Arturo Tolentino

Tolentino was first elected as Representative for Manila in 1949. He was re-elected in 1953. Shortly after his re-election, Tolentino was given the position of Majority Floor Leader, which he held until his entry to the Senate four years later and one which, though less glamorous than that of Speaker, he preferred and enjoyed.[3]

As it was a very senior position for such a young and inexperienced politician, his son recalls that his father’s reputation of toughness had earned him the respect of President Magsaysay. As he took his seat in the House of Representatives that day he glowered at the assembled members and said, “I warn you gentlemen, I was once a champion wrestler and weightlifter!”

The duties and responsibilities of Majority Floor Leader and the reason for Tolentino’s selection was explained in an article by Manuel Martinez in “Tempo” October 7, 1983.

“Tolentino was often involved in great intellectual battles and feared for his parliamentary prowess. That is why he was elected floor leader at a very young age.

In legislation, the majority floor leader, not the Speaker or the presiding officer, is the key man around whom the parliamentary process revolves. He is the lightning rod, the clearing house, the yeoman and work-horse and spark-plug, the whipping boy if he does not watch out, the beast of burden, and center of attention. Only the tough are chosen as floor leaders.[4]

And so Tolentino discharged his function with awesome skill. It came to pass that there was born a saying, given as wise advice to newcomers to the House and later the Senate, where he was floor leader: ‘Neophytes should observe two things above all. First they should learn parliamentary rules by heart. Second, they should pray not to tangle with Tolentino in a floor debate!”[5]

It was not Tolentino's intention to run for the Senate. He was confident of re-election as Congressman, having been nominated by his party and already started his campaign when he was nominated for the Senate. He left the decision to his party leaders because he was unsure of which route to choose. The leaders allowed him to accept the Senate nomination.

Many of the candidates were asked to make financial contributions for their campaign expense. Tolentino did not have sufficient funds. He remembered being asked him how he managed this financial difficulties.[6]

He said:

"I have never forgotten the generosity of Senator Oscar Ledesma who paid my contribution and will always be grateful to him. As a sign of my appreciation, I saw to it that I was with him during the division of candidates into campaign teams and strongly endorsed his policies in my speeches.”

The Nacionalista Party had a strong Senatorial slate. In fact, the only casualty that might occur was thought by some leaders to be Tolentino. Their concern turned out to be unnecessary for when the returns came in, he was second behind Gil Puyat.

“Where did you get all these votes?” Amang Rodriguez, the party president would ask.

“I have a secret army,” Tolentino replied laughingly. “All over the country there are thousands of lawyers who were once my students and thousands of high school graduates who studied my text books.”[7]

On March 17, 1957, then President Magsaysay took off from the airport in Cebu. He was at the height of his popularity. A few minutes later, his plane crashed into the side of the mountain. All on board, with the exception of one newspaperman were killed.

Tolentino said:

"I had been going with the President on Provincial trips because the President wanted to introduce me to party leaders and rural electorate for possible candidacy as a senator in 1957. Normally he would go to series of towns briefly speaking in one before proceeding to the next. I would start my speech immediately after he had finished, then follow him as soon as mine was over. On this occasion however I was committed to a speaking engagement in Manila even though I had been scheduled to accompany Magsaysay. I explained my predicament to the President who was very understanding, who gave my seat to the Education Secretary then, who perished with the others on that ill fated flight."

Tolentino was elected in the Senate that year. He was re-elected in 1963 and in 1969.

In 1966, shortly after Ferdinand Marcos was elected President, Tolentino was elected Senate President. A year later, however, he was ousted from his position.

Tolentino said: "I seem to have a lot of frustrations that come along in my life without invitation. When I was Senate President, my term was for two years. But somehow I understood later that President Marcos had made an agreement with another Senator, - Senator Puyat, that after one year he (Puyat) would take my place. In other words we would split the two year term between us.

I was not aware of that arrangement. President Marcos never informed me. So, after twelve months of my term as Senate President, Puyat insisted that he take over. Naturally, I resisted and pointed out that my term had not yet expired. He kept citing an agreement, but I pointed out there was no such agreement.

At the next session of the Senate, Marcos maneuvered the other Senators to comply with this “commitment”, and voted for Puyat. As a result, I got ousted as Senate President halfway through my term of office."

Tolentino's tomb at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Tolentino then would launch a coup on July 6, 1986, declaring that since Marcos was in exile, he was constitutionally the acting President of the Philippines. Marcos allies and about 100 soldiers marched to the luxurious Manila Hotel, barricading it with trucks. He was expecting massive support, but only several thousands of Marcos loyalists supported his cause. On July 8, he agreed to disperse his thousands of civilian supporters and about a hundred military backers, ending the failed coup attempt.

When the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines was overwhelmingly approved in a plebiscite, Tolentino announced he would respect the will of the people.

In 1992, he successfully ran for the Senate placing 18th under the Nationalist People's Coalition. However, his bid for re-election in 1995 was not successful and he retired from politics.

He died of a heart attack on the night of August 2, 2004, at the age of 93. He is buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

He had seven children, as acknowledged in his last will and testament (1971): Arturo Jr., Evelyn and Annabella with Consuelo David; Bernadette, Salvador and Victorio with Constancia Conde; and Ma. Elenita with Rosita Robles.