JUSTICE IN PROFILE
CHIEF JUSTICE Hilario G. Davide, Jr.
CHIEF JUSTICE Hilario G. Davide,
Jr. (Philippines)
has always been a leader by example. His professional
life has been, for the most part, devoted to public service.
He is known to maintain his professional competence and integrity amidst attempts
to influence his official action and judgment. His service record stands as proof
that a public servant can make a difference without being beholden
to any interest other than the public.
“Jun,” as he is known to his relatives and friends, was born on December 20, 1935 in the remote barangay of Colawin, in Argao, Cebu.
He went to Argao Elementary School and Abellana Vocational High School for his primary and secondary schooling, respectively. In college, he went to the University of the Philippines. He initially took up Associate in Arts in 1955. In the same year, he entered the U.P. College of Law as an entrance scholar. A year later, he became a member of the Order of the Purple Feather, the College’s honor society. He also became a member of the Student Editorial Board of the College’s legal publication, the Philippine Law Journal. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Jurisprudence in 1958, and his law degree in 1959. In his last year in the U.P. College of Law, he became a member of two international honor societies, the Phi Kappa Phi and the Pi Gamma Mu.
He was thrust in the government service early on in his professional career. From 1959 to 1963, he became the Private Secretary to the Vice-Governor of the Province of Cebu, and then to its Governor. And, like his parents, he also became involved with the academe. From 1962 to 1968, he was a faculty member of the College of Law of Southwestern University in Cebu City. This university would later confer upon Chief Justice Davide his Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) degree (1999).
He was later elected as delegate of the 4th district of Cebu to the Constitutional Convention (CONCON) in 1971. He became Chairman of the Committee on Duties and Obligations of Citizens and Ethics of Public Officials. He was among the three delegates to the CONCON who introduced the most number of reform proposals.
The reforms adopted under the CONCON were, however, short-lived.
Public unrest over deteriorating economic conditions and
the suppression of political rights, as well as the desire
of the Marcos regime to perpetuate itself in power, heralded
the declaration of martial law in 1972.
Chief Justice Davide became one of martial law’s staunch
critics. In 1978, he was elected assemblyman for Cebu in
the Interim Batasang Pambansa. An oppositionist in the ruling
party-dominated legislative body, he was its first Minority
Floor Leader. As assemblyman, he filed the most number of
bills of national significance, as well as resolutions to
lift martial law. He also sought legislative investigations
of graft and corruption in government and reported violations
of human rights.
Shortly after the overthrow of the Marcos regime through
the “People Power” revolt in February 1986,
then President Corazon C. Aquino convened the Constitutional
Commission (CONCOM) of 1986, and appointed Chief Justice
Davide one of the fifty Commissioners. He was the Chairman
of the CONCOM’s Committee on the Legislative Power,
and a member of the Committees on the Executive Power, the
Judiciary, Style and Public Hearings.
As Chairman of the Committee on Legislative Power, he was
the principal author and sponsor of Article VI of the 1987
Constitution on the Legislative Department. He was also
the sponsor of the Ordinance appended to the 1987 Constitution
providing for the apportionment of seats in the House of
Representatives. He submitted the most number of resolutions,
a majority of which were incorporated in the Committee reports.
In February 1988, President Aquino appointed Chief Justice
Davide as Chairman of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).
He was the principal sponsor of COMELEC’s rules of
procedure. While serving in the COMELEC, he was designated
as Chairman of the Presidential Fact-finding Commission
created pursuant to Administrative Order No. 146. It was
a task to conduct an investigation of the 1989 rebellion
and the involvement in it of military and civilian officials
and private persons. On the basis of a bill which was certified
by the President to Congress and which later became Republic
Act No. 6832, this Commission was superseded by a Fact-finding
Commission to conduct a thorough investigation of the failed
coup d ‘etat of December 1989, and recommend measures
to prevent the occurrence of similar attempts at a violent
seizure of power. Chief Justice Davide was appointed as
Chairman and he was deemed resigned as Chairman of the COMELEC.
He was appointed as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
on January 24, 1991. From January 2, 1996 to August 30,
1997, he sat as a member of the Senate Electoral Tribunal.
He was also the Working Chairman of the Court’s Third
Division from January 2, 1996 to September 7, 1997, and
Chairman of the House of Representative Electoral Tribunal
from September 1, 1997 to November 30, 1998.
Chief Justice Davide was appointed by President Joseph Ejercito Estrada on 30 November 1998 as the 20th Chief Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court. Forthwith, from which he retired on December 20, 2005.
This profile appears on the website of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
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