Emilio de la Paz Jr.

In 1984, during the dictatorship of President Ferdinand Marcos, de la Paz was invited to run alongside Bobbit Sanchez in the Batasang Pambansa (transl. National Assembly) election for assemblyman of the district of Pasig–Marikina under the UNIDO electoral opposition alliance, but was hesitant to become a candidate due to his lack of funds. Barangay captain Harry Singh of Marikina Heights and his two colleagues attempted to convince him further, but when he remained unmoved, they decided to file a certificate of candidacy with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in de la Paz's name, which they later presented to de la Paz to finally persuade him to run.^[5] During an UNIDO-Laban party meeting, former Marikina councilor Rodolfo B. Valentino became his campaign manager while Singh became his tactician.^{[6][better source needed]}

Both de la Paz and Sanchez won their seats representing the district of Pasig–Marikina,^[7] defeating candidates Danny Floro and Dindo Fernando, who both ran under the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL; transl. New Society Movement), the administration party established by President Marcos.^{[6][better source needed]} As an assemblyman, de la Paz made Singh his chief of staff.

In early 1986, after the ouster of President Marcos and his family in the People Power Revolution, de la Paz was appointed by President Corazon Aquino as an undersecretary at the Ministry of Justice (later the Department of Justice).^[1] On July 9, 1986, de la Paz was sworn in as deputy minister of justice.^[3] Barangay captain Harry Singh later credited de la Paz with recommending Rodolfo Valentino's appointment as mayor of Marikina to President Aquino in 1986.^[8]

As an undersecretary of justice during the Aquino administration, de la Paz assisted political detainees from the Marcos dictatorship in seeking legal recourse for their criminal charges.^[9]