Justice Lopez leaves SC with a legacy of fairness

Supreme Court Associate Justice Mario V. Lopez has retired on reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70, ending a 45-year legal career marked by dedication to justice, reform, and education.

Lopez will formally step down from the High Court today, 4 June, following a retirement ceremony held the day before at the Supreme Court session hall. He was appointed to the Supreme Court in December 2019 by President Rodrigo Duterte after serving 13 years as associate justice of the Court of Appeals.

In his farewell remarks, Lopez described the work of a Supreme Court justice as both difficult and fulfilling. “This job was not easy,” he said. “But in it, I found both challenges and inspiration.”

His time on the bench coincided with the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, which transformed court work into a 24/7 job. “There were no more working hours,” Lopez recalled. “We worked anytime, anywhere — even from home.”

Lopez shared how the justices’ weekly deliberations demanded intense preparation, noting that some of his colleagues could cite case numbers and dates from memory.

He spoke warmly of his fellow justices, including one who always had a joke to lighten the mood and another known for asking the pointed question: “So, must it be?”

He said that Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo often kept his views private until the end of a debate, making his position difficult to predict.

Known for his fair and compassionate rulings, Lopez specialized in criminal and family law. He emphasized the importance of context and humanity in judicial decision-making.

Among his most notable opinions was a vote to reduce the sentence of an individual who had received an eight-year prison term for stealing a small amount.

In another case, he voted to acquit a government worker convicted of graft over just P1,000. “Fourteen years in jail for P1,000?” he said. “That’s not justice.”

Lopez was also a strong advocate for judicial wellness, helping establish mental health and stress assessment programs for judges, along with improved health benefits across the judiciary.

Beyond the courtroom, Lopez contributed to legal education.

As chair of the 2023 bar exams, he pushed integrity and accountability among aspiring lawyers. He also published a book containing QR codes linking to the full text of his major decisions — a first in the Philippine judiciary.

“Court decisions should not only be legally sound but understandable,” Lopez said. “The law must make sense to people.”

Addressing court officials and personnel during his final flag ceremony on 2 June, Lopez called his tenure “a profound privilege—a duty full of responsibilities and challenges.”

He urged them to “always remember the human side of justice—because behind every case is a story, a life affected.”

Lopez obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree, cum laude, at San Beda College. He began his public service career in 1981 as a technical assistant and hearing officer at the Central Bank of the Philippines (now Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas), later joining the Office of the Ombudsman as a special prosecution officer.

He was appointed regional trial court judge in 1994 and was honored in 2005 with the Chief Justice Ramon Avanceña Award for Outstanding RTC Judge and Best Decision in a Civil Case. In 2013, he received the Service Award of the Province of La Union.

Closing his retirement speech with humor and humility, Lopez said: “Today, I’m the oldest justice. Tomorrow, I’ll be the youngest retiree,” drawing warm applause from the courtroom audience.

With his departure, the Judicial and Bar Council has submitted a shortlist of 12 nominees to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who will have the opportunity to make his first appointment to the 15-member Supreme Court.

Under the Constitution, the President has 90 days from the date of vacancy to name Lopez’s successor.

There are 12 nominees for the post vacated by Lopez. They are Court of Appeals Associate Justice Nina Geluz Antonio-Valenzuela, CA Associate Justice Ramon M. Bato Jr., newly appointed Solicitor General Darlene Marie B. Berberabe, CA Associate Justice Ramon A. Cruz, CA Associate Justice Maria Elisa Sempio Diy, CA Associate Justice Myra V. Garcia-Fernandez, CA Presiding Justice Fernanda Lampas Peralta, CA Associate Justice Ronaldo Roberto B. Martin, Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Karl B. Miranda, CA Associate Justice Walter S. Ong, Court of Tax Appeals Associate Maria Rowena M. San Pedro, and SC Court Administrator Raul B. Villanueva.