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Robert Barbers

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In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Zabala and the surname or paternal family name is Barbers.
The Honourable
Robert Z. Barbers
Senator of the Philippines
In office
June 30, 1998 – June 30, 2004
16th Secretary of the Interior and Local Government
In office
April 16, 1996 – February 3, 1998
PresidentFidel V. Ramos
Preceded byRafael Alunan III
Succeeded byEpimaco Velasco
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Surigao del Norte's 2nd district
In office
June 30, 1992 – April 15, 1996
Preceded byConstantino Navarro
Succeeded byAce Barbers
Personal details
Born
Robert Zabala Barbers

(1944-01-19)January 19, 1944
Surigao, Surigao, Commonwealth of the Philippines
DiedDecember 25, 2005(2005-12-25) (aged 61)
Pasig, Philippines
Resting placeManila Memorial Park – Sucat
Political partyLakas–CMD
SpouseVirginia Smith
Childrenwith Smith:
4, including Ace
out of wedlock: 4
ResidenceSurigao City
Alma materSilliman University
Lyceum of the Philippines University (BA, LL.B)
National Defense College of the Philippines (MS, MNSA)
OccupationPolitician, police officer
ProfessionLawyer
NicknameBobby
Police career
AllegiancePhilippines Philippines
Department
Branch
Rank Police Colonel

Robert Zabala Barbers[a] (January 19, 1944 – December 25, 2005) was a Filipino police officer and politician. Barbers had served in the police force for almost three decades prior to becoming part of the government of the Philippines. He served in the legislature as the representative of the second district of Surigao del Norte (1992–1996), whose second term was ended by his appointment as secretary of the interior and local government, and as senator (1998–2004).[3]

Early life and education[edit]

Barbers was born in the then-municipality of Surigao in the undivided Surigao province, on January 19, 1944,[3] to Felix Barbers of Ilocos, a judge, and Regina Zabala[a] of Surigao, who would serve as division superintendent of schools and vice governor of Surigao del Norte.[1][4]

What was then-called the Barbieri clan originally came from Sicily, Italy, with his grandfather being an American soldier. Meanwhile, the family's original roots are in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur.[2] His uncle in the father's side, retired police general James Barbers, was a vice mayor of Manila and superintendent of the Western Police District.[4][5]

Barbers finished elementary (1955) and secondary education (1959, as valedictorian) in his hometown.[3]

While serving as a police officer, he studied AB Political Science at the University of the Philippines and Silliman University but completed his degree in 1981 at the Lyceum of the Philippines University, where he also earned his Bachelor of Laws in 1985.[6][7]

He later went on to earn Master of Science degrees in criminology (Metro Manila College) and in national security administration (National Defense College) in 1992 and 1994, respectively.[6][7]

Police career[edit]

Barbers was enlisted by his uncle James, then chief of the Integrated National Police – Western Police District (INP–WPD), in the police force, and topped the examinations in the Manila Police Department (MPD).[2] He spent 27 years as a police officer in the city.[2][8][9] He started in 1960s as a patrolman,[1][9] and later rose through the ranks,[2][3] eventually becoming colonel[6] before quitting the police force in 1991 to run for Congress.[1]

Barbers served as chief of the Ermita station[10] and, under the leadership of Alfredo Lim in the WPD,[11] of two WPD divisions handling high-profile crimes.[10] When Lim became the director of the National Bureau of Investigation in 1990,[10][11] he took Barbers and designated him as chief of the NBI Police Special Task Force.[6] He was also the inspector of the National Police Commission.[6]

Barbers was noted for the solution of major crimes and the personal arrest of some of the known gang leaders, particularly when he was with the NBI[2] with his team being known with the arrest of several drug traffickers,[11][12] including Jose "Don Pepe" Oyson who was later killed by agents while being escorted to detention.[2][11] He was also credited with the arrest of then military rebel Billy Bibit and communist leader Ignacio Capegsan, for which he was promoted.[9]

Barbers was a bemedaled officer,[3] receiving medals and citations from the United States, such as those from the State Department and the Golden Service Award for Outstanding Law Enforcer in Asia from New York City (the first Filipino to be given the award, in 1991).[8]

Political career[edit]

As district representative[edit]

Barbers entered politics in 1992 as representative of the second district of Surigao del Norte;[3][6][9] he was re-elected in 1995.[6][8]

He was the chairperson of the House committee on Effective Law Enforcement, as well as vice chairperson of the committee on Public Order and Security.[8]

As a cabinet chief[edit]

Barbers' second term in the 10th Congress was cut short when he became part of the cabinet of president Fidel Ramos, who appointed him as secretary of the interior and local government[3][6][9] which he assumed on April 16, 1996.[13]

While focusing on campaign against illegal drugs, he launched programs in relation to fight against criminality,[8] as well as for the reformation and welfare of the Philippine National Police.[13]

Barbers was noted being the supervisor of the PNP, which created the Public Assistance and Reaction Against Crime (PARAC), a 24-hour public assistance group. Among the notable accomplishments of PARAC within a year were the apprehension of drug traffickers and a gambling lord, neutralization of eight of the country's most wanted individuals including a Laguna politician involved in the murder of a human rights lawyer, as well as the eradication of marijuana plantations in northern Luzon.[13]

Another program, Barangay at Pulisya Laban sa Krimen, was implemented to strengthen community involvement in the peace and order campaign.[13]

As a senator[edit]

Barbers first ran for senator in 1998, where he placed fifth, becoming the first police officer to hold such electoral position.[9]

Barbers was noted still being active in law enforcement in his term. He authored laws focusing on the fight against criminality.[6] In his first term, he filed over a hundred bills in relation to his advocacy.[2]

In 1999, he pushed for the creation of the committee on public order and illegal drugs, which he eventually headed.[14]

Barbers was the first to file an anti-terrorism bill in the Senate,[6] in late 2001.[8]

In the 12th Congress, Barbers was the principal author of Republic Act No. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002), the law repealing RA No. 6425 (Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972)[14] and creating the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to be a member of and the implementing arm of the Dangerous Drugs Board.[15]

Barbers authored as well laws that giving more penalties against jueteng protectors and operators and strengthening the campaign against illegal drugs,[9] particularly drug trafficking.[3]

He was a chairperson of the Commission on Appointments subcommittee on local governments.[14]

He was an advocate of death penalty for heinous crimes.[9]

1998 and 2004 elections[edit]

Barbers, a stalwart of the Lakas–CMD party, was twice considered as running mate to then presidential candidates, Jose de Venecia Jr. in 1998 and incumbent Gloria Macapagal–Arroyo in 2004. He was later convinced to give way to Arroyo and to then senator Noli de Castro, respectively.[6] (De Venecia was defeated by Joseph Estrada; Arroyo won and later ascended to the presidency, replacing Estrada who was then ousted.)

In 2004, Barbers ran for re-election under the ruling party, but lost in the twelfth spot to incumbent Rodolfo Biazon.[6][16][17] Both ran under the administration K-4 coalition.[6] He later filed an election protest against Biazon to contest the slot, accusing the Commission on Elections of hastily proclaiming the latter's victory and demanding the awaiting of the results in his strongholds in Mindanao. However, his petition was denied.[9]

His name was mentioned in the controversial "Hello Garci" tapes, whose transcripts showed him calling then election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano to ensure his victory.[9]

Personal life[edit]

Bobby,[18] as Barbers was known to many, was married to Virginia Smith. They had four children—three sons, all also named Robert, and a daughter.[6][9]

Barbers, a Roman Catholic, was a pious devotee of the Santo Niño of Prague.[2] He had a statue in his office, dressed as a policeman and being called "Sto. Nino de Policia", which was brought out in a procession every January.[10] In 1995, he formed a group of would-be devotees which composed of workers of a folk music bar in Malate, Manila, where he had used to frequent while being a policeman.[23]

Later life and death[edit]

Barbers, who had suffered throat cancer,[6] flew to the United States and underwent surgery in November 2000,[3][9] missing the impeachment trial of then president Estrada in the Senate.[3]

In July 2005, Barbers left for the same country (for the last time) for a medical checkup. In early December, he was confined at The Medical City in Pasig for a week.[9] His condition later deteriorated[6] until Christmas Eve, when he was rushed to the same hospital due to difficulty on breathing.[3][9]

Barbers died at 10:29 a.m.,[6][9] on Christmas Day, 2005, due to heart failure.[3][6] He was buried at the Manila Memorial Park – Sucat in Parañaque.[23]

In popular culture[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b Records from the Senate stated his middle name as Zabala;[1] while a column from The Philippine Star later mentioned Zagala.[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Bagayaua, Gemma (October 13, 2003). "Barbers' Cut?". Newsbreak. Retrieved June 7, 2024 – via Oocities.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Soliven, Max (December 28, 2005). "By the way — A farewell to one of 'Manila's Finest,' a solon who was proud to be a policeman". The Philippine Star. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Ex-sen. Barbers is dead". The Manila Times. Manila. December 26, 2005. pp. A1–A2. Retrieved June 2, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
  4. ^ a b Serrano, Ben (December 27, 2005). "Surigao awaits remains of favorite son". The Philippine Star. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  5. ^ "Ex-Manila vice mayor Barbers, 95". The Philippine Star. July 16, 2019. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Jaymalin, Mayen (December 26, 2005). "Ailing Barbers dies of heart attack". The Philippine Star. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  7. ^ a b "Robert Barbers". Makati Business Club. Retrieved 2009-12-21. Archived 2002-08-16 at archive.today
  8. ^ a b c d e f Remollino, Alexander Martin (October 5–11, 2003). "Barbers: From Cop to Vice President?". Bulatlat. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Bergonia, Tony; Lim Ubac, Michael (December 26, 2005). "Ex-Senator Barbers dies". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Makati. pp. A1, A6. Retrieved June 2, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
  10. ^ a b c d Etolle, Nestor (January 1, 2006). "Manila's Finest to pay last respects to Barbers". The Philippine Star. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d Lim Ubac, Michael; Labog–Javellana, Juliet (June 22, 2003). "It's '4 aces' versus drugs". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Makati. pp. A1, A19. Retrieved June 6, 2024 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ "Barbers' sons protest dragging of father's name into WB mess". GMA News Online. 2009-02-06. Retrieved 2017-08-11.
  13. ^ a b c d e Marte, Banjamin Emmanuel, ed. (June 5, 1997). "Supplement — Department of the Interior and Local Government". Manila Standard. pp. A8–A12. Retrieved June 7, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
  14. ^ a b c Esteves, Patricia (December 28, 2005). "Senate to honor Barbers". The Manila Times. Manila. p. A3. Retrieved June 6, 2024 – via Google Books.
  15. ^ Elemia, Camille (August 28, 2016). "The dangers of the Dangerous Drugs Act". Rappler. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  16. ^ Frialde, Mike (July 4, 2004). "'Namfrel vote tally shows Barbers beat Biazon'". The Philippine Star. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  17. ^ Diaz, Jess (April 12, 2005). "Escudero: Barbers welcome in opposition". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  18. ^ Serrano, Ben (January 1, 2006). "Surigao City folk welcome Barbers home". The Philippine Star. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  19. ^ a b Arguillas, Carolyn (July 15, 2022). "Special Report: Mindanao 2022 to 2025: fat and obese dynasties rule (part 3 of 3)". MindaNews. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  20. ^ a b c d Muego, Benjamin (2005). "The Philippines in 2004: A Gathering Storm". In Singh, Daljit (ed.). Southeast Asian Affairs 2005. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. p. 310. Retrieved May 30, 2024 – via Google Books.
  21. ^ a b c d Tiongson–Mayrina, Karen (July 20, 2010). "How dynasties fared in the May 2010 elections (part 2 of 3)". GMA News Online. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  22. ^ a b c Almeda, Vanessa (February 8, 2013). "'Underdog' Barbers brothers vow good fight vs rival Matugas family". MindaNews. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  23. ^ a b Villanueva, Rhodina (January 6, 2006). "Hobbits, relatives, friends bid Barbers goodbye". The Philippine Star. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  24. ^ Red, Isah (February 28, 1998). "Philip Salvador: Breaking down the H'wood wall". Manila Standard. Manila. p. B22. Retrieved June 7, 2024 – via Google Books.
  25. ^ Col. Billy Bibit, RAM (1994) *Portrayed by Dick Israel in the 1995 film Alfredo Lim, Batas ng Maynila."-IMDb, retrieved 2023-12-23
  26. ^ "Nerdspin - Movie, TV and Celebrity Database". nerdspin.com. Retrieved 2023-12-23.
  27. ^ "Col. Billy Bibit, RAM (1994) Full Cast & Crew | Flixi". Flixi.com. Retrieved 2023-12-23.

External links[edit]

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