Founded in 1899 as the Escuela de Derecho de Manila, the Manila Law College has the distinction of being the first and oldest Filipino law school in the Philippines.Don Felipe G. Calderon, the "Father of the Malolos Constitution," founded the law school, following the constitutional mandate for Filipinos to establish institutions of learning for the first Philippine Republic. Supreme Court Justice Felix Angelo Bautista continued the great tradition of the Escuela de Derecho de Manila but changed its name to Manila Law College in 1930, in keeping with the transition from the Spanish to the American system of education.
The first President and Dean of the Escuela de Derecho de Manila was Don Felipe G. Calderon himself. Through the years, he was succeeded by leaders in the bar and the bench like Teodoro M. Kalaw who became president of the University of the Philippines; Don Quintin Paredes who became Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Secretary of Justice; Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos who became a national hero for his defiance of Japanese sovereignty which cost him his life; Senator Emiliano Tria Tirona; Supreme Court Justice Felix Angelo Bautista who was responsible for the conversion of the Escuela de Derecho de Manila to "Manila Law School," Judge Manuel Camus, Dr. Perfecto Laguio who became Undersecretary of Commerce; Supreme Court Justice Edgardo Paras; Court of Appeals Justice Porfirio Sison and the current Dean of Manila Law College, Ambassador Benjamin B. Domingo, Ph.D. who was also former Undersecretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
World War II devastated Manila and Manila Law College was not spared of the destruction. Dr. Enrique C. Galang and a former Colonel in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, took up the challenge to rehabilitate the College and served as its Dean until 1990. From that year to 2003, Court of Appeals Justice Porfirio Sison managed the affairs of the law school. Acting Dean Florante Seril was the transition head of the College until Ambassador Benjamin B. Domingo was appointed by President and Chairman Eduardo J. Bautista as the new dean in 2005.
Chief Justice Manuel V. Moran heads the distinguished alumni roster of the combined Escuela de Derecho de Manila and the Manila Law College law graduates. Following are some of the Supreme Court Justices who are alumni of the College: Justices Felix Angelo Bautista, Manuel Briones, Norberto Romualdez, Anacledo Diaz, Antonio Horeilleno, Carlos Imperial, Guillermo Pablo, Luis P. Torres, Edgardo Paras, and Jose P. Laurel.
In the span of a hundred years, the Escuela de Derecho de Manila and the Manila Law College has contributed a significant number of law graduates who became leading legal practisioners, judges and justices, members of the Executive and Legislative branches of the Philippine Government and the private sector.
To name a few of those who served in the Cabinet: Vicente Singson Encarnacion, Jose C. Zulueta, Pedro Magsalin; Jose Escaler, Oscar Castelo and Marcelo Balatbat. Bureau heads and directors included: Teofisto Guingona, Sr., Teodoro Kalaw, Enrique Altavas and Enrico Palomar.
Members of the Philippine Senate were Francisco Zulueta, Jose A. Clarin, Jose O. Vera, Jose P.Laurel, Emiliano Trias Tirona, and Jose Imperial. Elected to the House of Representatives were Leonardo Festin, Mauro Versosa, Fernando Veloso, Marcelino Veloso, Pablo Ocampo, Jose Rono and others.
In the judiciary, apart from the Supreme Court, the following were appointed judges in the Regional Trial Courts or the former Courts of First Instance: Agapito Cruz, Leonardo Cruz, and David Nitafan and others.
The private sector such as banking and finance has graduates of the law school like as Rafael Corpus, Padro J. Ocampo, Angel de la Paz, Homero de los Reyes, Alfonso Encarnacion, Jose Gatchalian, Benjamin Bautista, Romeo R. Echauz among others.
Graduates of the Manila Law College who are now members of the faculty of the law school include Professors Manuel Gatcho, Ramil Gabao, Victor Tulalian, Cesar Calubag and Nicolas Lapuz.
In 1979 the Manila Law College was converted into a foundation to enhance its organization structure to bridge the stage as the "oldest Filipino law school" to the "best Filipino law school." Under the dynamic leadership of Dr. Eduardo J. Bautista, son of Supreme Court Justice Felix Angelo Bautista, who is the President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, another member of the illustrious clan, Gregory Alan Bautista, was tapped as Executive Vice President.
Over the years, Manila Law College has also produced several bar examination passers. Foremost of whom was Adolfo Brillantes who placed first in the 1920 bar exams.
In September 2005, bar examination passers included Neptali D. Abasta, Dante A. Arino, Arlan A. Castaneda, Julius S. De Peralta, and Alwin M. Tumalad. In the 2007 Bar exams, Dionisio Apoya, Jr. placed 12th.
The Manila Law College Faculty is composed of:
- Ambassador Benjamin B. Domingo
- USec. Ernesto L. Pineda
- Judge Pedro N. Laggui
- Atty. Rodolfo G. Rabaja
- Atty. Daniel F. De Jesus
- Atty. Ciriaco S. Calalang
- Atty. Sergio M. Ceniza
- Atty. Arturo M. De Castro
- Atty. Eric Voltaire A. Pablo
- Atty. Juliius S. De Peralta
- Atty. Florante A. Seril
- Atty. Jose R. Cabangon
- Atty. Felipe R. Fragante
- Atty. Nicolas E. Lapuz
- Atty. Cesar D. Calubag
- Atty. Lawrence P. Villanueva
- Atty. Ramil G. Gabao
- Atty. Victor T. Tulalian
- Atty. Danilo S. Barde
- Dr. Edna Natividad Cuaresma
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