Gringo Honasan

Gregorio “Gringo” Ballesteros Honasan II is a politician and former military officer. He was the secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology from 2019 to 2021.

He graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 1971 and received the academy’s highest leadership award. During the Marcos regime, he was one of the leaders of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement, and was involved in planning a mutiny against the dictatorship that sparked the 1986 EDSA Revolution. Later on, he was involved in at least three coup attempts against the administration of Corazon Aquino. In 1992, then-president Fidel V. Ramos granted him amnesty, allowing him to transition into politics.

He was elected to the Senate, serving from 1995 to 2004, and again from 2007 to 2019. He was the principal author of the Clean Air Act and the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (CARPER) Act.

In 2016, he ran for vice president as the running mate of Jejomar Binay, but was defeated by Leni Robredo. He ran again for senator in 2022 but lost, landing in 18th place. Months before filing his candidacy for the 2025 senatorial elections, he, together with other Magdalo soldiers and former members of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement, launched the Reform PH party.

Honasan is married to Jane Umali, and they have five children.