Artemio Panganiban

Artemio Villaseñor Panganiban Jr. (born December 7, 1937) is a Filipino jurist.

Panganiban was born on December 7, 1937, in Manila in a poor family.

His parents were Artemio Panganiban Sr. and Patricia Villaseñor.

He graduated with "Honorable Mention" from the Juan Luna Elementary School in 1950.

He also finished with "Honorable Mention" from the Victorino Mapa High School in 1954.

He earned a degree of Associate in Arts summa cum laude at the Far Eastern University in 1956.

He was a founder and former president of the National Union of Students of the Philippines from 1958 to 1959 and legal consultant to the Education Secretary and to the National Board of Education from 1963 to 1965.

Prior to his graduation, he was named as the 1959 "Most Outstanding Stuudent" of Far Eastern University.

He also earned a degree of Bachelor of Laws, and graduated cum laude also at the Far Eastern University in 1960.

In the 1960 Philippine Bar Examination, he placed sixth, with a rating of 89.55%.

Panganiban started as an Associate Lawyer and apprentice of Jovito Salonga at the Salonga, Ordoñez and Associates Law Office from 1961 to 1963.

According to Panganiban, his biggest heroes were Jose W. Diokno, the father of human rights, Salonga his mentor, and future Chief Justice Claudio Teehankee; Panganiban could not find sufficient funds to continue his scholarship offer in Yale, so Salonga, a Yale alumnus, brought him under his wing to teach him all he learned from Yale and all he knew of the law.

He taught law and political science at the Far Eastern University, Assumption Convent, and San Sebastian College from 1961 to 1970.

In 1963, the young Panganiban formed his own law firm PABLAW (Panganiban, Benitez, Parlade, Africa and Barinaga Law Offices), which he headed until he joined the Supreme Court in 1995.

He became a bank director of the International Corporate Bank (which is now owned by the Union Bank of the Philippines) from 1972 to 1974.

He was the president of Arpan Tourism Industries Corp. from 1974 to 1993 and Baron Travel Corporation from 1967 to 1993.

He also became the vice president of the Legal Management Council of the Philippines from 1976 to 1977.

From 1978 to 1981, he was a consultant of the World Tourism Organization and was an honorary consul of the Republic of Honduras from 1981 to 1983.

Panganiban was the Chief legal counsel of the Liberal Party from 1987 to 1991 and was president of the Philippine Daily Inquirer from 1991 to 1992.

He was also the governor of the Management Association of the Philippines and president of the Rotary Club of Manila.

He was also the former president of Philippine-Finland Association and RCM Eyebank Foundation Inc.

He was the Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), 1991–1995.

He was Chief Legal Counsel of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), 1991–1995, and the only Filipino appointed by Pope John Paul II to the Pontifical Council for the Laity.

He was Chair of Workshop on Administration of Justice, Multi-Sectoral Conference convened to discuss the first 100-day and first 1,000-day programs of President Fidel Ramos, held on June 13, 1992, and on October 17, 1992, respectively.

He was Legal Counsel of the Manila Archdiocesan and Parochial Schools Association – MAPSA from May 7, 1993 – October 9, 1995.

Panganiban was named as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1995.

Justice Panganiban was the chairperson of the Supreme Court Third Division and the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET), as well as of seven SC committees involved mainly in judicial reforms.

Described by a colleague (Justice Antonio T. Carpio) as “undoubtedly the most prolific writer of the Court, bar none” he has during the last ten years penned more than 1,000 full-length decisions and ten books plus several thousand minute resolutions disposing of controversies.

These include the Cocofed case, in which the court gave the Presidential Commission on Good Government the right to vote sequestered United Coconut Planters Bank shares, which had been acquired through Coco Levy funds.

In 1997, he was given an honorary doctorate degree in law by the University of Iloilo.

Panganiban was granted a University of the Philippines scholarship, but failed to enroll because his impoverished parents could not afford the then 15-centavo bus ride between Diliman and the family's small rented apartment in Cataluna Street, Sampaloc, Manila (nonetheless he was bestowed in 1998 with a membership in the UP Chapter of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society).

Panganiban was also known for his controversial role in helping install then Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as president in 2001 after the downfall of Joseph Estrada.

In his book "Reforming the Judiciary," Panganiban recounted that on the morning of January 20, 2001, militants had threatened to march toward Don Chino Roces (Mendiola) Bridge, where Estrada supporters were encamped, unless he resigned.

Chaos could have ensued, especially because the government machinery had fallen down, Panganiban said in his book.

He also worried that the Vice President could not act because Estrada was still the legal leader.

On the other hand, a coup d'état might be staged, and that could obliterate the Constitution.

These led Panganiban to conclude that "the only way to avert violence, chaos and bloodshed and to save our democratic system from collapse was to have Mrs. Arroyo sworn in as Acting President."

Panganiban was also conferred a Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) degree by the Far Eastern University in 2002, by the University of Cebu in 2006, by Angeles University, in 2006, and by the Bulacan State University, in 2006.

He served as the 21st Supreme Court Chief Justice of the Philippines from 2005 to 2007.

Panganiban's 2008 occupation is: Philippine Daily Inquirer column writer; adviser, consultant and/or independent director of several business, civic, non-government and religious groups.