Gringo Honasan, who helped topple Ferdinand Marcos, joins Bongbong's Senate slate

Former Information and Communications Technology Secretary Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan II has been added to the senatorial slate of presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and his running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

This was announced by Marcos on Friday.

"We are pleased that he is now part of our senatorial slate. We believe that Senator Gringo will accomplish a lot in the Senate, coming up with laws that will help ensure better lives for our countrymen," Marcos said in a press release.

"With our senatorial slate in the Senate, we will achieve our vision of steering the country towards greatness. We have the common vision of making every Filipino proud of our race,” he added.

Honasan joins other UniTeam Senate bets including Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta, lawyer Larry Gadon, former Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, Antique Representative Loren Legarda, former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, former Senator Jinggoy Estrada, former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, and former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista.

Honasan is one of the founders of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM), a group of young soldiers who played a key role in the ouster of Marcos' father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, on February 25, 1986.

RAM was also behind the failed coup attempt against the elder Marcos' successor, Corazon Aquino, on August 28, 1987.

Honasan and Marcos both served in the Senate in the 15th Congress (2010 to 2013). After his fourth term in the Senate ended in 2019, Honasan was appointed secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Honasan's Reform Party, meanwhile, has chosen Marcos and Duterte as its presidential and vice presidential candidates for the May 9 elections.

According to the former senator's camp, the party passed a resolution on January 21 to endorse the Marcos-Duterte tandem. — VBL, GMA News