AFTER his failed confirmation as Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman, UST Civil Law professor Justice Alfredo Benipayo was appointed solicitor general last Oct. 14.
According to Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, Benipayo was chosen by President Macapagal-Arroyo from a short list of candidates recommended by a search committee. Benipayo’s appointment papers were signed by the President last Oct. 11.
Benipayo assumed the post, vacated by now Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo, immediately after he took oath last Oct. 14.
Benipayo said he plans to improve the local area network within his office and establish communications with the other government agencies through information technology.
“I plan to make it more proficient considering it is the biggest law office in the country,” he said.
Benipayo added that he also plans to enhance the capability of lawyers under his office through adequate training, continuous legal education, and improved promotion and hiring procedures. He would influence these lawyers to maintain their idealism and integrity.
At present, Benipayo is assessing the status of more than 200,000 cases pending in his office. He said he would see to it that the cases are handled properly and disposed of promptly.
According to Benipayo, being appointed as the government’s lawyer is another opportunity for him to serve government.
“Well, I have been with them and I’ve been through a lot already. This is another chance to help the government to the best of my capacity. I’m going back to the basics here after being a judge, a justice, and a court administrator—and that’s good,” he said.
Benipayo became district judge from 1976 to 1983, a regional trial court judge from 1983 to 1987, a Court of Appeals associate justice from 1987 to 1996, and a Supreme Court administrator from 1996 to 2001.
A full-blooded Thomasian, Benipayo finished high school with honors at the UST High School in 1954. He took his pre-law in the former College of Liberal Arts in 1958, and graduated cum laude from the Faculty of Civil Law in 1962.
Benipayo said studying in UST has helped him reach his current status.
“Much of what I am, I owe to UST. It’s the education, the training, and most important of all, the school’s values and idealism (that has molded me into a complete person). (Students) are lucky to have a good Catholic education in UST,” he said.
Aside from his law practice, Benipayo has been teaching in UST since 1963.
“This is my only constant occupation. My teaching here has enhanced my career. It has helped me keep abreast of the law,” he said.
Benipayo teaches Remedial Law and is also a bar reviewer in that field in other law schools such as University of the Philippines-Diliman and recently, the Ateneo Law School.
Benipayo especially urged the UST law students to study diligently and keep the University’s values in mind.
“The idealism and knowledge will be there even if you leave school. But we tend to lose sight of our values once exposed to this “dog-eat-dog” world. Always remember that it’s good to have money, but far better to have the things money cannot buy,” he said. Elka Krystle R. Requinta
