Perfecto Yasay Jr.

Early life and career

Yasay was born on January 27, 1947 to Perfecto Yasay Sr., a pastor, and Deborah Rivas, a public school teacher, in Kidapawan, North Cotabato.

He finished his secondary education at Davao City High School in 1963 and received his Bachelor of Arts in political science at Central Philippine University, Iloilo City in 1967. He earned his law degree at the University of the Philippines and has MBA units in business studies from Ateneo de Manila University.

Yasay became a member of the Bar of the United States Supreme Court, and the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. While in New York, he was managing director of the Maceda Philippine News from 1983 to 1987 and senior partner at two law firms—Maceda, Yasay & Tolentino, Esqs., and Yasay & De Castro, Esqs.—from 1979 to 1990.

Yasay is also an incorporator of Jacinto Finance, Marilene J. Group Corp., and Cricem Inc. He is also a stockholder of M and F Stores Inc.

In the Philippines, he was commissioner of San Jose, Yasay & Santos Law Offices from 1987 to 1993.

Civil, criminal, and administrative litigation, public advocacy, corporation law, and election law are among his areas of expertise.

SEC Chairman

In 1993, he was assigned as associate commissioner of SEC. He was chairman from 1995 to 2000.

He is past chairman of the Board of Trustees of Central Philippine University.

Estrada impeachment trial

Yasay was among those who testified in the impeachment trial against President Joseph Estrada on charges of corruption. The probe led to the ouster of Estrada, known as EDSA People Power II in 2001.

On February 15, 2010, Yasay apologized to Estrada for “hurting and offending him” but clarified that this was not a retraction of his testimony on the deposed president's “abuse of authority and corruption.”

2010 vice presidential bid

On November 29, 2009, he accepted the nomination of the Bangon Pilipinas Party to be its candidate for vice president as the running mate of Jesus is Lord Church founder and president Eddie Villanueva. In a statement, he said that he has also been offered a slot in the senatorial slate of three other political parties.

Yasay conveyed that the practice of using big-name endorsers should be stopped because it makes the elections a matter of money and popularity. He also said that the voters' will only base their votes via the endorsers of the candidate.

According to Yasay, the biggest setback in the fight against corruption is the quick pardon of Joseph Estrada.

Yasay lost to Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay in the vice-presidential elections.

Secretary of Foreign Affairs

He accepted the offer of President Rodrigo Duterte to join his Cabinet on May 18, 2016. During his tenure he represented the Duterte administration's policy of an "independent foreign policy" distancing the Philippines from the United States. According to Yasay, the United States has used a "carrot and stick" foreign policy in regards to the Philippines since for their own interest to the detriment of the latter.

Yasay was meant by Duterte to serve the post until mid-2017, when Duterte plans to appoint his running mate, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, as his successor.

On March 8, 2017, his appointment was rejected by an unanimous vote of 15-0 by the Commission on Appointments due to questions about his Philippine citizenship status after a period of United States citizenship.

Personal life

He is married to former Population Commission executive director Cecile Joaquin and has three children, all United States citizens. He used to have American citizenship until 2016 but has yet to retake the Philippine oath of citizenship; there is debate whether he is now stateless or not.