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During martial law, Teofisto Guingona Jr. was a human rights lawyer; he was an active participant in the broad opposition that fought the Marcos dictatorship. He became a delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention. He served as senator from 1987 to 1995; and from 1998 to 2001. In 2000, as Senate Minority Leader, he was the first to call for the resignation of Joseph Estrada.

After the second EDSA people power movement in 2001, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed Guingona as her vice-president. At the same time, Guingona also occupied the post Secretary of Foreign Affairs. But during his vice-presidency from 2001 to 2004, he and Arroyo often clashed particularly on issues about foreign policy. Guingona opposed Arroyo on the issue of the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement, a disagreement that led to his resignation as foreign affairs secretary.

During the 2004 Philippine elections, he decided not to run for re-election and instead joined the forces opposing the Arroyo administration; the opposition against the president intensified following her involvement in the “Hello Garci” scandal. Guingona also helped organize an anti-fraud committee called Kontra Daya (Against Cheating/Fraud).

Guingona studied at the Ateneo de Manila University. As a working student, he taught history and political science while taking up courses in law and economics. He also took up special studies in Public Administration, Economics, Sociology and Audit.

After graduation, Guingona went into business and became Development Bank of the Philippines Governor and president of the Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. He also became chairman of the Commission on Audit and the Labor Management Advisory Council for Mindanao.

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