Veteran lawyer Estelito Mendoza dies
Veteran lawyer Estelito Mendoza, the former Solicitor General under the Ferdinand Marcos Sr. administration, has died. He was 95.
The Philippine National Bank confirmed his passing on March 26.
"We are deeply saddened to report the passing of Atty. Estelito P. Pendoza, an esteemed director of the Philippine National Bank, today, March 26," it said in a disclosure to the Philippines Stocks Exchange.
Mendoza served as director of PNB since Jan. 1, 2009.
His cause of death was not disclosed.
Born to public school teachers, Mendoza earned his bachelor of laws degree from the University of the Philippines and master of laws degree from Harvard Law School.
Apart from Solicitor General, he became the Minister of Justice, governor of Pampanga, and a professor at UP College of Law.
Mendoza had been known as the "lawyer of last resort" with his list of high profile clients including former presidents. He defended Marcos Sr. and his wife Imelda Marcos for their ill-gotten wealth cases; Joseph Estrada in his impeachment trial; Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in her plunder case in connection to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office fund scam; and Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for his disqualification case during the 2022 elections.
The lawyer also represented former senator Juan Ponce Enrile and Sen. Bong Revilla who were implicated in the pork barrel scam. He also filed petitions on behalf of Vice President Sara Duterte before the Supreme Court amid her P125 million confidential funds case.
On Mendoza's legacy
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Enrile mourned the passing of his "very dear friend" on Facebook.
"For me, he was one of the best, if not the best lawyer I have encountered and worked with," he wrote.
"A very good man has passed away. He was younger than I am, but he was my senior in the UP Law School. Goodbye, Titong—my very good and best friend."
Revilla also paid tribute by sharing photos of them together on social media.
"Ang kanyang ‘di matatawarang dedikasyon, kahusayan sa kanyang larangan at mga natatanging kontribusyon sa paglilingkod sa bayan ay mananatiling alaala at inspirasyon sa mamamayang Pilipino," he said.
Some users online, meanwhile, reflected on Mendoza's legacy under the Marcos Sr. administration.
"Mendoza played a central role in crafting and defending the legal framework that sustained the authoritarian regime. As Solicitor General from 1972 to 1986—spanning nearly the entire period of Martial Law—he was instrumental in justifying Marcos’ proclamation of Martial Law, the dissolution of democratic institutions, the silencing of dissent, and the continued detention of political prisoners," academic research organization Project Gunita wrote.
"He represented the dictatorship in crucial cases, including those before the Supreme Court, where he defended the legality of Martial Law and the indefinite suspension of civil liberties in the infamous case of Javellana v. Executive Secretary."
It added: "May his death mark the beginning of divine justice for his sins against the Filipino people."
Siliman University College of Law Dean and former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay recalled learning about the achievements of the UP Law class of 1952, which included Mendoza.
"I’ve read some of his pieces in the Philippine Law Journal, and all of them were worth reading, even when one disagrees with his conclusions. Here’s a man who wrote in scholarly fashion, but had practical insights generally missing in law journals," he said, adding that the late lawyer was a "great technician and a master of the art."
While he was fascinated by Mendoza and hoped to face him in legal battle, Hilbay said that the "lawyer of last resort" must also "confront the judgment of history and be subject to a terrifying inquiry: What were the moral consequences of the great things you've done?"
Historian and writer Manuel L. Quezon III also pondered on the late lawyer's impact on law in the country. "And so, for all he did, it still led to the grave," he said.
"I wish more legal lawyers would express for laypeople the Marcos legacy in law: using the letter of the law in innovative ways utterly contrary to the spirit of the law, to achieve tactical surprise through unexpected interpretations. A legacy of Estelito Mendoza, etc," he said in a 2022 tweet he reposted on Wednesday.
Mendoza is survived by his wife and five children.
