Polibiz
Leader of men
(Message delivered by former Assemblyman Salvador B. Britanico, Chairman of the FEULAA Council of Past Presidents, in the Testimonial Dinner in honor of Chief Justice Artemio V. Panganiban held on 14 March 2006 at the Hotel Philippine Plaza, CCP Complex, Pasay City. This is being published now because of its relevance to the Decisions promulgated recently by the Supreme Court under the leadership of Chief Justice Panganiban--Ed.)
Far Eastern University, with its origin as the Institute of Accountancy, was founded by Dr. Nicanor Reyes, Sr. and a group of educators in 1928 to serve as the Fountain Of Education from which the commoners can imbibe the nectars of knowledge and culture.
To the eternal credit of the Founders' vision, FEU has become the best university of hard knocks in the country. It has provided high quality but affordable education to more than a million commoners, mostly working students. This enabled them to lift up their lives, resign from poverty, to be elevated to the elite clubs of highly educated and dedicated public officials, outstanding professionals or successful businessmen, and to become strong pillars of the Filipino nation.
Concededly, Mr. Chief Justice, you are the Most Outstanding among us FEU alumni, considering that you are now No. 5 in the line of succession to the Presidency of the Philippines.
Having the privilege of knowing you, Mr. Chief Justice, for the last 50 years -from 1956 to 2006- I can attest of my own personal knowledge that you truly deserve the position you now occupy. You definitely have the innate intellectual prowess, the academic credentials, the thorough preparation, the aptitude for hard works, the religious values and the moral support of a highly intelligent, loving and lovely wife -professor and associate Dean Elenita Carpio-Panganiban of the prestigious Asian Institute of Management- to cope up with the demands of the exalted position.
Probably, it is destiny, nay, God's will that you are Chief Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court at one of the most critical periods in our country's history. At the time when it is called upon to decide on transcendental constitutional questions like the constitutionality of Executive Order 464, the CPR or Calibrated Pre-emptive Response policy of the Government, Proclamation 1017, and the politically sensitive election protest involving the Vice-Presidency of the country.
Probably, the all knowing God knows that the Supreme Court -more than ever in any epoch of its history- needs to be lead by a Chief Justice who is himself, a Leader Of Men. That is You, Mr. Chief Justice.
In behalf of the FEULAA Council of Past Presidents and of all fellow alumni from the FEU Institute of Law, may I express our collective fervent wish and prayer that you will successfully guide the entire Judicial Department, especially the Supreme Court, to faithfully observe the exhortation of one of the most learned and revered jurists to ever sit in the Philippine Supreme Court - Justice J.B.L. Reyes - to wit: "No Master, but Law; No Guide but Conscience; No Aim, but Justice." In fine, we wish and pray that you will usher in the fulfillment of the title of one of your books: JUDICIAL RENAISSANCE.
I am personally not inclined to say this, but my duty demands of me to say it: You were the Most Outstanding Student of Far Eastern University when you were a student, having held the position of President of the FEU Central Student Organization and the recipient of the FEU President's Academic Excellence Award for being a university scholar throughout your collegiate studies and graduating cum laude with the Degree of Bachelor of Laws. You are now the Most Outstanding Alumnus of the Far Eastern University in its entire 76 years of existence for having topped the bar examinations and being now the Chief Justice of the Highest Tribunal in the Philippines. You are, visibly, the embodiment of the finest graduates FEU has produced. But, with the glory goes the concomitant burden on You to demonstrate that the Most Outstanding Graduate of the FEU Institute of Law is the Best Chief Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court, ever.
Needless to say, You cannot fail the more than a million alumni and students of Far Eastern University. You can not fail our beloved Alma Mater, the FEU. You can not fail 85 million Filipinos.
MR. CHIEF JUSTICE, YOU ARE NOW THE GUIDON BEARER OF THE green & gold banner of FEU. We are confident that you will carry it most competently and with highest honor. We are behind you. WE PRAY THAT God WILL bless, guide and protect You.