MAYNILA - Opisyal nang nagretiro sa kanyang tungkulin bilang isa sa mga mahistrado ng Korte Suprema nitong Martes ang tinaguriang "habal-habal judge" na si Associate Justice Edgardo Delos Santos.

Binigyang ng natatanging retirement ceremony si Justice Delos Santos o kilala din sa tawag ng kanyang mga kapwa mahistrado bilang “Justice EDSA.”

Ipinanganak si Delos Santos noong June 12, 1952 o araw ng kalayaan sa Palompon, Leyte at bagamat sa isang taon pa sana niya maaabot ang mandatory retirement age na 70-anyos para sa isang mahistrado ng Korte Suprema, minabuti niyang magretiro na ng mas maaga sa puwesto epektibo June 30, 2021.

• Supreme Court’s Delos Santos 'considering' early retirement due to health reasons
• More vacancies at SC as 1 justice retires; 15 vie for post vacated by CJ

Itinalaga ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte si Delos Santos sa Korte Suprema noong December 2019 bilang ika-186 na mahistrado ng SC.

Kilala rin siya bilang habal-habal judge ng Dumaguete dahil nakamotorsiklo lamang daw siya noon para ihatid ang kanyang misis at mga anak papasok sa eskwela.

Tiniyak ng Supreme Court na nasunod ang lahat ng health protocols sa kabuuan ng retirement ceremony gaya ng pagsusuot ng face mask, face shield at tamang physical distancing.

Sa isinagawang seremoniya, pinagkalooban si Delos Santos ng mga token na akma at kalimitang ibinibigay sa isang nagreretirong mahistrado ng SC.

Kabilang sa mga tokens na ipinagkaloob kay Delos Santos ang mga sumusunod:

• Supreme Court Flag
• Philippine Flag
• Supreme Court Pin
• Supreme Court Time Piece
• Supreme Court Seal
• Photo Album
• Book of Decisions
• Supreme Court Pen
• Brass Shingle
• Supreme Court Ring
• Judicial Robe
• Gavel
• Statuette of Judicial Excellence
• The Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos Award
• Reading and presentation of plaque of recognition

MASAYAHIN, MAGALING NA MAHISTRADO

Inilarawan siya ng kanyang mga nakatrabahong mahistrado bilang napakasimple at masayahing mahistrado ng Korte Suprema.

“As colleagues both here at the Supreme Court and in the Court of Appeals where we came from, I have found him to be an advocate for strong equal opportunity for all,” kuwento ni Associate Justice Ricardo Rosario.

“I chose letter 'F' in describing our beloved retiring justice. F as in alam ‘nyo na funny of course. Ganda magbihis ng amerikana ni EDSA unlike others…parang natutulog lang. There is always the funny, joyful and playful side of him that is always itchy to come out,” dagdag niya.

Para naman kay Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan, bagamat malimit na iniuugnay ang salitang EDSA sa matinding traffic at People Power Revolution, ang EDSA sa kanya ay si Justice Delos Santos na isa sa nagbigay sa kanya ng mainit na pagtanggap sa Court of Appeals at nang maupo siya sa Supreme Court noong isang taon.

“I have always believed that justice EDSA was destined for greatness, he was meant to be part of the nation's history. Being referred to as a habal-habal judge before…he is an admirable display of his resilience,” sabi ni Gaerlan.

“Ultimately the decisions he penned are concrete evidence of his firm resolved to uphold the law and to rule without fear or favor, all of this made him the person he is today and there is no doubt that he is worthy of this position as one of the magistrates of the highest court of the land.”

Biro naman ni Justice Rodil Zalameda, nakatadhana talaga na maging magaling si Justice Delos Santos.

“Justice Delos Santos or as everyone else calls him Justice EDSA was born on June 12, 1952. You know this man was destined for greatness for he was born on Independence Day and he has entire highway EDSA as his nickname,” sabi ni Zalameda.

PANOORIN

Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv

“His road to greatness just like his nickname ay parang EDSA…mahaba pero dirediretso lang, natraffic lang pero ang mahalaga nakarating sa tamang paroroonan. As he was ultimately appointed as the 186th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Kasi sabi niya naghabal-habal lang siya, kaya naghabol-habol na lang,” dagdag niya.

Present sa seremonya ang maybahay ni Justice Delos Santos na si Maribel Makasiar Delos Santos, gayundin ang kanilang mga anak at mga apo.

4 NA DEKADANG SERBISYO

Sa kanyang mensahe, isa-isang pinasalamatan ni Justice Delos Santos ang kanyang pamilya at ang mga nakatrabaho sa mahigit 4 na dekadang serbisyo sa hudikatura.

“I am happy that my children have given me the delight of grandparenthood. I may not be blessed with material things but I dare say that my family members are my true riches. And I am forever grateful to the God almighty, my children are my true achievements,” sabi ni Delos Santos

Pinasalamatan din ni Delos Santos ang kanyang alma mater na University of San Carlos sa pagbibigay sa kanya ng magandang legal education.

- Ulat ni Johnson Manabat, ABS-CBN News