History and Milestones of ELS

Birth of the Law School

MANUEL S. ENVERGA, LLB, LLM, DCL
(LLB, Philippine Law School)
(LLM, Meritissimus, University of Santo Tomas)
(DCL, Sobresaliente, Universidad Central de Madrid)
Dean, 1949-1962

On 11 February 1947, just two years after the Second World War, a young lawyer named Manuel S. Enverga founded the Luzonian Colleges (LC), nestled in the heart of the then Municipality of Lucena, Province of Quezon, to give the needy students access to higher education. Initially, the College of Liberal Arts was established with the two-year Associate in Arts (AA) as its first program, followed by the secretarial and education courses.

In 1949, the College of Law, housed in the old Lopez building along Granja and Burgos (now Enverga) Streets, was opened to the graduates of the Associate in Arts wanting to pursue legal education. The founder, Atty. Manuel S. Enverga, a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) graduate of Philippine Law School, and holder of the degrees of Master of Laws (LLM), meritissimus (summa cum laude), and Doctor of Civil Law (DCL), sobresaliente (with highest honors), obtained from the University of Santo Tomas and Universidad Central de Madrid (Spain), respectively, served as the first Dean.

Primus Inter Pares

There were only six students who enrolled in the said college. In April 1953, they eventually graduated from the four-year law baccalaureate program. And in the same year, they took the bar examinations given by the Supreme Court of the Philippines. Five of them successfully passed the bar the following year. They belonged to Class 1953.

A promising youthful student leader then, Atty. Anacleto C. Alcala, who served as governor of the Province of Quezon for more than two decades, led the new members of the Philippine Bar, among whom were Atty. Free R. Camaligan, the lone woman in their class, who served as fiscal (now called prosecutor) in the Bicol Region; Atty. Celso B. Florido, who joined the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor (formerly fiscal) in Quezon Province; Atty. Jose S. Ladines, who became a member of the judiciary as a municipal judge of Sampaloc, Quezon; and Atty. Celso M. Ortiz, Sr., who clerked in the Court of First Instance of Quezon (now Regional Trial Court).

There was no Class 1954.

Class 1955 had produced three lawyers: Atty. Felimon O. Juntereal and Atty. Joaquin M. Trinidad passed the bar in 1956 while Atty. Maximo D. Caparros did it in 1957.Atty. Caparros steered the provincial treasury of Quezon while Atty. Juntereal presided over the Court of First Instance of Quezon. Atty. Trinidad practiced law and was considered to be one of the most respected senior lawyers in Lucena City and environs.

The following year’s tough bar examinations gave Class 1956 a 50% passing percentage, much higher than the national average, with Atty. Juan A. Bardelosa, Jr., Atty. Alfredo M. Cuenca and Atty. Dante H. Diamante joining the prestigious bar organization.Another member of the class, Atty. Nacenciano A. Zoleta made it to the roll of attorneys in 1965. Atty. Bardelosa became a successful corporate lawyer while Atty. Cuenca served as chief of police of his hometown. Atty. Diamante was appointed as the youngest provincial fiscal and later on was elected vice governor of Quezon Province. Atty. Zoleta also served as chief of police.

In the hall of fame of Class 1957 hung the names of Attorneys Melquiades M. Refazo, David M. Tabuzo and Ceferino P. Caparros who passed the bar in 1961, 1962 and 1963, respectively. Prosecutor Refazo left a legacy of good public service and personal integrity while he was with the Quezon Provincial Prosecutor’s Office. Atty. Tabuzo proved to be a brilliant and efficient aide to former law dean, Congressman Manuel S. Enverga. He was later appointed to the Bureau of Customs. Atty. Caparros ended up the best clerk of court of the Court of First Instance of Batangas.

Lawyers Cesar D. Cabral (Bar ’59), Constancio L. Cusi (Bar ’59), Medardo L. Tumagay (Bar ’60) and Rosario C. Salamillas (Bar ’60) were the proud members of Class 1958 who turned-out to be the best legal luminaries in Quezon Province. An accomplished criminal and civil lawyer, Atty. Cabral was one of the brightest private law practitioners in the province. A poet-writer-turned-politician, Atty. Cusi had served the government of Lucena in many capacities. He rose to be the chief of police, secretary of the Municipal Board, secretary to the mayor, vice mayor and member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod for three terms.

Atty. Tumagay, a famous campus orator and debater in his student days, served as the longest-running member of the Provincial Board of Quezon and Assemblyman of the Batasang Pambansa. The second woman-lawyer, Atty. Salamillas, used to argue her cases in court but has decided to take a more sedate life now as a notary public.

Of the five alumni of Class 1959, three hurdled the bar examinations. Atty. Leandro P. Garcia, who was elected delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention, is now a banker and civic leader. Atty. Felicisimo S. Garin rose to become a judge of the Regional Trial Court of Palawan. Both of them passed the 1960 bar examinations. Atty. Prudencio A. Yulde, who was municipal trial court judge of General Luna, Quezon did it in 1961.

The Legal Eagles

LUZONIAN UNIVERSITY
College of Law
LUZONIAN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
College of Law
ATTY. JOVITO E. TALABONG, AA, LLB, LLM
(AA, LLB, Cum Laude, Luzonian Colleges)
(LLM, Benemeritus, University of Santo Tomas)
Dean, 1969-1976

The Luzonian Colleges attained full university status on August 8, 1968. The following year, the College of Law gifted the University its firstlawyer, Atty. Edgardo P. Balquiedra, who served the Province of Marinduque for a number of years as the provincial prosecutor. He was the lone star of Class 1968.

The record set by Class 1969 was another source of pride for the new University. Eighty per cent (80%) or four of their members passed the 1970 bar examinations. There was another torch parade and the morale of the College was at an all-time high.The class had Atty. Antonio P. Acyatan, Atty. Edilberto H. Amat, Atty. Emmanuel A. Garcia and Judge Bienvenido A. Mapaye.

Atty. Acyatan, who graduated cum laude and placed 11th in the 1970 bar examinations, owns and manages a legal, accountancy and consultancy firm in Manila, after a stint as a senior officer in several of the country’s leading banking institutions.He was the first president of the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) from a provincial chapter. He was later elected president of the ASEAN Federation of Accountants.

Atty. Amat worked with the military as judge advocate and Atty. Mapaye presided the municipal trial court of Sariaya, Quezon and the Regional Trial Court Branch 55 of Lucena City until his retirement. Atty. Garcia engaged in the private law practice.

The Law Advocates

LUZONIAN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
College of Law
(Non-operational, 1977-1981)
MANUEL S. ENVERGA UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
College of Law
(Non-operational, 1981-1986)

Founder-President Dr. Manuel S. Enverga passed away on June 14, 1981, secured in the knowledge that the university he founded would continue to serve the citizens of Quezon and the rest of Luzon. The Board of Trustees approved the renaming of the Luzonian University Foundation to Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation in 1983 in recognition of the founder-president’s legacy to the University.

The Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation College of Law provisionally stopped its academic operation in 1977. It reopened its door to the new law students in 1986 under the deanship of Atty. Ismael T. Portes who became judge of the Regional Trial Court of Lucena City.

The Reborn Attorneys

MANUEL S. ENVERGA UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
College of Law
JUDGE (RET.) ISMAEL T. PORTES, LLB
Dean, 1986-1992

Founder-President Dr. Manuel S. Enverga passed away on June 14, 1981, secured in the knowledge that the university he founded would continue to serve the citizens of Quezon and the rest of Luzon. The Board of Trustees approved the renaming of the Luzonian University Foundation to Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation in 1983 in recognition of the founder-president’s legacy to the University.

The Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation College of Law provisionally stopped its academic operation in 1977. It reopened its door to the new law students in 1986 under the deanship of Atty. Ismael T. Portes who became judge of the Regional Trial Court of Lucena City.

ATTY. ROLANDO F. DEL CASTILLO, LLM
(LLB, Ateneo de Manila University)
(LLM, Harvard University)
Dean, 1992-2004
ATTY. GILBERT D. CAMALIGAN, LLB
(LLB, Manuel L. Quezon University)
Co-Dean, 1992-2004

Deans Rolando F. del Castillo and Gilbert D. Camaligan took over the academic helm from Dean Ismael T. Portes in 1992. The following year witnessed the graduation of the third cum laude in the thirty year-history of the college of law. Atty. Efren L. Dizon, who passed the bar in 1996, is a member of Class 1993.

Three years after 1993-1994 and another three years after 1998-1999, only one lawyer was produced by each class. Class 1995 gave the University Atty. Bayani D. Abante (Bar ’97), who now works abroad; Class 1996 – Atty. Calixto F. B. Dauz III (Bar ’97), a private law practitioner; and Class 1997 – Atty. Arnel B. Caparros (Bar ’98) and Atty. Walter Innocencio V. Arreza (Bar ’01), both municipal trial court judges of the Municipal Trial Courts of Atimonan and Pitogo, Quezon, respectively.

The Millennial Lawyers

Atty. Diego Q.Francia of Class 2000 passed the bar in 2002. He is the clerk of court of the Regional Trial Court of Gumaca, Quezon. Atty. Alelie B. Garcia, a member of Class 2001 and presiding judge of the Municipal Circuit Trial Court of Polillo-Panukulan, Quezon and Atty. Melville W. L. Aureada of Class 2002 and assistant provincial prosecutor of Quezon, both hurdled the bar examinations in 2005.

Class 2004 brought out the best in their members when Atty. Romulo A. Yap, Jr. and Atty. Lilibeth C. Lorena passed the bar in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Atty. Yap is a law practitioner while Atty. Lorena is an assistant provincial prosecutor of Quezon.

ATTY. DANTE MIGUEL V. CADIZ, AB, LLB, LLM
(AB, University of Santo Tomas)
(LLB, Salutatorian, Dean’s Scholar, Ateneo Law School)
(1982 Bar Topnotcher)
(MBA, Ateneo Graduate School of Business)
(LLM, University of Pennsylvania Law School and Wharton School of Business)
Dean, 2004-2007

After twelve long years of shepherding the College of Law, Dean Gilbert D. Camaligan walked down the hall of the law institution and turned over the rein to Atty. Dante Miguel V. Cadiz. Under his deanship, eight law alumni inscribed their names in the roster of lawyers.

Leading these lawyers are Atty. Donabella C. Talabong (Bar ’06) of Class 2005, formerlyof the Public Attorney’s Officeand now an assistant city prosecutor of Lucena. Shewas followed by five members of Class 2006, four of whom passed the bar in 2007, and in 2008.

They are Atty. Ma. Exequiela C. Briones, based in Singapore; Atty. Agnes C. Empensando, assistant city prosecutor of Tayabas City; Atty. German M. Fabro III, a private law practitioner;Atty. Candice A. R. Panol, assistant city prosecutor of Lucena;and Atty. Mark D. Zoleta, former city legal officer of Lucena City and also a private law practitioner.

Atty. Carmi D. Magsino (Bar 2008), chief of the Public Attorney’s Office in Lucena City and Atty. Joycee M. Pabellano (Bar 2010), clerk of the Regional Trial Court Branch 56, both in Lucena City, of Class 2007 are the last bar passers under the stewardship of Dean Dante Miguel V. Cadiz.

ATTY. CESARITO C. VILLARIBA, AB, LLB
(LLB, Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation) Dean, 2007-2014

Dean Dante Miguel V. Cadiz resigned before the start of the first semester of the school year 2007-2008. Atty. Cesarito C. Villariba, the second law alumnus of the college of law who was appointed dean (the first one was Dean Jovito E. Talabong), took over the deanship.

Under his deanship, there are nine (9) lawyers who became members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) belonging to five classes.

Class 2008 has three: Atty. John M. Belleza (Bar ’09), assistant city prosecutor of Lucena; Atty. Rolando R. Recto (Bar ’10), third-term municipal councilor of Buenavista, Quezon; and Atty. J. Federico M. Gendrano (Bar ’11), assistant provincial prosecutor of Quezon assigned in Gumaca, Quezon.

Class 2009 includes Atty. Ana Mei S. Barbacena (Bar ‘2012), the incumbent city election officer of Lucena, and Atty. Christian Arvin S. Barlan (Bar ‘2012), a private law practitioner.

Class 2011 boasts of their members who took the bar examinations in 2011 and passed the same the following year 2012. Atty. Ivan D. Abesa, is still connected with the Philippine National Police. Atty. Maria Theresa O. Avila is the clerk of the Regional Trial Court Branch 53 in Lucena City. Atty. Alwin P. Racelis is engaged in the private practice of law.

Class 2012 brags that they have Atty. Gil Matthew B. Cabanting who made it to the bar in 2013.

ATTY. JOSEPH ADOLFO C. ILAGAN, AB, LLB
(LLB, San Sebastian College)
Dean (OIC), May-June, 2014

The sudden resignation of Dean Cesarito C. Villariba in April 2014 gave way to the designation of Atty. Joseph Adolfo C. Ilagan as OIC-Dean. He served only for two months from May to June 2016.

ENVERGA LAW SCHOOL
(Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation)
REY OLIVER S. ALEJANDRINO, AB, LLB, LLM, DCL
(AB, Dean’s List and Scholar, Xavier University)
(LLB, Grantee, Gregorio Araneta Memorial Law Scholarship, Ateneo Law School)
(LLM, Cum Laude, University of Santo Tomas)
(DCL, Dissertation-Magna Cum Laude, University of Santo Tomas)
Dean, 2014-to date

Dr. Rey Oliver S. Alejandrino was appointed Dean in June 2014 following the resignation of Dean Cesarito C. Villariba. Upon assumption to office, he caused the renaming of the college of law to Enverga Law School and the making of a new seal. He administered an admission test and interview not only to the incoming freshmen, but also to the sophomore and junior law students to determine their scholastic capability to proceed to the next level of the law course.

Dean Alejandrino provided better support to the Bar Operations which helped the bar examinees a lot. Atty. Kristine D. Pabico of Class 2013 and Atty. Geoff Lyn D. San Agustin of Class 2015 successfully crossed the 2015 bar examinations to make the 101st and 102nd marks to the honorable roll of lawyers of the Enverga Law School.

For the first time in the history of the college of law in its entire sixty-four (64) years of existence, the Enverga Law School produced seven (7) new lawyers, five (5) of them are members of Class 2016, one belonged to Class 2015 and the other one is a member of Class 2013. Attys.Carolaine Ann A. Aguila, Charmelaine A. Lahat, Eunice R. Mansion, Sotero A. Rodrigo, Jr., Cryzal Lyn G. Rosales, and Richard P. Tolcidas passed the bar the first time they took it. Atty. Jack Benigno A. Diamante, a member of Class 2013, is the seventhnew lawyer of Bar 2016.