“Saguisag devoted every moment of his life until the very end as a human rights defender, representing the poor and the oppressed”
“IT MEANS a great deal to those who are oppressed to know that they are not alone. Never let anyone tell you that what you are doing is insignificant.” – Desmond Tutu.
This short adage by anti-apartheid activist Bishop Desmund Tutu might be the guiding principle of Rene Saguisag who dedicated his whole life, up to the very end, in the defense of the rights of the poor and the downtrodden.
Reading an account published in a newspaper, Saguisag narrated how he started as a human rights defender.
According to him, when he arrived back [in Manila] from his studies abroad, he signed up with a big corporation in the country. But on his way down [to their offices], he hitched a ride with a fellow Bedan who was going to the BIR.
When we got to the Supreme Court, he happened to see a rally led by a good friend from the Ateneo.
Saguisag bade goodbye to his friend and without hesitation joined “my kind of people.” So even before he started with Ayala Corporation that very same day, he tendered a letter of resignation.
“If I had stayed with Ayala, maybe I would be in some plutocratic enclave.” he said in retrospect.
True enough, Saguisag never looked back. He devoted every moment of his life until the very end as a human rights defender, representing the poor and the oppressed.
Saguisag played a pivotal role in establishing the Movement of Attorneys for the Advancement of Brotherhood, Nationalism, and Integrity (MABINI), a collective of legal professionals dedicated to assisting victims of human rights violations.
Among his esteemed colleagues in this endeavor were Joker Arroyo, Jejomar Binay, Fulgencio Factoran Jr, Ed Araullo, and others.
Throughout the two decades of the Marcos’ dictatorship, Saguisag tirelessly navigated between various courts, advocating for human rights victims who lacked the means to afford legal representation.
Often observed with bulging folders containing his clients’ cases and driving a well-worn vehicle, he predominantly handled pro-bono cases, driven solely by his compassion for humanity.
“For him expertise in law was a means to serve the poor and disenfranchised, and he provided free legal aid to those in need. We are grateful that, in his final months, he was able to spend time with relatives, friends, and countless supporters. He passed away knowing that he was much loved and respected,” the Saguisag family said.
As a senator, he was the personification of simplicity and moral rectitude.
He never sought the spotlight for its sake nor tried to perpetuate himself in power, pledging to serve just a single term in the Senate — which he did.
He also had a wicked sense of humor. I saw that personally as we were fellow professors in the San Beda Graduate School of Law and co-convenor of the Free Leila De Lima Committee.
To the end, he was passionate for a just rule of law.
Despite his brief tenure as a legislator, Saguisag was very productive, authoring pieces like the Ombudsman Act and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, both enacted in 1989.
The latter would help fight corruption, while the latter is more positive in mandating all public servants to remain accountable to the people and work with responsibility, integrity, competence, loyalty, act with patriotism and justice, lead modest lives, and uphold public interest over personal interest.
Nov. 8, 2007, tragedy struck, when Saguisag and his wife Dulce met a car accident, seriously injuring the former senator and killing the latter.
It was painful watching him recover from that, but he would soldier on for another 17 years, diminished physically but never as a statesman, where he stood out, luminous in his integrity and love for country.
Senator Saguisag passed away on April 24, 2024, at the age of 84. His last public appearance occurred on April 9, the Day of Valor, during a ceremony at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City.
A wise man once said: “I think a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people.”
If we go by this saying, Rene Saguisag is a hero in every sense of the word. He is my hero.
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