[2] When World War II broke out, General Jr. was a trainee in the Reserve Officers` Training Corps (ROTC) of the University of Santo Tomas, and he was activated to serve in the US Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE).
[1][2] This position allowed General Jr. to have a significant influence on the next generation of Bicolano lawyers – a fact widely acknowledged in testimonials of later leaders, such as Soliman Santos Jr.[1] and Jesse Robredo.
"[6] He eventually became the Naga Times' Editor, helping it earn accolades, such as being declared the Philippine Federation of National Press Clubs' 1971 "Most Outstanding Provincial Newspaper.
[7] As the turbulent years of the Second Marcos administration rolled in, General Jr. even ran in the elections for delegates to the Philippine Constitutional Convention of 1971 (colloquially called the "ConCon"), but lost due to the lack of campaign machinery and funding.
[6] Nearing the end of his last allowable Presidential term under the 1935 constitution, Ferdinand Marcos extended his presidency by proclaiming Martial law in 1986.
"[1] 1983 saw a period of severe instability in the Philippines, beginning with a massive economic nosedive in March which exacerbated the negative effects of Marcos' debt-driven strategy for infrastructure projects.
[2] Another particularly well-known work of General Jr. was an English translation of Mi último adiós, the poem Philippine hero José Rizal wrote just before being executed.