ILOILO CITY – An Augustinian priest from Iloilo province is among the country’s 3,992 new lawyers.
FR. Jessie Tabladillo Tabobo of Tubungan town, Iloilo province is not only a priest but also a lawyer. (Augustinian Philippines)
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“This was not planned, but this would be for the service of the church,” said Fr. Jessie Tabladillo Tabobo, 48, from Tubungan town, Iloilo.
“While I did not plan this, I can use this as part of my apostolate,” Tabobo, who made history by becoming the first lawyer from the Order of Saint Augustine-Province of Santo Niño de Cebu, Philippines, told the Manila Bulletin in a phone interview.
Tabobo is among the 65 new lawyers from the College of Law of the University of San Agustin here where he graduated in 2018.
Tabobo said Fr. Eusebio Berdon, former prior provincial or the head of the entire Augustinian religious order in the country, encouraged him to take up law.
“At first, I was hesitant. If I wanted to pursue further studies, I wanted to have studied canon law (the rules of the Roman Catholic Church),” Tabobo said.
“But Fr. Berdon said we already have too many canon lawyers. I didn’t exactly think it was a good idea,” Tabobo added.
Tabobo was studying law at the same time he was assigned to the University of San Agustin from 2013 to 2018.
For Tabobo, becoming a lawyer supplements his knowledge in serving the Augustinian community, whether parishes or educational institutions.
He is currently assigned to the San Agustin Center of Studies in Quezon City, the seminary where he studied theology.
Tabobo also has a degree in political science and psychology from the University of the Philippines (UP Visayas) in Miag-ao town, Iloilo.