Defensor Sr. outlives all post-Martial Law Iloilo assemblymen

By Alex P. Vidal

“There are heroes and then there are legends. Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.” – Boney Kapoor

WITH the death of former Iloilo assemblyman and party-list Rep. Salvador “Buddy” Britanico on Good Friday, April 3, 2026, only former Iloilo governor Arthur “Art” Defensor Sr. remains as the lone living former member of the historic 1984 Regular Batasang Pambansa from Iloilo.

The other deceased former Iloilo assemblymen in the five-seat delegation, who also won in the May 14, 1984, elections, were Fermin “Nene” Caram Jr. (UNIDO), Rafael “Nono” Palmares (Nacionalista), and Narciso “Narcing” Monfort (KBL).

Defensor, 84, and Caram, who died on Oct. 6, 1986, at 66, were the only two winners from the UNIDO Party. Their three other party mates, Domingo Trompeta Jr., Mario Salcedo Jr., and Licurgo Tirador, all wound up in 10th, 11th, and 12th places, respectively, and did not make the Magic 5.

Palmares, the son of a former Passi City mayor and former Iloilo governor, placed third and was the lone winner from the Nacionalista Party. His fellow Nacionalista bets, Fortunato Padilla, Benjamin Moreno, and Lazaro Belgica, finished in 13th, 14th, and 15th places, respectively.

Another Nacionalista bet, Gualberto “Roy Wing” Opong, finished 22nd, or second to last.

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Monfort, who died on Sept. 5, 2005, at 77, and Britanico, who died at 88, were the only winners from the ruling KBL Party. The other KBL candidates, Niel Tupas Jr., Lazaro Zulueta, Emilio dela Cruz, and Teodulo Padernal, wound up in sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth places, respectively.

Quirino Baterna, the lone Social Democratic Party candidate, finished 16th.

Defensor, father of incumbent Iloilo Gov. Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr., is also known as the only chief executive of Iloilo province to have been elected to the office six times.

He was first elected in 1992, re-elected in 1995 and 1998, then, after serving nine years as congressman, elected governor again in 2010 and re-elected in 2013 and 2016.

The May 14, 1984, elections were significant because, although the ruling Kilusang Bagong Lipunan party held the majority, the opposition, bolstered by the protest vote following the Aug. 21, 1983, assassination of former Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., gained substantial ground by winning more than 50 seats.

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The 1984 Regular Batasang Pambansa was known for replacing the interim body. It was the first official, fully elected unicameral legislature of the Philippines under the 1973 Constitution.

When it convened on July 23, 1984, it replaced the Interim Batasang Pambansa (1978–1984) and served as the nation’s lawmaking body until its abolition by President Corazon “Cory” Aquino on March 25, 1986, following the EDSA Revolution.

It consisted of roughly 200 members known as Mambabatas Pambansa, with 183 elected through district elections on May 14, 1984, and 14 sectoral representatives from agricultural labor, industrial labor, and youth, plus members of the Cabinet.