Oscar M. Lopez...

Intelligence, promised to continue his predecessor’s campaign to cleanse the police organization of scalawags.

“My stand on [illegal] drugs is clear—no police should be involved in pushing, using or whatever means of illegal drug trade,” he pointed out.

“You will be charged and removed from the service. This is my warning to each and everyone of you, our fight will be holistic in prevention and aggressive in operations,” he told policemen. “Under my leadership, rewards and punishment will be quick and decisive, it shall be fair and impartial and due process shall be observed.”

Acorda vowed that the PNP would be transparent under his watch: “To the media, our long-time partners, we welcome critics as our independent source of check and balance. We are allies in bringing out the truth… We chairman emeritus of local conglomerate, Lopez Holdings Corp. The Lopez family incorporated the conglomerate in 1993 as the holding company for its major investments.

Lopez Holdings Corp. has stakes in various business sectors: power and energy through First Gen Corp. and Energy Development Corp., media via ABS-CBN and Sky Cable, the property sector through Rockwell Land Corp. and First Philippine Industrial Park, as well as in manufacturing via First Philec Corp. It was ABSCBN that first reported on his death.

ABS-CBN News was first to report his passing on late Saturday night, April 22.

Apart from First Philippine Holdings and Lopez Holdings Corp., Lopez was also the chairman emeritus of First Gen, EDC, First Balfour, Rockwell Land, among others.

Forbes listed Lopez as 45th in its 2022 edition of Philippines 50 Richest, with a net worth of $245 million.

While he is known for his contributions across the business sector, First Philippine Holdings said his legacy will be being among the pioneers in putting into consideration the environmental and community impact of business dealings. He founded a climate thinktank, which is now named after him.

The Oscar M. Lopez Center for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management Foundation, Inc. was created to look for solutions and technologies that develop climate risk information for use of communities.

Lopez studied at Harvard College and graduated cum laude in 1951 and finished his graduate degree – a Masters of Public Administration – in 1995.

He received a Doctor of Humanities honoris causa from De La Salle University and Ateneo de Manila University as well as a Doctor of Laws honoris cause from the Philippine Women’s University and the University of the Philippines. (Philstar.com) n