of Sorsogon. "Boni" was one of the Framers of the 1987 Constitution. He had also served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1970.

For his resistance against the Marcos dictatorship, which led to a 14-year exile from the country, Gillego is one of the heroes honored by having his name etched at the wall of remembrance at the Philippines' Bantayog ng mga Bayani, which honors the martyrs and heroes who fought the authoritarian regime of Ferdinand Marcos. His eldest sister, Celerina Gotladera, served as the Chairman of Civil Service Commission and Mayor of Bulan, Sorsogon. He is a cousin of Gregorio Honasan.

Military career He was also part of the resistance during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. As a soldier, Gillego served in the Korean War and served in Operation Brotherhood in Laos.

Marcos Era: Exile and Resistance Detail of the Wall of Remembrance at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani, showing names from the 2002 batch of Bantayog Honorees, including that of Congressman Gillego. Gillego was exiled in the United States for 14 years during martial law. He was one of the leaders of the opposition to Marcos in the United States and was a member of the Movement for a Free Philippines (MFP) during his exile. Through his writings and countless interviews with the American press, Gillego publicly questioned Marcos' war record. In 1986, he served on the Commission on Good Government on behalf of President Corazon Aquino to find real estate holdings of the Marcoses in New York.

Congress As a Congressman, "Boni" was known for his spartan lifestyle and stance against government corruption. One of his key accomplishments in Congress was agrarian reform legislation passed in June 1988.

Books and articles Requiem for Reformism: The Ideas of Rizal on Reform and Revolution (1990) "The Other Version of FM's War Exploits". We Forum (November 1982) "Marcos: The Hero of Kiangan Who Never Was". Philippine News (September 1982) "Our Police Forces as a Tool of American Imperialism". Ronin (October 1972)