Lawrence Fortun

Fortun is a sports enthusiast. He is into running, cycling, badminton and football. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the Philippine Football Federation serving from 2019 to 2023 and President of the Butuan-Agusan Norte Football Association.

Representative Fortun bravely took positions consistent with rule of law and human rights on several controversial issues in the House. He was among the few Members who voted against the Death Penalty Bill and was the lone dissenter in the Committee on Justice against the bill lowering the minimum age of criminal liability from 15 years old to 9 years of age. In the impeachment proceedings against former Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno, he was one of only four Justice Committee members to oppose the committee’s policy not to allow counsels for the respondent to cross-examine witnesses and resource persons. He also was among the few House members who stood up against the infamous P1,000.00 budget for the Commission on Human Rights saying “Congress should strengthen democratic institutions, not weaken them.” Fortun was one of 20 legislators who introduced a resolution upholding the independence of the Ombudsman at the height of attacks against the Office in 2017. He vigorously opposed the non-renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN on the ground of press freedom and preservation of jobs of over ten thousand breadwinners in the middle of a pandemic. Asserting fundamental rights and freedoms and adherence to the Constitution, Representative Fortun voted against the Anti-Terror Bill.

He has been chosen part of the five-member contingent of the House of Representatives to two oversight committees constituted jointly with the Senate, namely, the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Visiting Forces Agreement and the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Automated Election Law. In the 17th Congress (2016-2019), he sat in the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Clean Air Act and the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Clean Water Act.

He sought for higher office in the 2013 Philippine general election where he ran and won for a seat in the House of Representatives to represent the 1st District of Agusan del Norte.

Fortun's political career began when he was elected to the Butuan City Council in 2007. Thereafter he was elected Vice Mayor in 2010 and shepherded the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Butuan into passing historic and landmark legislations such as the Butuan City Watershed Code, the Butuan City Public-Private Partnership Code, the Butuan City Gender and Development Code, the Organic Farming Code, the Butuan City Shelter Code and the Ordinance Creating the Persons with Disabilities Office. He introduced the codification, tracking and archiving system that significantly contributed to the transparency and efficiency of the Sanggunian. Under his watch, the Butuan City Council was chosen National Finalist in a Search for Most Outstanding Sangguniang Panlungsod by the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

He graduated from Father Saturnino Urios University with a degree in political science. He finished his law degree at San Sebastian College – Recoletos and was admitted to the bar in 2001.

Lawrence Lemuel Hernandez Fortun, also known as Law Fortun, (born August 7, 1971) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who is serving as the vice mayor of Butuan since June 30, 2022. He previously served as a member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines representing Agusan del Norte's 1st congressional district from 2013 to 2022.

Fortun was born on August 7, 1971 in Butuan City, the son of Camilo Fortun and Geraldine Hernandez-Fortun. His father was a former member of the Butuan City Council and an opposition leader during the Marcos regime.