Renato "Rene" Salud de Villa (born July 20, 1935) is a Filipino former police and military officer and government official. He served as Chief of Philippine Constabulary, Director-General of the Integrated National Police, and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He then served as Secretary of National Defense under presidents Corazon Aquino and Fidel V. Ramos. He founded Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma for his unsuccessful presidential bid in 1998. He then briefly served as Executive Secretary under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Early life and education Renato de Villa was born on July 20, 1935, in San Juan, Batangas. He completed his elementary education at San Juan Elementary School, and completed high school at Batangas Eastern Academy, also in San Juan. He studied engineering for one year at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila before taking and passing the entrance exam for the Philippine Military Academy. De Villa has a master's degree in Business Management from the Asian Institute of Management. Career Armed Forces of the Philippines De Villa served as Chief of Philippine Constabulary and Director-General of the Integrated National Police in 1986 and was concurrent Vice-Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in 1987. In 1988, he was promoted to Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces by President Corazon Aquino. In 1989, he defended President Corazon Aquino against coup plots in Manila by Gregorio Honasan's Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) and the siege of an army camp by Rizal Alih in Zamboanga City. Awards in military service Presidential Medal of Merit (Philippines) Outstanding Achievement Medal Visayas Anti-Dissidence Campaign Medal Mindanao Anti-dissidence Campaign Medal Long Service Medal Disaster Relief & Rehabilitation Operation Ribbon Military Commendation Medal Secretary of National Defense In 1991, Fidel Ramos resigned as Defense secretary to run for president. Aquino appointed de Villa as his replacement. When Ramos won as president in 1992, he reappointed de Villa to the post. 1998 presidential election In 1997, he resigned as Defense secretary and made his bid for the presidency. He joined Lakas-NUCD the same year to get Ramos' endorsement. De Villa was widely believed to be the preferred candidate of President Fidel V. Ramos, due to their long association in the Philippine Constabulary, shared experience in the EDSA Revolution, and appointment as Secretary of National Defense. However, in December 1997, Ramos endorsed House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr.,