Abraham Sarmiento
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October 8, 1921
Abraham F. Sarmiento Sr. | |
|---|---|
| 119th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines | |
| In office January 26, 1987 – October 7, 1991 | |
| Appointed by | Corazon Aquino |
| Preceded by | Vicente Abad Santos |
| Succeeded by | Flerida Ruth Romero |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Abraham Florendo Sarmiento October 8, 1921 |
| Died | October 3, 2010 (aged 88) |
| Spouse | Irene Pascual |
| Children | 4, including Abraham Jr. |
| Alma mater | University of the Philippines Diliman (LL.B.) |
Abraham Florendo Sarmiento Sr. (October 8, 1921 – October 3, 2010) was a Filipino jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from 1987 to 1991. An active figure in the political opposition against the martial law government of President Ferdinand Marcos, he was appointed to the Court by Marcos' successor, President Corazon Aquino.
Sarmiento was born in Santa Cruz, Ilocos Sur. He completed his primary and secondary education in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, graduating as the valedictorian of his high school class. Upon the Japanese invasion of the Philippines during World War II, Sarmiento joined the USAFFE and the underground guerilla resistance against the Imperial Japanese Army.[1]
After the war, Sarmiento completed his law studies at the University of the Philippines College of Law. He was a member of the Alpha Phi Beta fraternity. Sarmiento earned his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1949. In that year, he authored a biography on the murdered Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, José Abad Santos, entitled Jose Abad Santos: An Apotheosis.[2]
Professional career
Upon his admission to the Philippine Bar, Sarmiento entered into private practice. In the 1950s, he formed a law partnership with Senators Gerardo Roxas and Justiniano Montano, maintaining his partnership with Roxas until 1967, when he established the Abraham F. Sarmiento Law Office.[2]
Sarmiento successfully ran for a seat to the Philippine Constitutional Convention of 1971 as a delegate from Cavite. He was elected vice-president of the convention, which was tasked with the drafting of a new Constitution.[2]
Martial law years
President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in September 1972. During this time, Sarmiento's eldest son, Ditto, was a student at the University of the Philippines. Ditto became the editor-in-chief of the official university newspaper, the Philippine Collegian, and under his leadership, the paper began publishing editorials critical of Marcos and martial law. When Ditto was arrested in 1976, Sarmiento spent months negotiating with government officials to obtain his son's release. Ditto was released after seven months, but died within a year after his health was aggravated by the conditions of his imprisonment.[3]
After the death of his son, Sarmiento was visibly active in human rights and anti-Marcos groups. He co-founded the National Union for Democracy and Freedom, the Philippine Organization for Human Rights, and the National Union for Liberation. He was among the founders of the United Nationalists Democratic Organizations (UNIDO), and served as its secretary-general from 1981 to 1983. From 1985 to 1987, Sarmiento served as the Chief Legal Counsel and Member of the Governing Council of the Lakas ng Bayan (LABAN).[1] It would be under the auspices of UNIDO and LABAN that Corazon Aquino and Salvador Laurel would form their presidential ticket that challenged Marcos in the 1986 presidential elections. Sarmiento was also a member of the executive committee and National Council of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) from 1985 to 1987.[1]
In 1979, Sarmiento co-authored a book, The Road Back to Democracy, with former Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal and three others. Later that year, he and Manuel Concordia published a book, Ang Demokrasya sa Pilipinas, which led to their arrest on charges of subversion and inciting to sedition. They were later placed under house arrest.[2]
By 1983, after the assassination of Ninoy Aquino, who was then the secretary general of the Liberal Party, Sarmiento became his successor.[4] As secretary general, Sarmiento boycotted the 1984 Batasang Pambansa (parliamentary) election.[4]
