 Prior to accepting the UN post, Salas served as executive secretary to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos until a falling-out on policy differences prompted his resignation from the Marcos government.Salas was born in Bago City, Negros Occidental, Philippines on August 7, 1928, one of three children of Ernesto Araneta Salas and Isabel Neri Montinola.After World War II, Salas went to Manila to continue his education and obtained his B.A.