Querube Makalintal

The Honourable Querube C. Makalintal
14th Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines Speaker of the Interim Batasang Pambansa
In office June 12, 1978 – June 30, 1984
President	Ferdinand Marcos
Preceded by	Cornelio Villareal
Succeeded by	Nicanor Yñiguez
11th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
In office October 21, 1973 – December 22, 1975
Nominated by	Ferdinand Marcos
Preceded by	Roberto Concepcion
Succeeded by	Fred Ruiz Castro
74th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
In office May 23, 1962 – October 21, 1973
Nominated by	Diosdado Macapagal
Solicitor General of the Philippines
In office May 1, 1954 – August 31, 1954
President	Ramon Magsaysay
Preceded by	Juan Liwag
Succeeded by	Ambrosio Padilla
Personal details
Born	(1910-12-22)December 22, 1910 Manila, Philippine Islands
Died	November 8, 2002(2002-11-08) (aged 91) Manila, Philippines
Political party	Kilusang Bagong Lipunan

Querube Cortinas Makalintal (December 22, 1910 – November 8, 2002) was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from Oct. 31, 1973 until December 22, 1975 and Speaker of the Interim Batasang Pambansa from June 12, 1978 to June 30, 1984.

Early life

Makalintal was a member of the Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity.

Career

Makalintal served as Solicitor General, before being appointed as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court by President Diosdado Macapagal in 1962.

After reaching the compulsory retirement age of 65 under the 1973 Constitution, he served as Speaker of the Interim Batasang Pambansa from 1978 to 1984.

The Martial Law Years

Makalintal, together with Justice Fred Ruiz Castro, was the ‘swing vote’ in the Ratification Cases which upheld the 1973 Constitution, which paved the way of extending Marcos’ regime. When the question of whether the petitioners are entitled to relief, the two justices answered ‘No’, thus upholding the 1973 Constitution and made legitimate the rule of Marcos and his power.

In the cases denying Benigno Aquino, Jr. of his privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, the decision of the High Court was not a traditional sense of consensus on both the conclusions and the reasons for the conclusions. Makalintal, as Chief Justice, delivered the summary of votes, and explained the reason why there was no collegial opinion by the Court. He said, among others, that the justices of the Supreme Court are conscious of "the future verdict of history" upon their stand.

Benigno Aquino, Jr. warned of such verdict of history, as he aptly said, "Today, you are my judges. Tomorrow, history will judge you."

References

• Aquino v. Enrile, G.R. No. L-35546, September 17, 1974. Supreme Court Reports Annotated, Volume 59, pp. 183. Central Law Book Publishing, Manila
• Bernas, Joaquin (2003). The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines: a Commentary. Rex Book Store, Manila
• Cruz, Isagani A. (2000). Res Gestae: A Brief History of the Supreme Court. Rex Book Store, Manila
• Mijares, Primitivo(1976). The Conjugal Dictatorship of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, Union Square Publications, San Francisco, U.S.A.