Neptali Gonzales  Neptali Alvaro Gonzales (June 10, 1923 – September 16, 2001), better known as Neptali Gonzales, Sr., was the President of the Philippine Senate from 1992 to 1993, 1995 to 1996, and 1998. Neptali Alvaro Gonzales was born in 1923. He graduated class valedictorian in the Philippine Law School. He placed 9th in the 1949 bar examinations with the grade of 92.50%. He practiced law and for 31 years, and was a professor and reviewer in many leading law schools. He wrote five law books used by law students and practitioners. He was Dean of the Far Eastern University Institute of Law from 1976 to 1986. He was elected Vice-Governor of the Province of Rizal from 1967–1969, Congressman of the First District of Rizal from 1969–1973 and the Congressional District of the Philippines with three cities and ten municipalities, Assemblyman for the District of Mandaluyong-San Juan (1984–1986) and Senator for two consecutive terms (1987–1998). Before his election as Senator, he was appointed Minister, later Secretary of Justice (1986–1987) by then President Corazon C. Aquino. During Martial Law, he was the one of its active critics from the opposition and lawyered for some political detainees including then Senator Ninoy Aquino. He had a distinguished career in law as professor, and dean of the Institute of Law at the Far Eastern University and bar reviewer in different schools. He first served as Senate President, from January 1, 1992 to January 18, 1993. He also served as the Minority Leader of the Senate's Progressive Coalition from October 10, 1996 to January 26, 1998. Senator Gonzales was the permanent delegate of the Congress of the Philippines to the century-old Inter-Parliamentary Union and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly. He was also a delegate to the International Labor Organization. He again served as Senate President from August 29, 1995 to October 10, 1996. For his outstanding achievements and contributions in the fields of law, education, and public service, he was conferred the degrees of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, both by the University of Bohol and the University of Misamis (1987); Doctor of Public Administration, honoris causa, by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (1991); and Doctor of Technology Education, honoris causa, by the Rizal Technological Colleges (1995). He was also a recipient of the "Dr. M.V. Delos Santos Memorial Medallion of Honor" by the University of Manila in 1996.