Aquino pays last respects to Narvasa

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino paid his last respects yesterday to the late Chief Justice Andres Narvasa, hailed by Malacañang for his outstanding service to the country as member and leader of the judiciary, and as lawyer and law dean.

Based on a Facebook post, Aquino went to Narvasa’s wake at the Mount Carmel Shrine Parish in Quezon City. Narvasa died at age of 84 last Thursday.

There is no word yet if Narvasa would be given a posthumous award by the Palace.

The Aquino administration extended its deepest sympathy and condolences to the family of Narvasa.

Narvasa was the country’s 19th chief justice. He was appointed 112th associate justice of the Supreme Court by then President Corazon Aquino on April 11, 1986 and then as chief justice on Dec. 8, 1991. Narvasa served as chief magistrate until his retirement on Nov. 30, 1998.

He rose to national prominence as general counsel of the Agrava Fact-Finding Commission, which investigated the assassination of the President’s father, senator Benigno Aquino Jr.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma said the nation remembers with admiration the way Narvasa handled the case. Narvasa had also served as dean of the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law, where he finished law in 1951, magna cum laude. He placed second in the 1951 Bar examination.