from: www.abs-cbnnews.com

[SIZE="3"]Who is Gilbert Teodoro?[/SIZE]

by Tony Velasquez, ABS-CBN News | 09/16/2009 3:21 PM

MANILA - A bar topnotcher and Harvard-educated scion of the wealthy Cojuangco family, National Defense Secretary Gilbert Cojuangco Teodoro Jr. was born into politics.

His father, Gilbert Sr., was former Social Security System (SSS) administrator and his mother, Mercedes, was a former member of the Batasang Pambansa.

Former President Corazon Aquino was his aunt, while businessman Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr., founder of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) party, is his uncle.

The 45-year-old Teodoro entered politics in 1998 a year after finishing his Masters of Law in the US.

He served three terms as representative of the first district of Tarlac and was assistant minority leader in the 11th Congress.

He is best remembered not for the bills he authored, but for the political moves that he either initiated or supported in the House of Representatives.

In 2003, Teodoro led his NPC partymates in a controversial move to impeach then Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide that almost caused a constitutional crisis.

Teodoro was accused then of acting for the interests of his uncle Danding Cojuangco, who had pending cases with the high court.

As a congressman, Teodoro has consistently supported efforts to amend the Constitution and voted against all moves to impeach President Arroyo.

His loyalty paid off.

In 2007, at the age of 43, he was appointed national defense secretary, the youngest ever to hold the national defense portfolio.

As Department of National Defense chief, Teodoro pushed for reforms and called for more funds for the military's modernization program.

This year, he declared his intention to run for president and sought Mrs. Arroyo's endorsement.

His wife has said that there is nothing but the presidency for Teodoro.

And though he continues to perform dismally in presidential surveys, Teodoro enjoys the support of a number of administration members, including governors and party leaders.

He is also undaunted by the possibility of facing his cousin, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, in next year's elections.

With the administration machinery behind him, Teodoro is hoping to become the third national defense secretary to become president after Ramon Magsaysay in 1953 and Fidel V. Ramos in 1992.