The Philippine Online Chronicles

Is it just me or has there really not been much focus given to senatorial aspirants? With 62 other aspirants vying for the senatorial slots, I’m afraid we don’t have enough time to get to know each of the senatorial candidates well. This and my succeeding blogs will be my humble attempt to share what I’ve found out so far about the current crop of senatorial aspirants. Today, I begin with Adel Tamano.

Personal and early career

Adel Abbas Tamano first caught the public’s attention as the articulate official spokesperson of the Genuine Opposition, and second when he took his turn to represent the Belo Medical Clinic, as a lawyer and as an endorser (making "smart, the new sexy"). But there is more to the good looking senatorial aspirant than meets the eye.

How apt that the eighth child (of the nine children) of the late senator Mamintal “Mike” Tamano (who was married to no less than a Muslim princess and civic leader Hadja Putri Zorayda Abbas Tamano) was named ‘Adel,’ which is Arabic for ‘lover of justice.’ The younger Tamano hails from a family of accomplished lawyers and proceeded to become a lawyer himself (even marrying the daughter of retired Justice Santiago Kapunan, Rowena Kapunan, with whom Tamano has two children).

After finishing economics at the Ateneo de Manila University in 1992, and law studies (Juris Doctorate degree) in the same school in 1996, he became an associate of the Mendoza Law Office, then later a senior partner in Kapunan Tamano Villadolid & Associates, to date.

In 2003, he finished his master’s in Public Administration in UP Diliman (focusing on Judicial Governance and Reform).

In 2005, he brought honor to the country by becoming the first Filipino Muslim scholar at the Harvard Law School. He delivered a moving speech to the graduating class of Harvard Law in June 2005 during the university’s commencement exercises (on this note, in one interview it appeared that he was a little piqued by the fact that this distinction nary caused a stir when he returned to the country, lamenting that we don’t give much value to academic achievements as we should).

Aside from being a lawyer, Tamano is also a member of the academe. He teaches Law in the Ateneo de Manila University, the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (where he is currently the President), and the Institute of Law at the Far Eastern University. He also teaches at the Mindanao State University, University of the East and De La Salle University.

Political background

In 2007, he was offered a senatorial slate under the administration and the United Opposition and he declined both offers. Instead, he chose to become the spokesperson of the Genuine Opposition—thus began his political career, and the slow but steady ascent of Mindanao’s so-called “rising star.” His bid to run under the Nacionalista Party of Villar came as a surprise and a huge blow for the Opposition party. In one interview, Tamano said it was a difficult decision, but he made because his late father was a pillar of the NP and his personal belief in the credentials of Villar.

Proudly Muslim

Adel Tamano is proudly Muslim, although by the looks of him, one would not have been able to tell. He certainly does not dress in traditional Moro garb, but he most certainly is knowledgeable about all things Moro on an intellectual and a personal level. His interviews and public statements express his insight and convictions about the discrimination against Muslims, the Mindanao peace situation, the Abu Sayaff problem, and lately, the Maguindanao massacre.

Not surprisingly, Muslim advocacies and education are at the forefront of his political platform as an aspiring senator. The fact that Santanina Rasul was the last Muslim representative is part of the reason why he decided to run for senate, in a bid to end the 20-year drought of Muslim representation in Congress. Tamano is quick to note, however, that Muslim representation in Senate is not his sole platform. As of the writing of this article however, I have little idea of Tamano’s platform of governance on key issues aside from education and Mindanao.

Only time and the electorate can tell

Whether or not Tamano, with all these credentials, will lead to a slot in Senate, only time and the electorate can tell. In the latest Social Weather Surveys (SWS) surveys, Tamano did not even figure as one of the top twelve choices among the survey participants, but this could change soon enough when candidates step up their campaign efforts and lay down their platforms of governance.  Never underestimate what catchy campaign ads and celebrity endorsements can do these day. In terms of leadership potential, in my honest opinion, I could say that we sure could use an Adel Tamano in the Senate.

Photo: “Kabataan Partylist 2009 National Convention” by Victor Villanueva, c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved

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