Who is Prospero Nograles?

Prospero C. Nograles was born on October 30, 1947, in Davao City. He finished his primary and secondary education at the Ateneo de Davao. He then studied at the Ateneo de Manila University, obtaining his Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1967, and his Bachelor of Laws degree from the Ateneo Law School in 1971. Nograles placed second in the 1971 bar examinations. Nograles was elected Speaker of the House early Tuesday morning after the ouster of Rep. Jose de Venecia as Speaker. Beginning in 1989, Nograles has been elected to five terms as member of the House of Representatives, representing the 1st District of Davao City. Nograles was active in the political opposition against former President Ferdinand Marcos. He was involved in the litigation of human rights cases during the martial law years, and was an active campaigner for Corazon Aquino during the 1986 snap presidential elections. After Aquino assumed the presidency, Nograles sought a seat in the House of Representatives, representing the 1st district of Davao City. Although his opponent Jesus Dureza was initially proclaimed as winner, Nograles was seated in the House in 1989 following a favorable decision of the House Electoral Tribunal. Nograles gave up his House seat in 1992 to make an unsuccessful challenge to the re-election of Davao City Rodrigo Duterte, but regained the seat in the 1995 elections. In 1998, Nograles again gave up his House seat to make another unsuccessful bid for election as Davao City mayor, but he again won election to the House in 2001 and was elected for two more consecutive terms. Early this year, several members of Congress, dissatisfied with the leadership of de Venecia, expressed support for Nograles as the new Speaker. On Tuesday, February 5, 2008, the House of Representatives approved a motion to declare the position of House Speaker as vacant. Nograles was then elected as Speaker. - wikipedia/GMANews.TV