Justice Jose C. Reyes Jr., a faculty member of De La Salle Lipa (DLSL) College of Law (COL), was honored by the institution for earning a seat in the Supreme Court (SC) rulings, ascending as the newest Associate Justice of the highest court in the country, Sept. 21.
Reyes, 67, who had been teaching in DLSL since 2011, ranked first in the shortlist of the possible appointees of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte, officially took the position during his oath at Malacañang last Aug. 13 which was then followed by a ceremonial oath taking in the SC before the acting Chief Justice Antonio Tirol Carpio.
The recently appointed Justice was first known as the Metropolitan Trial Court judge in Pasig City and Regional Trial Court judge in Rizal, before becoming the Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals for 15 years.
Atty. Emirito I. Enginco, dean of COL, arranged a tribute lunch at the CBEAM Function Hall to formally congratulate Reyes’s designation. It was attended by administrators and the Justice’s co-faculty, close friends, and recently graduated students who are now fellow attorneys.
Enginco in his congratulatory speech described Reyes as a man of “humility, extreme work ethic and fear to the Lord.”
“Simplicitas (simplicity) and gravitas (gravity), these are among the virtues of leaders in the Holy Roman Empire [and] these can be seen in our honoree. This is Justice Jose C. Reyes as a person,” he commended.
The dean also praised his performance and authority in teaching Commercial Law.
Accordingly, Reyes responded that it is indeed every law practitioners’ dream to gain a position in the Supreme Court despite of him not being well acquainted with the current president of the country.
“Those who have been appointed before me [have been] somehow known by the president. Probably it’s part of God’s plan to show to the world, to everyone, that somebody can be appointed without really being close to the president. God again has a plan that I’ll be appointed in a great way,” Reyes said.
Bro. Dante Amisola FSC, president and chancellor of DLSL, together with Enginco then gave Reyes a certificate of recognition and a miniature of St. La Salle as recognition for his appointment and his commitment to inspire and share his expertise to aspiring Lipasallians.
