Chief Justice Felix V. Makasiar


Tenure: July 25, 1985 - November 19, 1985
Appointed by: Marcos

Birthdate: November 20, 1915
Died: February 19, 1992
Place of Birth: Siaton, Negros Oriental

Education:

1. Bachelor of Law, University of the Philippines, 1939 (cum laude & salutatorian)
2. Master of Laws, (meritissimus neminem discrepanti), University of Santo Tomas, 1948
3. Doctor of Laws (honoris causa), Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea, 1975

Professional Career:

1. Attorney, Department of Justice, 1940; Law Division and in the Code Commission
2. Acting Chief Attorney, Law Division, Malacañang
3. Solicitor, Office of the Solicitor General
4. Judge, CFI of Bacolod City and Negros, 1954 – 1956
5. Judge, CFI of Nueva Ecija and Cabanatuan City, 1956 – 1964
6. Judge, CFI of Rizal and Pasig, 1964 – 1967
7. Judge, CFI of Manila
8. Undersecretary of Justice, August 1967
9. Chairman, Board of Pardons and Parole,
10. Chairman, Deportation Board
11. Chairman, Censorship Board
12. Solicitor General, December 1968
13. Secretary of Justice, March 1970
14. Chairman of the Board of PNB, NIDC, CCPI, Phil. Exchange
15. Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the Philippines, August 7, 1970
16. Chief Justice, Supreme Court of the Philippines, July 25, 1985
17. Professional and Civic Organizations:
18. Member, Philippine Chapter of the International Commission of Jurists
19. Member, Integrated Bar of the Philippines
20. Member, Philippine Bar Association
21. Delegate, Human Rights conference, Seoul, Korea, October 1985 – a division of the International Bar Association

About Him:

1. In the elementary school, he tied with the valedictorian in general average and was graduated salutatorian for lack at residence. In high school, he tied with another graduate for highest average but both were not considered valedictorian or salutatorian for lack of residence.
2. Makasiar's own father, Agustin, although he never studied law, was justice of the peace of Siaton and Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental, after having been school teacher and school principal and supervising teacher in three districts in Negros Oriental.
3. Justice Makasiar became chairman of the 1971 Bar examinations and of the Second Division of the Court in 1983. He held the chairmanship of the Judiciary Code Committee, and was Vice-Chairman of the Committee on the Revised Rules of Court; served as consultant in the codification of the Sharia'h (Muslim) Code of Justice; and was chairman of the first Sharia'h Bar examinations held in 1984.
4. He has served in the faculties of MLQU Law School, San Beda Law College, Arellano University Law College, and National University College of Law, Occidental Negros Law School, Bar Reviewer in U.P., San Beda, Ateneo University. As a law professor, he holds the Justice Jose P. Laurel Chair on Political and Constitutional Law.
5. He was co-chairman with the then Chief Justice Enrique M. Fernando of the Filipino delegation to the 1979 World Peace thru Law conference in Madrid, Spain, and the International Law Association conference in Paris, France, from August to September, 1984, as well as the International Bar Association conference in Vienna, Austria in September, 1984. He was also the head of the Filipino delegation to the conference of the World Peace thru Law in September, 1982, in Montreal, Canada, as well as delegate to the 1979 conference of Associacion Internacionale de Advocate in Cannes, France.
6. The Chief Justice's interests are down-to-earth, concerned as he is with the plight of the little man, who, bereft of power and influence, relies on the understanding and sympathy of those in authority to accord him his share of justice. In his interpretation of the Constitution, he is a moderate liberal.

Books:

1. Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom. Speech Delivered at the Florentino Cayco Memorial Lecture, Arellano University, September 24, 1980. 27p.
2. Ignorance, Indolence and Lack of Integrity in Continuing Legal Education for Municipal Judges. QC: UP Law Center, 1968. p. 385-391.
3. Keynote Speech Delivered Before the Seminar on the 1973 Constitution Sponsored by the COMELEC, Iloilo City, April 27, 1974. 16p.
4. A Reform Oriented Constitution, in Living Constitution. Edited by H. E. Gutierrez, Jr. QC: UP Law Center, 1976. p. 52-65.
5. Renovation of the Constitution of Property.* 1948. 90p (Thesis)
6. Speech Delivered before the New Lawyers, Philamlife Auditorium, Manila, March 7, 1972. 5p.
7. Speech Delivered Before the Convention of City Judges Association of the Philippines, Cebu City, December 15, 1974. 17p.
8. Speech Delivered Before the International Society of Chest Surgeons, Philippine Chapter, Madrid Restaurant, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, March 8, 1975. 8p.
9. Speech Delivered Before the Annual National Leadership Training and Conference of the Junior Members of the Children's Museum and Library Foundation, Inc., Teacher's Camp, Baguio City, October 16, 1978. 8p.
10. Speech Delivered Before the Iloilo Press, May 12, 1979. 10p.
11. Speech Before the Philippine Constitution Association on the Occasion of the Induction of its Officers, Philippine Army and Navy Club, Roxas Blvd., Manila, July 2, 1980. 24p.

Periodicals:

1. Cruz, Justice Isagani A. and Cynthia Cruz Datu. A Brief History of the Supreme Court During Martial Rule. 7 Kilosbayan No. 12, 34 (June 2000)
2. Cruz, Justice Isagani A. and Cynthia Cruz Datu. A Brief History of the Supreme Court During Martial Rule. 7 Kilosbayan No. 12, 34 (July 2000)
3. Makasiar, Felix V. JBL :The Consummate Jurist. 3 JIBP No. 2, 83 (1975)

Awards: