Benny Abante

Benny Abante
Born	(1951-07-15) July 15, 1951 Santa Ana, Manila, Philippines
Occupation(s)	Legislator, Independent Baptist pastor
Years active	1975–present
Known for	Representative of Manila's 6th district, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (2020–2022), Minority Leader (2019–2020)

Bienvenido "Benny" Mirando Abante Jr. (born July 15, 1951) is a Filipino legislator and Independent Baptist pastor currently representing Manila's sixth district since 2019, a position he also occupied from 2004 until 2010. He held the office of Deputy Speaker between 2020 and 2022, served as Minority Leader from 2019 to 2020, and was a member of the Manila City Council from 1992 to 1995. Abante is the senior pastor at Metropolitan Bible Baptist Ekklesia located in Santa Ana, Manila.

Early life and education

Born on July 15, 1951, in Santa Ana, Manila, Abante is the eldest son among four brothers born to Bienvenido "Ben" O. Abante Sr. and Priscilla Mirando. Two of his younger siblings have also pursued careers as political ministers.

During his youth, Abante engaged in various jobs such as shoe shining, newspaper and corsage vending, as well as auditing work. He completed his undergraduate studies at Far Eastern University in 1971. Subsequently, he earned both bachelor's and graduate theological degrees from Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri and in Makati, respectively. Additionally, he holds a master's degree in Government Management from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.

Theological career

Abante established the Metropolitan Bible Baptist Church and Ministries in Santa Ana, Manila in 1975. He held leadership roles including president of Metropolitan Lighthouse Theological School and Institute in Quezon City, as well as administrator of Metropolitan International Christian Academy in Manila since 1985. Honorary theology degrees were conferred upon him by The Citadel Baptist College (1985) and Indianapolis Baptist College (1987).

In 1986, he founded the Bible Believers League for Morality and Democracy (BIBLEMODE). He also heads Abante International Ministries (AIM), Grace and Truth Community International Foundation, Inc., and Ben O. Abante Baptist Bible College.

Early Political Career

From 1992 to 1995, Abante served as a Councilor of Manila representing the 6th district. In 1993, he proposed an ordinance aimed at prohibiting films that glorify criminals or contain explicit sexual content, citing concerns over their detrimental effect on societal morals. The Manila City Hall Press Club honored him in 1994 for his contributions. Following his council term, he unsuccessfully campaigned for vice mayor in 1995 alongside Mel Lopez.

Between 1996 and 1998, he was commissioner at the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor and acted as special assistant to the national chairman of Lakas–NUCD in 2000.

Elections

Abante secured a seat in the House of Representatives in 2004 and retained it after reelection in 2007. He was defeated by Rosenda Ann "Sandy" Ocampo in 2010 and failed to reclaim the position during the 2013 and 2016 elections. Returning to office as Manila's 6th district Representative in 2019 under Asenso Manileño alongside mayoral candidate Isko Moreno, he triumphed over councilor Cassy Sison and Yvette Ocampo. He won reelection again in 2022.

In the elections held in 2025, Abante initially lost narrowly to councilor Joey Uy; however, following the disqualification of Uy's candidacy due to citizenship complications, Abante was declared the rightful winner. On June 30, 2025, COMELEC en banc confirmed his reelection, with his official proclamation as congressman occurring on July 8.

Tenure

Abante was designated as chairman of the Committee on Public Information. His legislative priorities encompassed areas such as health, education, social welfare, and infrastructure projects. Under his leadership, the committee examined the contentious Right of Reply Bill, which faced criticism from media organizations for potentially restricting press freedom. He also introduced an Anti-Sex Video Bill aimed at imposing stricter sanctions on producers of sexually explicit videos. As one of the main sponsors of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill during the 14th Congress, he witnessed the bill’s failure due to disputes over quorum.

On July 10, 2020, Abante was among 11 lawmakers who voted in favor of renewing the franchise for ABS-CBN, being one of only two representatives from Manila to support the initiative alongside Edward Maceda.

In late 2024, Abante led the Quad Committee tasked with investigating alleged extrajudicial killings and irregularities linked to the war on drugs during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s administration. Together with Santa Rosa Representative Danilo "Dan" Fernandez, he stepped down as co-chairman in November 2024 following allegations from former Mandaluyong City Police Chief Hector Grijaldo that they coerced him into affirming a drug war reward scheme.

During hearings conducted by QuadCom in February 2025, Abante reacted to accusations from a content creator—who claimed he shielded illegal drug activities—by uttering a profanity ("ah---namo," translating to "your mother"). This unexpected outburst caught committee members off guard and prompted Fernandez to remind him to uphold proper decorum.

LGBT issues

In 2010, Abante introduced legislation that would criminalize same sex unions, labeling such relationships as "highly immoral, scandalous, and detestable." The proposed measure sought to impose penalties including fines and imprisonment on both couples involved and officials who conducted such ceremonies.

He also put forward a bill aimed at formalizing heterosexual rights, which included safeguarding the freedom to express views on LGBT matters grounded in religious convictions and biblical teachings. Abante maintained that this legislation was necessary alongside measures protecting LGBT rights to ensure "justice, equity, and fair play," stressing that individuals should "be what God created us to be."

Abante opposes laws that specifically guarantee LGBT rights, considering these concerns primarily moral rather than legal rights issues. He fears such legislation might pave the way for legalizing same-sex marriages. He stood against the SOGIE Equality Bill, arguing that the constitution already provides adequate protections. Nevertheless, he asserts that he does not discriminate against members of the LGBT community and recognizes having supporters from that group.

Pornography

Abante has championed laws aimed at banning pornography. His House Bill No. 3305, which passed in the House in 2008, criminalizes the production of pornographic videos regardless of whether participants are adults or minors or whether involvement was consensual.

Capital punishment

Abante advocates for capital punishment in cases involving crimes such as drug trafficking, massacres, child rape, and rape-slay. He supported former president Rodrigo Duterte’s initiative to reinstate the death penalty for drug-related offenses and other heinous crimes.

Personal life

In 1977, Abante wed Marie Paz Toledo, and together they have three children. Their daughter, Priscilla Marie, who practices law, held the position of Manila councilor representing the 6th district from 2013 until 2022 and was appointed spokesperson for the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 2025. Meanwhile, their son, Benny Fog III, has been serving as the current councilor for the same district since 2022.

2010

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