Miriam Defensor Santiago, Filipino politician and judge, Died at 71

Miriam Palma Defensor Santiago was born on June 15, 1945, and died on September 29, 2016.

She was a Filipino politician,

Santiago served in all three branches of the Philippine government – judicial, executive, and legislative.

A few of her alma maters include University of the Philippines, University of Michigan, Oxford University, Maryhill School of Theology, University of California, Harvard University, and Cambridge University.

She was named one of The 100 Most Powerful Women in the World in 1997 by The Australian magazine.

During 1988, Santiago was named laureate of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for government service, with a citation “for bold and moral leadership in cleaning up a graft-ridden government agency.”

Santiago ran in the 1992 presidential elections but was defeated in an election marred by allegations of impropriety by the victor.

To quote critics, ‘Miriam won in the elections, but lost in the counting.’ became popular nationwide.

She served three terms in the Philippine Senate.

She declared her candidacy for President of the Philippines in the 2016 elections after her doctors from the United States declared her cancer ‘stable’ and ‘receded’, on 13 October 2015, but lost in the elections.

Santiago was immortalized by her supporters as ‘the best president we never had’.

She was known as the Dragon Lady, the Platinum Lady, the Incorruptible Lady, the Tiger Lady, and most popularly, the Iron Lady of Asia.

Miriam Defensor Santiago passed away at 71 years old.