Vice President Leni Robredo expressed grief over the passing of Jesuit priest and constitutionalist Joaquin Bernas who she remembered for his valuable contributions to the country.
(Photo by Jansen Romero / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Bernas died on Saturday, March 6, at the Ateneo Jesuit Residence. He was 88.
The prelate was one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution. He was a former dean of the Ateneo De Manila Law School and Ateneo De Manila University president from 1984 to 1993.
In a Facebook post, the vice president described Bernas as a “well-respected” constitutionalist, also noting he became Ateneo president during the “most crucial years of our nation’s history.”
Robredo shared that the prelate hailed from her home province of Camarines Sur, and was president of the Board of Saligan, where she had worked for a decade before she entered politics.
According to its website, Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panlegal (SALIGAN), Inc. "is a legal resource non-government organization (NGO) doing developmental legal work for the marginalized, disadvantaged, and exploited sectors in the Philippines. Founded in 1987, it responded to the need of the sectors for legal empowerment and legal representation."
“A life well lived. Hindi matatawaran ang pagmamahal sa bayan (His love for country is undeniable),” Robredo said.