Plaridel Abaya
Plaridel Madarang Abaya (born February 25, 1934) is a Filipino politician and former military officer from Cavite. He started in the Philippine Military Academy in 1959 and spent 28 years in the Philippine Army, retiring as a full colonel in 1987.
Abaya served as the representative of Cavite’s 1st district from 1995 to 2004, winning three terms in the House of Representatives. His son, Joseph Emilio Abaya, later took over the seat. In 2010, he ran for Cavite’s 2nd district as a Liberal Party candidate but was defeated by Lani Mercado.
He and four bodyguards were involved in a shootout outside a police station that left two people dead; the incident drew condemnation from presidential candidates Benigno Aquino III and Mar Roxas.
Abaya is married to Consuelo Aguinaldo-Abaya, a descendant of Emilio Aguinaldo, and they have six children, including Francis Gerald and Joseph Emilio. He earned degrees from the University of the Philippines (A.A. and LL.B.) and lives in Kawit, Cavite.
His son Paul Plaridel Abaya ran for Congress in 2022 but lost to Jolo Revilla, ending the Abaya political presence in Cavite’s 1st district after 27 years.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 13:22 (CET).