Oscar Pimentel, a retired regional trial court judge and a former Faculty of Civil Law professor, died on Feb. 6. He was 83.
His death was confirmed to the Varsitarian by his daughter in law, Yang Yang.
“[H]e died peacefully and was surrounded by his family and loved ones,” she said.
“As a judge, his significant contribution to the legal system cannot be understated. He was considered among the great legal minds of our generation. His passing is a loss both to the legal profession and the legal education,” she added.
Pimentel, affectionately known as “Judge P” by his students, handled criminal and remedial law at the Faculty of Civil Law for 34 years until his retirement in 2008.
He had taught at the Ateneo University School of Law and Arellano University.
Civil Law Dean Nilo Divina remembered Pimentel as an “outstanding professor.”
“We lost a good man, a fair magistrate, an outstanding professor, and a dear friend. His contribution to legal education is beyond words. He will be sorely missed,” Divina told the Varsitarian.
Pimentel obtained his Bachelor of Laws and Associate in Arts degree at UST.
He presided over the case against former senator Antonio Trillanes IV for the coup attempt known as the 2003 Oakwood mutiny.
After serving Branch 148 of the Makati Regional Trial Court, he retired in 2011.
In a Facebook post, Pimentel’s college fraternity, Gamma Delta Epsilon, remembered the late judge as a “pillar of the academe.”
“Since being appointed judge, he has ruled on several high-profile cases and remained active in the legal field,” the post said. “Truly, Judge Oscar was one of the best of us.”
Pimentel’s wake was held at St. Peter Memorial Chapels Commonwealth in Quezon City from Feb. 7 to 9.
