02 November 2013, 11:20 p.m. – THE ASHES of former chief justice Andres Narvasa will be brought to the Santisimo Rosario Parish Church on Nov. 5, Tuesday, at 4:00 in the afternoon, Civil Law Dean Nilo Divina has announced.
Narvasa, 84, died from complications of organ failure due to pneumonia in the morning of Oct. 31. His remains were cremated on the same day, after which the ashes were brought to the Shrine of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in New Manila, Quezon City.
Narvasa earned his law degree in the University, graduating magna cum laude in 1951. That same year, he placed second in the bar examinations. He married Janina Yuseco and had six children.
He was vice rector for student affairs of the University from 1969 to 1972 and dean of the Faculty of Civil Law from 1967 to 1973. Narvasa thereafter served as legal counsel of UST.
His son, Gregorio II, said the Thomasian magistrate would always be remembered for his sterling legal and academic careers as well as his love for his family. “He is a great, shining example of courage and steadfastness in doing good,” Gregorio said.
Narvasa had also served as general counsel of the Agrava Fact-Finding Commission, the body that probed the 1983 assassination of Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr.
In 1986, he was appointed the 112th associate justice of the Supreme Court. He became the 19th Chief Justice in 1991 during the term of President Corazon Aquino. He administered the presidential oaths of office to Fidel V. Ramos and Joseph Ejercito Estrada.
In 2001, Narvasa and UST parted ways after the University supported the movement that called for the resignation of President Estrada over an illegal gambling controversy. Narvasa served as a defense counsel during Estrada’s impeachment trial.
Among those who went to Narvasa’s wake were President Benigno Aquino III, Senator Mar Roxas, and former vice president Teofisto Guingona, Jr.
In an interview with the Varsitarian, Guingona said Narvasa made significant contributions to the justice system.
“He made some very good reforms and he contributed [a lot] during the investigation of the death of Ninoy. He served the nation,” he said. Jon Christoffer R. Obice
