The extraordinary promdi
When Dick Powell and I went to Ateneo for college after almost a lifetime at De La Salle on Taft Avenue, we were pleasantly surprised at the reception we received. Our classmates were very pleasant. We expected some ribbing, having come from their archrival school, but received none. In fact, what we did find were individuals who were willing to go out of their way to help.
There was Adolf Azcuna, for instance, whom both Dick and I found to be extraordinary. Perhaps because he came from farflung Dipolog in Zamboanga del Norte, or because he came from a small parish school there ( St. Vincent’s), or because he could speak to us in Spanish.
Whatever the reason, Dick and I, who were new to our environs in Diliman, took solace in discussing him, because after all he had much more adjusting to do than we “Manila boys.” But the more we talked about him, the more he impressed us.
I spoke to Adolf recently, and we discussed how fortunate we were to have great teachers. Some became our mentors and some our friends.
Adolf also reminded me of our great classmates: Santiago (Poch) Robles, Tony Lopa, the Arcenas brothers Edwin and Augusto, Roman (Jun) Cruz, Joe Faustino, Butch Aquino, Godofredo Rodriguez, Johnson Leung, Felicicimo ( Tom) Payumo, Serafin Vida, Henry Wong, Ed Ocampo ( who was named Mr. Basketball and Mr. Football), Jun Ampil, and many others.
As for Adolf, he can be found every day at Padre Faura, not far from the old Ateneo, teaching! He has been elected to his third term as commissioner by the International Commission of Jurists. His term will end in August 2019.
Yes, the 16-year- old from Dipolog is now a name everyone in the field of law in the Philippines recognizes.
After receiving his Bachelor of Arts, with academic honors, from Ateneo in 1959, and his degree of Bachelor of Laws, cum laude, in the same institution in 1962, he was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1963, placing 4th in the 1962 bar exams.
He was taken in as assistant private secretary of then Presiding Justice Jose P. Bengzon of the Court of Appeals, and when the good justice was elevated to the Supreme Court, he chose only Adolf to join him — as Private Secretary. Quite a distinction!
But the real love of his life is his wife, Maria Asuncion, daughter of he chief chemist of the Central Azucarrera de Don Pedro in Nasugbu, Batangas. She is currently the dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences at her alma mater, St. Scholastica.
None of their children, three girls and a boy, followed in their parents footsteps. None are in the law or education profession. But back to Adolf. By 1971, or only eight years after graduation, when we were still under President Marcos, he was elected as member of the 1971 Constitutional Convention.
It’s little wonder that in 1986 he got appointed as one of the 48 members of the Constitutional Commission.
During his stay in Corazon Aquino’s Cabinet, he wore many hats. He served as Presidential Legal Counsel and was named Press Secretary replacing Teddy Benigno.
One job he did enjoy was being chairman of Philippine National Bank because for once he got to do some traveling,
Family has always played a very important role in Adolf’s life. When Corazon Aquino became President, he was offered the position of Chief Justice. But his children prevailed on him not to accept the position because they well knew that they would not have enough time with him if he did. He opted instead to set up his own law office, with Haydee Yorac as partner.
In 1991 the children were older, so he agreed to accept an appointment as associate justice of the Supreme Court.
Teaching has also been one of Adolf’s advocacies. While still working for Justice Bengzon, he started teaching International Law at Ateneo de Manila. And he still had time to complete his post- graduate studies in Salzburg, Austria.
I would be remiss if I did not include verbatim what Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno said in his opening remarks at the Lecture Forum of the Writ of Amparo before Regional Trial Court judges:
“In 1987, Justice Adolf Azcuna, then one of the commissioners tasked by President Corazon Aquino to draft the 1987 Constitution, embedded in its backbone a provision giving the Supreme Court the extra power to promulgate rules which would give life to the writ of amparo to protect the constitutional rights of our people. Through his initiative, the rule-making power of the Supreme Court was expanded to complement the awesome power of Congress to make laws. Historically, it is the parliament that projects the rights of people through its lawmaking power. Justice Azcuna allowed the Supreme Court to have a share in the exercise of his power by expanding its rule-making power.”
Adolf retired from the Supreme Court in 2009. Soon after that, he got appointed chancellor of the Philippine Judicial Academy, a position he still holds. This is on top of his post at the International Commission of Jurists.
Like my good friend Dr. Bernie Villegas is wont to say, Adolf didn’t retire but just took on a set of new tires.