DND Secretary Gibo Teodoro, House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan (Facebook. PPAB)

Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. shared a little known fact about House Minority Leader Marcelino "Nonoy" Libanan during the agency's budget deliberation at the House of Representatives Thursday, Sept. 7. 

Libanan was among those who interpellated Teodoro during the Committee on Appropriations' hearing on the DND's proposed P229-billion budget for 2024. 

After Libanan's interpellation and endorsement of the DND budget, Teodoro said: "Salamat po sa ating great, great grandson ng ating bayaning so Valentin Diaz po na papangalanan ang isang barko ng ating Philippines Navy." 

(Thank you to the great, great grandson of our hero, Valentin Diaz, of whom a Philippine Navy vessel would be named after.) 

Libanan, who represents 4Ps Party-list in Philippine Congress, confirmed this to the Manila Bulletin on Friday, Sept. 8. 

"Yes. My great, grand mother is Basilia Diaz, daughter of Valentin and Candida Diaz. Itinago ang great lola ko sa Samar during the Phil-Am war (My great grandmother was hidden in Samar during the Philippine-American war)," he said. 

Wikipedia said Valentin Diaz joined the likes fellow patriots Andres Bonifacio in founding the Katipunan--the group that fought for Philippine independence against Spain--in 1896. He was the the treasurer of the organization. 

BRP Valentin Diaz and BRP Ladislao Diwa (Philippine Navy)

The Paoay, Ilocos Norte-born Valentin was also a member of La Liga Filipina, which José Rizal founded to peacefully promote reforms in the Spanish colonial administration. 

Valentin was also one of the signatories of the Pact of Biak-na-Bato in 1897. He died on December 11, 1916 at the age of 71. 

Libanan also confirmed the christening of the BRP Valentin Diaz (PS177) on Monday, Sept. 11.