Robinhood Ferdinand "Robin" Cariño Padilla (; born November 23, 1969), also known by his Muslim name Abdul Aziz, is a Filipino actor and politician serving as senator of the Philippines. He is known as the "Bad Boy" of Philippine cinema for portraying anti-hero gangster roles in films such as Anak ni Baby Ama (1990), Grease Gun Gang (1992), Bad Boy (1990), and Bad Boy II (1992).
Born to actor and politician Roy Padilla Sr. and actress Eva Cariño, Padilla began his career in the film industry as a teenager upon being introduced to filmmaker Deo Fajardo Jr. in 1984. Some time prior to 1995, Padilla briefly became a communist rebel.
Padilla was imprisoned in August 1995 for illegal ownership of three firearms related to a driving incident in 1992. During his imprisonment, Padilla converted to Islam, and was granted a conditional pardon by President Fidel V. Ramos in April 1998 after serving three years in prison. He would later be granted an absolute pardon by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016.
Padilla was elected to the Senate in the 2022 elections, earning the second most number of votes in a senate election in Philippine history. He assumed office in the Senate on June 30, 2022, becoming the first Muslim senator of the Philippines since Santanina Rasul, who served in the Senate until 1995.
Padilla is a self-affirmed loyalist of Duterte and an admirer of former president Ferdinand Marcos. Padilla assumed the presidency of the Duterte-aligned Partido Demokratiko Pilipino party on July 24, 2024; he took leave from the position in June 2025. In 2025 and 2026, he repeatedly voiced his intention to prevent the convening of impeachment trials against Vice President Sara Duterte. On May 14, 2026, Padilla assisted Senator Ronald dela Rosa in escaping the GSIS Building after a three-day standoff at the Senate involving dela Rosa's attempt to evade law enforcement serving an International Criminal Court warrant against him.
Early life and education Robinhood Ferdinand Cariño Padilla was born on November 23, 1969, in Daet, Camarines Norte to Casimero "Roy" Padilla Sr. (1926–1988) and actress Lolita Eva Cariño (born 1936).Admin Robin's Bio . Bad Boy of Philippines Movies, retrieved August 9, 2010 He has at least 48 siblings, among whom are half-brothers Roberto (1947–2014), Roy Jr. (1948–), Ronaldo (1962–1988), Roger, Ricarte (born 1965) and Rodolfo ("Gino"; 1974/1975–2002), half-sisters Rebecca and Carmela, brothers Randolf (d. 1980s), Royette (1962–2021), and Rommel (born 1965), and sisters Rowena (born 1959), Roda, and Richelda (born 1971); one of his siblings, BB Gandanghari (formerly Rustom; 1967–), is transgender, while his youngest full sibling, Romulus, died at four days old. In spite of media reports in the 2010s that Padilla is half-Ibaloi from his mother's side, Ibaloi representatives of the prominent Cariño clan of Benguet denied this claim, though they accepted Padilla as an "honorary cousin" out of goodwill and hospitality.
Padilla's father was an actor, labor leader and politician who served as assemblyman from 1984 to 1986 and was appointed governor of Camarines Norte from 1986 to 1988;De Leon, Mitch; Jimenez, Dessa M.; and Reyes, Shiela G. (June 1, 2010). Robin's derring-do ABS-CBN News retrieved February 20, 2012 he was assassinated during his gubernatorial election campaign on January 17, 1988, with Robin's half-brother Roy Jr. running in his stead. Robin's two other siblings, Randy and mayor-elect Ronaldo of Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte died before he was 18 years old.
Padilla took his elementary education at Siena College of Quezon City and attended high school at Saint Louis University Boys' High School. During high school, Padilla was into breakdancing with friends. He discontinued his studies when he was 17 to pursue his acting career.
He finished his bachelor's degree in criminology at Philippine College of Criminology.
Acting career
Padilla played his first major role in the 1985 comedy film Public Enemy No. 2: Maraming Number Two starring Eddie Garcia and Nida Blanca. In 1991, Padilla played the lead roles in the films Maging Sino Ka Man and Ang Utol Kong Hoodlum.Jimenez, Alex (1998). ROBIN PADILLA: COMEBACK OR DEATH WISH? PHNO Newsflash retrieved February 20, 2012 Padilla figured in a filming accident when an explosion scene for Ang Utol Kong Hoodlum burned the actor, leaving scars around his abdomen and arms.Lo, Ricardo F. (May 23, 2001). Robin's derring-do , The Philippine Star; retrieved February 20, 2012.
Padilla wrote and starred in the 1996 film Anak, Pagsubok Lamang ng Diyos which was shot almost entirely inside the New Bilibid Prison, where Padilla was incarcerated. After his release, Padilla starred in the 1998 film Tulak ng Bibig, Kabig ng Dibdib and was again injured while filming after his stunt car flipped and landed on its roof.
In 1999, Padilla crossed over to television programs through the ABS-CBN comedy show Pwedeng Pwede. In 2000, Padilla starred alongside singer Regine Velasquez in the romantic comedy Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw, which became his most successful film at the box office since before his arrest. During production, he was convinced by Velasquez and director Joyce Bernal to wear makeup for the first time. In 2002, he reprised his role as Anghel in the film Hari ng Selda: Anak ni Baby Ama 2, a sequel to the 1990 film. The following year, he top-billed his first primetime action-drama series, Basta't Kasama Kita. In 2005, he did two films: the horror thriller Kulimlim and the comedy La Visa Loca. He won the award for Best Actor in the 2006 Gawad Urian Awards. He has also been dubbed the "Prince of Action" in Philippine cinema.
Padilla's association with ABS-CBN concluded in 2006. He subsequently transitioned to GMA Network, taking on a prominent role in the 2007 TV series Asian Treasures along with Angel Locsin. Additionally, Padilla inked a two-film deal with GMA Films, featuring in Till I Met You and the 2009 horror-suspense film Sundo in collaboration with Viva Films. Subsequently, Padilla chose not to renew his exclusive contract, allowing him the flexibility to work on films for various production outfits, including Star Cinema Productions, FLT Films, Millennium Cinema, and GMA Films. During the same period, he portrayed the titular characters in the television series Joaquin Bordado and Totoy Bato, both of which are based on comic book characters created by Carlo J. Caparas.
In 2010, Padilla returned to ABS-CBN. His projects with the network included the 2011 sitcom Toda Max. In 2011, Padilla directed his first TV commercial under his own production company, RCP Productions.
In 2013, Padilla once again returned to GMA Network, where he featured in a cameo role in Adarna alongside his daughter Kylie Padilla. He also played the lead role in the 2013 action thriller 10,000 Hours under Viva Films, winning the Best Actor award in the 39th Metro Manila Film Festival and Actor of the Year in the 2014 Box Office Entertainment Awards.
On December 1, 2015, he again returned to ABS-CBN and was one of the judges for the fifth season of talent competition show Pilipinas Got Talent. He was also one of the judges in the succeeding season in 2018. His stint as a PGT judge had multiple controversies.
In December 2025, Padilla signed a contract with Viva Communications to star in the third installment of the Bad Boy film series from the 1990s.
Advocacies Padilla has been an anti-malaria advocate since 2004. He became the spokesperson for the Department of Health's "Movement Against Malaria" campaign, appearing in infomercials to promote the use of mosquito nets.Entertainment and Community (June 2008). Busy celebs don't forget to share their blessings . Filipino Journal retrieved November 27, 2011Calderon, Ricky. Robin Padilla Smirks . One Philippines retrieved November 27, 2011
In 2007, Padilla established the Liwanag ng Kapayapaan Foundation, a pre-school for underprivileged Muslim children in Quezon City. Padilla temporarily closed the school after it failed to acquire the necessary government permits to continue operations. In September 2010, the school re-opened.
Padilla has also promoted Muay Thai in the Philippines, and donated to the Muay Association of the Philippines where he also served as chairman.
Padilla is a supporter of former President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-drug war, hailing the campaign as "most successful" and saying that extrajudicial killings are a legitimate part of the government's anti-crime strategy.
Military career Padilla joined the military and became a reserve officer in the Armed Forces of the Philippines with the rank of captain. He held the rank of reserve Lieutenant Colonel as of March 2024. On July 30, 2020, he was elected by the Army's Multi-Sectoral Advisory Board as its new Strategic Communication Committee chairperson. In December 2021, Padilla and other reservists running in the 2022 elections were relieved of their posts "to ensure the organization's non-partisanship" though the Army clarified this did not relieve them of being in the reserve force of the army.
Political career Padilla attempted to enter politics in 1995 when he ran for Vice Governor of Nueva Ecija as an independent candidate from prison. His arrival at the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) with armed bodyguards to file his certificate of candidacy (COC) went against the Omnibus Election Code, although the COMELEC chairperson decided not to file charges against Padilla in the absence of a "complainant". He was later endorsed by the Lakas–NUCD–UMDP and became the running-mate of its nominee for governor, Virginia Perez–Custodio. However, they both lost their bids. Padilla garnered 209,501 votes against 285,812 votes of the incumbent Vice Governor Oscar Tinio, who was running under NPC–BALANE.
After he lost the election, Padilla evaded rearrest with the assistance of two of his bodyguards by shuttling between Metro Manila and Camarines Norte, but he eventually surrendered to police authorities by August 1995.
Senate of the Philippines (2022–present)
On October 8, 2021, Padilla filed his COC for senator under PDP–Laban for the 2022 election. His platforms include pushing for anti-criminality measures, a crackdown on illegal drugs, the establishment of federalism and legislating community policing. Padilla stated that he is also against giving tax incentives for foreign investors and seeks to increase the minimum income of Filipino families to encourage Overseas Filipino Workers to go back home. He also said he would be hiring lawyers to help him draft laws if he win.
Padilla won a seat in the Senate, topping the vote count and breaking the record for most votes cast during a senate election in the history of the Philippines. He believes it was his platform on federalism and not solely his popularity as an actor that led to his win. Senator Win Gatchalian, who is a reelectionist and in the UniTeam alliance coalition like Padilla, has vouched for Padilla as a representative for Muslims in the Senate. Following his win, Padilla announced that he would hire lawyer Salvador Panelo to help him fulfill his role as senator. He also hired his family's decades-long counsel Rudolf Philip Jurado as his chief of staff, Bangsamoro-based human rights lawyer Algamar Latiph as his chief legislative officer, and former actress Nadia Montenegro as his political officer.
In the 19th Congress, he voted to elect Migz Zubiri as Senate President, thus becoming part of the majority bloc. He, however, abstained in the election of Joel Villanueva as Senate Majority Leader. Padilla is the current Chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes and the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs.