Ismael "Mike" Dres Sueno (born July 1947 or 1948)
is the former
Secretary
A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a ...
of the
Philippine Department of the Interior and Local Government.
He was appointed by President
Rodrigo Duterte to replace
Mel Senen Sarmiento
Mel Senen Sevilla Sarmiento (born August 11, 1962) is a Filipino politician. He was a member of the Philippine House of Representatives representing the 1st Legislative District of Samar from 2010 to 2015. He also served as Secretary-General o ...
starting June 30, 2016. A member and former national chairman of
PDP–Laban
Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (), abbreviated as PDP–Laban, is a democratic socialist political party in the Philippines founded in 1982. It was part of the country's ruling party alliance from 1986 to 1992 under the administrat ...
, he served as Governor of
South Cotabato under President
Corazon Aquino.
On April 4, 2017, Sueno was dismissed as Secretary of the Interior and Local Government by Duterte due to 'loss of trust and confidence'.
Early life and education
Sueno was born and raised in
Koronadal
Koronadal, officially the City of Koronadal ( hil, Dakbanwa sang Koronadal; ceb, Dakbayan sa Koronadal; Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Koronadal'', Jawi Alphabet, Jawi: كوتا نو كورونادال; fil, Lungsod ng Koronadal) ...
, then known as Marbel, in the former undivided
Province of Cotabato.
His parents were Perfecto Sueno Sr., the first municipal vice mayor of Koronadal, and Ma. Neri Dres. He has five brothers (Rolando, Perfecto Jr., Roberto, Leo and Joseph), and one sister (Corazon), some of which have already migrated to the United States.
He obtained his associate degree in Arts from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Seminary in Marbel in 1964. He then pursued his Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the Regional Major Seminary.
Political career
Sueno was elected municipal mayor of Koronadal in 1980 during the administration of President
Ferdinand Marcos. In 1986, following the
People Power Revolution
The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, was a series of popular demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a sustained campaign of c ...
, he was appointed by President Corazon Aquino as officer-in-charge (OIC) governor of the province of
South Cotabato. He then served a full term as provincial governor from 1988 to 1992.
During his term as governor, he pursued several environmental and reforestation programs integrated with livelihood projects. He imposed a total logging ban in the province and also helped organize and strengthen local cooperatives.
In 1997, Sueno was appointed to the Southern Philippine Council for Peace and Development (SPCPD) Consultative Assembly by President
Fidel Ramos
Fidel Valdez Ramos (, ; March 18, 1928 – July 31, 2022), popularly known as FVR and Eddie Ramos, was a Filipino general and politician who served as the 12th president of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. He was the only career military ...
.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for vice president and running mate to
Emilio Osmeña on the Probinsya Muna Development Initiative (
PROMDI
The Progressive Movement for the Devolution of Initiatives or Probinsya Muna Development Initiative (; ), abbreviated as PROMDI or Abag-Promdi, is a political party in the Philippines based in Cebu.
The party was founded in 1997 by Lito Osmeña ...
) ticket in the
1998 presidential election.
Sueno ran for congressman of
South Cotabato's 2nd District in 2001 but lost to Arthur Y. Pingoy, Jr. In 2007, he made another unsuccessful bid for Vice Governor of the province under the administration party.
He was appointed Secretary of the Interior and Local Government by President Rodrigo Duterte on June 30, 2016. On April 4, 2017, he was reported by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre as having been fired from his office by the president due to corruption allegations.
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sueno, Ismael
Living people
Secretaries of the Interior and Local Government of the Philippines
Governors of South Cotabato
Mayors of places in South Cotabato
Candidates in the 1998 Philippine vice-presidential election
PDP–Laban politicians
Probinsya Muna Development Initiative politicians
People from South Cotabato
Ramos administration personnel
Duterte administration cabinet members
Year of birth uncertain
Corazon Aquino administration personnel
Political corruption in the Philippines
Suspected criminals
1940s births