Ambrosio Padilla

Ambrosio Padilla studied at the Ateneo high school and college, where he captained the basketball team leading their Blue Eagles to the 1928 NCAA varsity championships. He then attended the law school of the University of the Philippines and received his PhD in civil law at the University of Santo Tomas. Padilla represented the Philippines at the 1930 and 1934 Far Eastern Games, winning gold both times. At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, he acted as captain of the Filipino basketball team, placing fifth with just one loss against eventual gold medal winner United States. When Padilla retired from competitive sports, he was appointed chairman of the Basketball Committee of the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation (PAAF), a position that he held for 16 years.

From 1956-64 he served as Vice-President of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), later as President, and subsequently as Secretary-General of the Asian Basketball Confederation. In 1970, Padilla became President of the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation, later the Philippine Olympic Committee.

Pursuing a legal career, the President of the Philippines appointed him as Solicitor General in 1954. Three years later Padilla was elected for the Senate and served as a member until 1972. He opposed the martial law imposed by President Marcos. After the People Power Revolution in 1986, he was vice-chairman of the commission that drafted the new constitution.

Posthumously, Padilla was inducted into the Philippine National Basketball Hall of Fame.