After his 1984 election as an assemblyman to the Regular Batasang Pambansa, he was appointed Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry Administrator of the Export Processing Zone Authority (now Philippine Export Zone Authority). In August 1986, Cayetano became acting secretary general of the revived
Nacionalista Party. However, by early 1987, the party had splintered into three different factions, with his wing being named after the late senator
Jose Roy and becoming largely composed of former members of the
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan. In 1998, former President
Fidel V. Ramos conferred on Cayetano the
Legion of Honor; and the Philippine Jaycees chose him as TOYM finalist in the field of law. Earlier, the Order of the Purple Feather of the UP College of Law adopted him as member and the Philippine Jaycees named him as outstanding Jaycees president. The University of Michigan and Princeton University in United States gave him various grants. He also received a doctorate in humanities, honoris causa, by Misamis University in 1997. In 1995, he was appointed chief presidential counsel by Former President Ramos. In recognition of his efforts in crime prevention and improvement of the criminal justice system, he was named Vice Chairman of the Presidential Anti-Crime Commission (PACC).
Legislator In May 1998, Cayetano was elected senator, garnering the second highest number of votes. The freshman senator became the Chairman of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights and Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs. He is also the Minority Leader of the Commission on Appointments and was a member of the Judicial Bar Council and BIR Oversight Committee. Before the
11th Congress adjourned February 9, he became the
Senate Minority Leader Floor Leader, making him an ex-officio member of all Senate committees. In his first term as a lawmaker, Senator Cayetano has filed a number of Senate bills and resolutions aimed at speeding up the dispensation of justice for criminal cases and in curbing graft and corruption. Through his efforts, the Supreme Court issued Administrative Order 51-96 designating special criminal courts in Metro Manila and other cities to hear cases involving heinous crimes and finish the trial within 60 days. A strong exponent of the rights of the consuming public, he filed Resolution No. 579 and fought for the ban on collection of parking fees by shopping malls. The Senate Committee on Commerce and Industry jointly with the Justice and Human Rights Committee found the collection of parking fees, and the provisions of the waiver of liability, stated in parking tickets are illegal. He authored and co-authored landmark pieces of legislation during the 11th Congress which includes RA 8972 –"An Act to Facilitate the Acquisition of Right-of-Way, Site or Location for National Government Infrastructure Projects and for Other Purposes"; RA 8975 – An act to Ensure the Expeditious Implementation and Completion of Government Infrastructure Projects by prohibiting Lower Courts from Issuing a Temporary Restraining Orders, Preliminary Injunctions or Preliminary Mandatory Injunctions", RA 8799 – The Securities Regulation Code; RA 8749 "An Act providing for a Comprehensive Air Pollution Control Policy, and For Other Purposes (Clean Air Act); RA 8792 – "An Act Providing for and Electronic Commerce Law and for Other Purposes (E-Commerce Law) RA 9139 – "Administrative Naturalization Law of 2000"; RA 9136 – Electronic Power Industry Reform Act of 2201" and RA 9006 – The Fair Elections Act. He was also responsible for Republic Act 9048 aimed at correcting clerical and typographical errors in an entry in personal legal documents as the city or municipality civil register level. During the
impeachment trial of former President Estrada, he was one of the ten Senator-Judges who voted for the opening of the second envelope, an event that triggered
People Power II, which eventually led to the ousting of the former president. He is the Chair of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture, and the Senate Committee on Energy for the
12th Congress. ==Death==