Former CJ Panganiban: Aid the afflicted, the Rotarian way

Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, who had also been a past president of the Rotary Club of Manila is urging Filipinos, particularly living comfortable lives, to have "burning compassion" for the less privileged and the downtrodden by being a member of the Rotary. 

"Join the Rotary Club and be of service to our people, particularly to the afflicted, the imprisoned. Rotary is a brotherhood of friendship, and committee, based on the Four Way Test, most importantly, Is It the Truth. Everywhere, that should be the case. We should abide by what is true," said Panganiban during a joint Rotary Club of Manila and the Rotary Club of Forbes Park Membership Meeting at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City on Thursday.

Also, Panganiban thanked officers and members of the Rotary Club of Manila for honoring him with a tribute, being one of the most revered and popular presidents of the club — the biggest Rotary Club and the first in Asia.

'The Way We Were'

During his speech, Panganiban reminisced about the time when he became a member of RC Manila and associated the song "The Way We Were."

He became a member of the RC Manila in 1983 and took the helm as president from 1990 to 1991, governing the Club's 455 members at that time.

"Several members of the RC Manila during my presidency were Cabinet secretaries, senators, congressmen, justices, there were 40 talented doctors, 50 brilliant lawyers, several bank presidents, ambassadors, consuls, and executives of the top 300 companies in the country," he relayed.

Panganiban said his presidency had been guided by the Book of Isaiah Chapter 42, Verses 128: "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I am pleased; upon whom I put my Spirit. I, the Lord have called you for the victory of justice. I trust you by the hand, I formed you and I set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nation to open the eyes of the blind; to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon those who live in darkness."

"I can never forget the day that this discernment was made and confirmed. I could not believe that I was the chosen one the Lord has called for the victory of justice, to be a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring prisoners from confinement," he said, pertaining to his presidency of the RC Manila.

He said he also followed the commandments of the Lord, particularly to love God, and serve man.

Memorable case

CJ Panganiban was named Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1995 and was the chairperson of the SC's Third Division and the House of Representatives' Electoral Tribunal, as well as 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" Panganiban, during the last 10 years, penned more than 1,000 full-length decisions and 10 books plus several thousand-minute resolutions disposing of controversies.

He was named Supreme Court Chief Justice on 20 December 2005, by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo after Hilario Davide Jr. who preceded him, retired at age 70.

With his decades of experience as a lawyer, trial judge, and eventually the SC Chief Justice, Panganiban said that the most memorable case that he handled during his tenure as Chief Justice was the case that nearly changed the country's government — the attempt to change the country's Constitution in 2006 by means of a People's Initiative.

"There were objections to it because, number one, in our opinion in the SC, People's Initiative cannot be made to change a major part of the Constitution. It can only be done through some lines, but not to overhaul the Constitution by changing the form of the government from Presidential to Parliamentary, and to change the Chief Executive to Prime Minister," he said.

Voting 8 to 7 against the measure, the People's Initiative petition was denied by the Panganiban Court, he said.

When he became the Supreme Court Chief Justice, Panganiban relinquished his membership in the RC Manila. 

Philanthropy

After retiring at the age of 70 as SC Chief, Panganiban moved to various philanthropic endeavors but brought with him the RC Manila mantra, "Service Above Self."

He became board chairman of the Foundation for Liberty and Prosperity, president of the Manila Cathedral-Basilica Foundation, chairman of the board of advisers of the Metrobank Foundation, and trustee of the Tan Yan Kee Foundation, Claudio Teehankee Foundation, Asean Law Foundation, among many others.

In June 2019, the RC Manila  bestowed upon Panganiban a citation for his invaluable visionary guidance, outstanding professionalism, and exemplary leadership, and for being the only Rotary president to be chief justice of the country.

The Philippine Bar Association, on its 116th Foundation Day Celebration in April 2007, on the other hand, conferred Panganiban the "Award of Honor, citing him as "a principled and visionary leader by example; a prolific writer of the Supreme Court, bar none; a renaissance man and a nobly-souled and gifted jurist; a much sought-after speaker; a recipient of over 250 awards and citations from national and international entities and organizations, including several honorary doctoral degrees; an eminent lawyer, law professor, Catholic lay worker, civic leader, and businessman; a scholar imbued with mental dexterity; and, an exemplary family man."