The Ateneo Law School celebrated the Red Mass last Tuesday 10
June 2014 at the St. Thomas More Chapel, Ateneo Law School Rockwell. The Red
Mass coincided with my Dad’s 10th death anniversary. Father Joaquin
Bernas, with Father Lito and Father Student (IJ) (hehe he’s a Jesuit priest who
happens to be a law student as well), co-celebrated the mass. I was shocked to
hear them pray for my Dad specifically because I was under the impression that the
mass was for all. I felt a tear go down when I heard Voltaire Antonio Y.
Rosales mentioned. For those of you who don’t know, 10 Years ago, on June 10,
2004, my father was assassinated a few meters away from his court in Tanauan,
Batangas.
As an Executive Judge, he handled heinous crimes cases and sentenced many drug lords to death. We know the whats and whys it happened, and if you want to read more, I suggest you click the link box on my blog to know more.
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| The Ateneo Law Red Mass |
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| Inside the Executive Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room at Ateneo Law Rockwell, Makati |
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| Ton and Miggie |
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| Lala and Nicolo Villongco |
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| Ateneo Law Alumni start pouring in for the Red Mass |
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| Prof. Balane |
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| Supreme Court Administrator Midas Marquez and Lala |
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| Judges for the Red Mass with Lolong Lazaro near them |
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| Lolong Lazaro says hi to SP Dennis Villa-Ignacio |
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| Krissy Tiu drops by for the Red Mass |
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| Miggie and Tita Leila Quirino |
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| Judge Blanch all the way from Bacolod! |
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| Justice Roberto Abad at the Red Mass |
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| Tito Louie and Tita Udit |
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| Tita Mitoy Fernan-Cayosa |
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| Judge Baybay |
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| Tito Dodo Mandanas speaks to Mrs. Montinola |
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| Tito Dodo says hi to mom |
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| The tri-fecta Fathers come in |
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| Atty. Jack Jimenez, Judge, and Tita Vivian Que-Azcona at the Red Mass |
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| The Ateneo Law Red Mass for the Judiciary |
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| Macy Yapkianwee at the Ateneo Law Red Mass |
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| Tita Rose Caram |
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| Fr. Joaquin Bernas celebrate the Ateneo Law Red Mass |
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| Atty Libby with Atty. Agnes |
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| Tita Grace Plazo and Justice Jane Lantion at the Red Mass |
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| Lala invites people up for the blessing |
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| Dean Sedfrey Candelaria of Ateneo Law School |
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| Supreme Court Justice Mariano del Castillo |
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| Miggie with Tita Vivian |
Aside from the Red Mass, the events for the day included the blessing of my father’s room on the third floor, now called the “Executive Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room”, and the honouring of other Atenean members of the judiciary from the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Court of Tax Appeals, Sandiganbayan and the Trial Courts.
Last June 10 was to honour not just my dad, but many other good Atenean members of the judiciary from the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Court of Tax Appeals, Sandiganbayan and the Trial Courts.
I’m sure my dad would agree with me when I say that more important than people remembering his name, it is important that people know that there are many good Justices and Judges in our country who just want to do their job, earn a decent wage to provide for those they love, and go home to their family. Most members of the judiciary live like that. I’ve seen it myself. Like any other parent, they just want to go home, be hugged by their kids and comforted by their partner after a long serious day.
Sadly, the few bad apples in the judiciary are the ones that get the headlines. By honouring my father by naming a room “The Executive Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room” in Ateneo Law School, the Ateneo seeks to show that everyday people, everyday members of the judiciary, like my dad, exist, and like him, many just want to dispense justice for our country and many would be willing to give the ultimate sacrifice, to die for their beliefs. My Dad was an ordinary guy who chose to do an extra-ordinary thing by sticking to his principles and values. I believe, if my dad can inspire even just one person to have a passion for justice, if he can give people hope that there are good justices and judges out there, then maybe we can slowly wither away the cynicism we have for government, and maybe, we, as Filipinos can move on to greater things.
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| The "Judges"/prof's table at the Voltaire Y. Rosales Room Ateneo Law Rockwell, Makati |
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| The view from the Prof's table Voltaire Y. Rosales Room Ateneo Law Rockwell, Makati |
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| The Executive Judge Voltaire Antonio Y. Rosales Room at Ateneo Law School, Rockwell, Makati |
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| The Op-Ed by Max Soliven on the assassination of Judge Voltaire Rosales, The editorial cartoon, and a write up by Alexander Padilla on Voltaire "Butch"/"Batch" Rosales outside the room |
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| Ateneo folk look around the room |
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| Bea Padilla and JP Ingles look around the Voltaire Y. Rosales Room Ateneo Law School Rockwell, Makati |
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| The Executive Judge Voltaire Antonio Y. Rosales painting by Manansala Balilo |
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| Harvard Law School bound Lala Rosales sits on the Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales table |
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| Executive Judge Voltaire Antonio Y. Rosales by Manansala Balilo |
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| The Gavel, Eucharistic Stole with blood spatter and Lux in Domino Award of Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales |
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| Reading the citations, news clippings and awards of Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales |
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| Bea Padilla reads the Award/citation of the Province of Batangas on Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales |
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| Wide view of the Executive Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room at Ateneo Law School Rockwell, Makati |
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| The Ateneo Law Journal dedicated to Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales and the wooden statue awarded to him by the Ateneo de Manila University when he was given the Lux in Domino Award |
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| Left to Right: Voltaire Y. Rosales' oath taking as a judge before Chief Justice Puno, an article by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines on his assassination, a news article by the Philippine Star titled "Incorruptible Judge gets Ka Pepe Diokno Award", Provincial resolution and citation giving honour to Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales for his service in the Province of Batangas given by the provincial council and Governor Hermilando I. Mandanas, Award/Citation given by the Ateneo Law Alumni Association in recognition of Judge Rosales' contribution to the Philippine legal system and the Painting by Manansala of Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales |
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| Tita Vivia says hi to Mom |
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| Tita Sylvia Cancio |
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| Nena Legaspi-Rosales, Vivian Que-Azcona, Concha Hontiveros, Maitet Diokno, Sylvia Cancio |
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| Lala says hi to Tita Vivian |
Aside from the citations given to him for his sacrifice and news articles honoring my father, we also framed his Eucharistic / lay minister stole that he wore when he served during mass. My Dad was a devotee to the Sacred Heart, a lay minister, lecturer in our local parish at Santuario de San Antonio, Makati, and a household head for Couples for Christ. My dad would drape his stole over the passenger seat of his car and bring it with him wherever he went so he would be ready to serve. It was his source of strength when he travelled to Batangas. When he was assassinated, his blood spattered over the stole. The stole, with his gavel and the Lux In Domino Award given by Ateneo were framed together as a symbol of my dad’s dedication to God and Country.
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| Atty. Jack Jimenez, Tito Teddy Cruz, Justice Hofilena |
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| The Ribbon Cutting for the Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room |
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| Dean Candelaria with Atty. Cruz |
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| Christian and Cla |
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| Executive Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room Marker |
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| The blessing of the Judge Voltaire Rosales Room fills the corridors |
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| and spills into the atrium |
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| Stef Lim at the Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room Ateneo Law School |
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| MTRCB Chair Toto Villareal at the Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room blessing at Ateneo Law School |
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| Tito Dodo and Tita Marichu say hi to Tita Leila |
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| Tito Dodo says hi to Justice Jane |
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| Dean Emeritus of Ateneo Law School Father Joaquin Bernas with Supreme Court Justice Tita Telly Bernabe join Dean Sedfrey Candelaria with my mom, Nena Legaspi-Rosales at the Executive Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room blessing at Ateneo Law School |
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| Full corridors |
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| spilling over to the atrium and to the other side |
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| Lolong Lazaro says hi to his neighbor and Capitana Nena Legaspi-Rosales |
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| Justices del Castillo and Lazaro |
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| Dean Sedfrey Candelaria , former Departmenr of Justice Secretary Agnes Devanedera and Supreme Court Justice Telly Bernabe at the blessing of the Executive Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room at Ateneo Law School Rockwell Makati |
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| Kagawads of Dasmarinas Village, Makati Rodolfo "Rudy" Legaspi and Stefano Lim at the blessing of the Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room Ateneo Law School Rockwell Makati |
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| Isabel, Gabbie and Miggie |
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| Karl Zo Christian |
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| Cla and Mrs. Kyle Marj Martin |
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| Father Lito starts the blessing of the Executive Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room at Ateneo Law School Rockwell Makati |
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| Blessing the Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room at Ateneo Law School Rockwell Makati |
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| Mom, Ma Filomena "Nena" Legaspi Rosales starts the cutting of the ribbon for the Executive Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room |
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| Professor Luisa "Lala" Rosales helps cut the ribbon of the Executive Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room |
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| Professor Vicente "Vic" Rosales joins in and helps Nena and Lala cut the ribbon at the Executive Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room |
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| Nena, Vic and Lala Rosales, Attorneys-at-law, cut the ribbon at the Executive Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room at Ateneo Law School Rockwell Makati |
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| group pictures inside the Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room |
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| Tita Rose Caram looks at the room as people read the stole, gavel and lux in domino award frame |
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| Group picture with the Deans of Ateneo Law School, Supreme Court Justices, Ateneo Law Alumni and the family of Executive Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales |
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| The Couples for Christ household of Executive Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales |
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| Nena Rosales with Atty. Katrina Bote-Veguillas |
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| The Dean and Judges |
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| Judge Jing Nolasco, the tough judge who took over the court of Executive Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales |
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| Tita Mitoy, Telly and Agnes |
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| All the way from Bacolod Judge Blanche! |
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| Ateneo Law Batch 2012 |
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| Ateneo Law Alumni Batch 2011 |
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| Ateneo Law Alumni with Vic Rosales |
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| Ateneo Law people |
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| Gabbie, Isabel and Miggie next to Dad's gavel. |
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| Ronald Chua open the elevator for Rose Caram |
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| Cocktails/Dinner to honour Atenean members of the Philippine Judiciary |
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| Beer at Ateneo Law! |
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| Ateneo Law School Judges |
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| Ateneo Law School honours Judges |
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| The Ateneo Atenean Members of the Philippine Judiciary with the Ateneo Law Alumni Association trustees |
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| Court of Appeals Justices |
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| Dean Candelaria honour Supreme Court Justice Roberto Abad |
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| Dean Sedfrey Candelaria honors Supreme Court Justice Roberto Abad |
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| Ateneo Law School honors Supreme Court Justices Mariano del Castillo and Telly Bernabe |
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| The Supreme Court Justices with the Ateneo Law School and Ateneo Law Alumni Association Inc. |
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| The Dean thanks everyone for coming |
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| Mom gets flowers |
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| Group picture Ateneo Law Alumni and residents |
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| Ateneo Law Alumni |
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| More Ateneo Law Alumni |
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| Ms Rojo with Dad's Manansala |
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| Last minute photos in the Executive Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room |
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| Lala and Vic Rosales after the blessing of the Executive Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales Room at Ateneo Law School Rockwell Makati |
