Martyr and Hero Jose Abad Santos was born in San Fernando, Pampanga, on February 19, 1886, the son of Vicente Abad Santos and Toribia Basco. He obtained his early education in the town of his birth, but in 1904, the Philippine Government sent him to the United States where he studied in Santa Clara College, San Jose, California and in the University of Illinois, receiving from the latter institution the degree of Bachelor of Laws. Later, he took a postgraduate course in George Washington University, where he was granted the degree of Master of Laws. As a government pensionado, he was obligated to serve the government for a certain length of time, and so on his return to the Philippines, he entered the Government service on December 1, 1909, as a clerk in the Executive Bureau at a salary of P80 a month. On July 31, 1914, he was appointed an assistant attorney in the Bureau of Justice, and was successively attorney for the Philippine National Bank, technical adviser and ex-officio member of the first Independence Mission to the United States, and Undersecretary of Justice. On April 26, 1922 he was appointed Secretary of Justice. He resigned in less than a year but was re-appointed in 1928 and so served until June 18, 1932, when he became an Associate Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court, where he served until December 6, 1938. President Quezon then recalled him to his old position of Secretary of Justice, in which he remained until May 23, 1941. On December 24, 1941, President Quezon appointed him Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and he so continued until his death at the hands of the Japanese invaders on May 7, 1942. In all these positions he served with honesty and faithfulness, performing all the duties incumbent upon him as a servant and official of the Government and never taking advantage of his trust. President Quezon, recognizing the great merit of the man, added to his duties as Chief Justice those of Secretary of Justice and Secretary of Finance, Agriculture, and Commerce, and took him with him to Corregidor on December 24, 1941. There he worked unceasingly until February 20, 1942, on which date he left with the President and the Vice-President for the Island of Negros from which the President and Vice-President later departed for the United States by way of Australia. Before his departure, President Quezon gave the Chief Justice his choice of going with the party or remaining in the Philippines. He chose the latter course, saying: “I prefer to remain, carry on my work here, and stay with my family.” There has been argument as to whom the President on his departure, entrusted the reigns of government, but the following letter, addressed to Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos, settles the question: March 17, 1942 My dear Chief Justice Santos, In addition to your duties as Chief Justice and acting Secretary of Finance, Agriculture, and Commerce, I hereby designate you as my delegate with power to act on all matters of government which involve no change in the fundamental policies of my administration of which you are quite familiar. Where circumstances are such as to preclude previous consultation with me, you may act on urgent questions of local administration without my previous approval. In such cases, you are to use your own best judgement and sound discretion. With reference to the government-owned corporations, you are also authorized to take such steps as will protect the interest of the government either by continuing, curtailing or terminating their operations as circumstances warrant. Sincerely yours, Manuel L. Quezon His many years of able service proved sufficient preparation for the trust so suddenly placed in him. His experience had also been broadened by his previous service as President of the Philippine Bar Association, as President of the Young Men’s Christian Association; as member of the Abiertas House of Friendship; as educational adviser of the Colombian Institute; and as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Philippine Women’s University. He was also undoubtedly strengthened by his Masonic relationships. His Masonic record shows that he filed his petition for membership in Bagumbayan Lodge No.4 on February 23, 1919, and was elected on April 9, 1919. As already stated, he went to the United States that year with the first Independence Mission to the United States, and while there, he was initiated an Entered Apprentice Mason by courtesy by a Masonic Lodge in Washington, D.C. Upon returning to the Philippines he was passed to the degree of Fellowcraft in his own lodge on August 27, 1919, and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason on September 6, 1919. He was a faithful worker in his lodge and became Junior Warden thereof in 1935, Senior Warden in 1936, and Worshipful Master in 1937. His worth was recognized by his brethren and in 1934, he became Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge of the Philippine Islands, Junior Grand Warden in 1935, Senior Grand Warden in 1936, Deputy Grand Master in 1937, and Most Worshipful Grand Master in 1938. Abad Santos imbibed deeply at the wells of Masonic learning and teaching, and never forgot the duties he owed to God, to his country, to his neighbor, and to himself. He was deeply religious in the best sense of that term and had no heart for bigotry or intolerance. He was a quite-spoken, deeply meditative individual, who took God as a companion and friend. The duty he owed to his Country he paid to the last drop of his blood. To his neighbor he was a wise friend and just counselor. To himself he applied the rules he thought should be applicable to all men. As to his death, he could have saved his life had he so desired. Had he been willing to violate his oath of allegiance to the Government of the United States, the then ruling government of the Philippines, he could have been the head of the puppet government later set up within this country by the Japanese invaders. But he chose to keep his word, knowing that this choice meant death, but an honorable death, the kind to which only such a great spirit is entitled. Here is a brief resume of the immediate event leading to this martyr’s death. He and his son were captured by the Japanese while on the road in an auto near Carcar, Cebu, on April 11, 1942. At the time of his capture, he identified himself as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, and was taken with his son to a concentration camp in Cebu, where the Japanese learned that he was the actual head of the Philippine Government and subjected him to continued investigation ending in a demand that he do something, the exact nature of which his son never learned. He heard only his father’s answer, an answer which sealed his doom – “I cannot possibly do that because if I do so, I would be violating my oath of allegiance to the United States.” In attempted justification of his execution, the Japanese falsely imputed to him the destruction of the bridges and other public works in Cebu, a falsehood sufficient for the purpose of his accusers. About the end of April 1942, the Japanese took along the patriot and his son on military expedition to Mindanao. A landing was made at Parang, Cotabato, under fire from the USAFFE, and it is related that our subject was the only man on the landing barge who remained standing erect; his Japanese guards had to shout and signal to him to make him lie down. A forced march of three hours with his heavy baggage on his back, through a marshy jungle, brought no complaint from his lips. He showed no sign of regret for the course he had taken, and he remained in high spirits. They finally reached the Constabulary barracks where they stayed until the next day, when they were transported by truck to Malabang, Lanao. After being confined for three days, in the Constabulary barracks there the Supreme Moment came unexpectedly, but oh! how gloriously! At two o’clock in the afternoon of May 7, 1942, a Japanese interpreter came to the barracks and told the Chief Justice that he was wanted at the Japanese Headquarters. He went, but returned after a short time and called to his son – Pepito, come down. I have something to tell you.” Father and son repaired to a nipa shack nearby, where the father said calmly and naturally, “I have been sentenced to death. They will shoot me in a few minutes.” The son filled with horror broke down and cried, but smilingly the father mildly admonished his son: “Do not cry. What is the matter with you? Show these people that you are brave.” He added: “This is a rare opportunity for me to die for our country; not everybody is given that chance”. He said that he hoped that all of his children would live up to their name, and then father and son knelt together and said a short prayer. They then, embraced and were separated, one remaining in captivity, the other setting out for eternity – but earning a martyr’s crown on the way. A few minutes later, a volley of shots told the son that his father had gone to his well-earned eternal rest. Later that afternoon, the Japanese interpreter took the son to the place of execution and pointed out the father’s grave telling him: “Your father died a glorious death.” And thus ended the life of a jurist and statesman, a patriot and martyr, a dignified but humble spirit, a becomingly modest and self-possessed individual who never lost his head or his temper even under the most trying of circumstances. Hatred and malice were alien to his soul, and he never spoke ill or derogatorily of anyone. He was well known as one of the ablest, purest, and noblest of men who ever graced the government service. He was gentle, kind, and true. As Rizal, he was an idealist; as Mabini, he was stoical. For his valor and patriotism, his wisdom and devotion to what is right, his name deserves to be inscribed on the Scroll of Fame, and for the martyr’s death for his country, he deserves to be eternally enshrined in the hearts of his countrymen.