An Icon of Justice Named Pepe Diokno

JOSE “KA PEPE” Wright Diokno (1922 – 1987) stands as a towering figure in Philippine history, renowned as the “Father of Human Rights” and a champion of national sovereignty. 

Born into a family with a strong legal background—his father was a Supreme Court Associate Justice—Diokno demonstrated early intellectual brilliance. 

He graduated summa cum laude from De La Salle College at age 17, and in 1940, at just 18, topped the CPA board exams, requiring a special age dispensation. 

1944 BAR TOPNOTCHER

During World War II, his law studies at the University of Santo Tomas were interrupted. Undeterred, he studied independently using his father’s library. In 1944, the Supreme Court allowed him to take the Bar exam despite having no formal degree; he tied for first place with a 95.3% score, becoming the only person to top both the CPA and Bar exams in Philippine history. 

JUSTICE SECRETARY 1961

Following the war, Diokno built a successful career in law, specializing in criminal and election cases. 

In 1961, he was appointed Secretary of Justice, earning praise for fighting corruption, notably in the Harry Stonehill case, which led to his resignation over political pressure. 

He was elected to the Senate in 1963, where he advocated for independent economic policies and nationalist legislation. 

FLAG FOR INJUSTICE

His life took a dramatic turn in 1972 when, as a prominent opposition figure, he was arrested immediately upon the declaration of Martial Law, enduring over 700 days of detention, including solitary confinement. 

After his release in 1974, he founded the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) to provide legal aid to victims of human rights violations and injustices. 

On the Rule of Law and Justice, Diokno’s most iconic quotes are used by the Commission On Human Rights to summarize his lifelong devotion to human rights.“The superior virtue is not to receive justice, but to relentlessly fight for it. To struggle in time, yet under the aspect of eternity.”

In 1972, Diokno while in prison wrote his famous letter to his son Popoy, Diokno provided a profound, enduring definition of the legal profession. He emphasized that a lawyer’s duty is to serve justice work in freedom, notes from Esquire Philippines.

Here is the excerpt from Diokno’s famous letter to his grandson, Popoy in October, 1972, to wit: 

“The rewards of law are not in wealth or even in fame, but in the respect of your peers, in the excitement of the chase after justice, and in the satisfaction not only of service to your clients but of having served the cause of justice.” 

FAMILY HISTORY LIFE 

Behind his political achievements was a strong family life. 

He married Carmen “Nena” Icasiano and together they raised ten children, including public figures such as lawyer Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno and historian Maria Serena Diokno. 

Diokno passed away on February 27, 1987, shortly after his 65th birthday. He was posthumously recognized for his immense contributions to Philippine democracy.

TOPNOTCH PEPE

After graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce from De La Salle College at the age of 17, Diokno took the CPA board exams in 1940. 

At just 18 years old, he ranked Number 1 nationwide, needing a special age dispensation to even sit for the board

He subsequently enrolled in law at the University of Santo Tomas, but the outbreak of World War II cut his education short. Rather than stopping, he homeschooled himself using his father’s extensive legal library. 

In 1944, the Supreme Court allowed him to take the Bar Exam without a degree. He tied for First Place with future Senate President Jovito Salonga, recording a near-flawless score of 95.3%.