2. Arnulfo Fuentebella
• Arnulfo Palma Fuentebella (October 29, 1945 – September 9, 2020)
was the Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives from 2000
to 2001. He was also a representative of the 3rd (now 4th) district
of Camarines Sur, more popularly known as the Partido district.
3. Early life and education
• Arnulfo "Noli" Fuentebella was born on October 29, 1945, in Camarines
Sur to former Representative and Governor Felix A. Fuentebella and
Rita Palma. He was educated in his home province and spent most of
his life in scouting until he reached Life Scout. At the age of 15,
Fuentebella was a Philippine delegate to the 50th anniversary of
the Boy Scouts of America in 1960. He is also a member of Alpha Phi
Omega, a fraternity with deep roots in scouting. He studied law at
the University of the Philippines in 1970 and graduated being the 7th in
his class and passed the Bar Exams in 1971.
4. Career
• After he passed the Bar Exams, Fuentebella pursued a career in law
and banking. But after President Ferdinand E. Marcos imposed martial
rule and called for elections to the Interim Batasang Pambansa (IBP),
Fuentebella was chosen by the President to run in Congress to
represent Partido. He subsequently won the elections and served as
an assemblyman in the IBP from 1978 to 1984. However, he lost his
bid for a seat in the 1984 Regular Batasang Pambansa and used the
hiatus to practice law in New York, where he was admitted to the State
Bar. Then the EDSA Revolution happened and President Marcos fled
into exile. As the Fuentebellas had been identified with the Marcoses,
he opted to sit out the Cory Aquino years.
• In 1992, political allies asked Fuentebella to run again in Congress. He
won three consecutive terms as Congressman (1992–2001).
5. Speakership
• After then Speaker Manuel Villar, Jr. passed President Joseph
Estrada's Articles of Impeachment to the Senate, Fuentebella was
elected Speaker after Estrada's allies in the House of
Representatives motioned to make all positions in the House vacant;
Fuentebella won the nomination.
6. • On January 20, 2001, during the Second EDSA Revolution, Estrada left
the Malacañan Palace and Vice President Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo was sworn to the presidency at the EDSA Shrine by Chief
Justice Hilario Davide, Jr. Accompanying Davide were the chairs of the
two houses of Congress, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. and
Speaker Fuentebella. Four days later, on January 24, the Arroyo allies
mustered enough votes to unseat Fuentebella, replacing him
with Quezon City representative Feliciano Belmonte.
7. Post-speakership
• When Fuentebella had served the maximum three consecutive terms
as a congressman, his son Felix William/Wimpy took over for one term
(2001–2004). In the interim, Fuentebella took up post-graduate courses
at the Kennedy School of Governance of Harvard University. He ran
again for Congress and won three more consecutive terms (2004–
2013). He was instrumental in the proposed creation of a new province
to be called Nueva Camarines, which will be composed of the fourth
and fifth congressional Districts of Camarines Sur.
8. • In the 14th Congress of the Philippines, Fuentebella was
elected Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the
Philippines for Luzon.
• In 2015, a complaint for misappropriation of public funds was lodged
against Fuentebella and his wife before the Ombudsman.[1][2]
• In May 2016, Fuentebella won the election as Camarines Sur fourth
district representative by just 740 votes. His opponent, singer Imelda
Papin filed an electoral protest asking for a recount
9. Death
• He died on September 9, 2020. His son said he succumbed to heart
failure after battling kidney disease for almost two years.
10. References
1. Cayabyab, Marc Jayson (October 21, 2015). "Ex-Speaker Fuentebella,
wife face plunder complaint". Inquirer. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
2.^ Ramirez, Juan (October 22, 2015). "Fuentebella couple accused of
fund misuse before Ombudsman". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved June
15, 2016.
3.^ Cayabyab, Marc Jayson (May 23, 2016). "Imelda Papin files poll
protest vs Fuentebella". Inquirer. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
11. 1. Cayabyab, Marc Jayson (October 21, 2015). "Ex-Speaker Fuentebella,
wife face plunder complaint". Inquirer. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
2.^ Ramirez, Juan (October 22, 2015). "Fuentebella couple accused of
fund misuse before Ombudsman". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved June
15, 2016.
3.^ Cayabyab, Marc Jayson (May 23, 2016). "Imelda Papin files poll
protest vs Fuentebella". Inquirer. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
