People’s lawyering goes a long way back in history

By Satur C. Ocampo

Apolinario Mabini, Jose Abad Santos, Claro M. Recto, Jose W. Diokno, and Lorenzo M. Tanada. What do these historical figures have in common?

They were all lawyers and patriots, yes. Above and beyond that, at crucial junctures in Philippine history, these men proved to be “passionately committed people’s lawyers.” They serve as polestars to the public-interest, human rights, or people’s lawyers of today.