On a poet and friend’s passing away
I was out of the country when Sedfrey A. Ordonez passed away
Ordonez was in the hospital when SIL,
John Strawser,
When the two were having their first breakfast together, John said people kept coming up and stopping by to greet Ordonez. They read like – a who’s who of the
“I was glad he had good hearing,” John continued, “I realized I was in the presence of greatness but he was so humble and didn’t forget his roots. I was in awe that he would come to pick me up, go places, check on me. The first time he picked me up at
John said he arrived late from the
On one of his visits to the Ordonez home, the two reminisced about their times together and Ordonez’s life. John looked around the room and walls, and saw many shells, artifacts primarily from the
As John left, “God prompted me about what we could do and the idea of honorary membership came to mind, though a bit strange, but it had surely been done.” He sent emails to the three Philippine branch directors, and found out that Ordonez had been honored with a Philippine branch honorary membership but not on the international level. After sending many emails to past SIL leaders of the
Ordonez liked to talk about his homegrounds in Nueva Ecija. He adored the pastoral life in his poems; a book of poetry on Laur is in deep Tagalog. His published works have been set to music as opera by renowned composers like Francisco Feliciano, Jeffrey Ching, Dr Lucrecia Kasilag.
Ordonez finished liberal arts at the University of the
He was managing partner of the Salonga, Ordonez & Yap law offices, which gave free legal assistance to throngs of anti-Marcos activists. I recalled going to his office to provide information necessary in court litigations, and the physical needs of political detainees in
He taught remedial law in various universities, and many of his involvements had to do with arbitration and dispute resolution. He served for six years with the UNESCO Conciliation and Good Offices Commission, and he was chair of the Commission on Human Rights from 1992 to 95.
He held significant positions in the government. Delegate to the 1970 Constitutional Convention, representing the second district of Nueva Ecija. Solicitor General in 1986. Secretary of Justice from 1987 to 1989. Permanent Representative of the
He is survived by his wife Josefina Ordonez, and sons Roberto and Philip and daughters Christina and Helen.
Before Ordonez went away, granddaughter Rina Hubilla, who lives in
“I recall the first of many postcards I received from him whenever he was traveling. I was 5 years old then and I received a postcard from him of a slab of prime rib with a note at the back about the cows in the family farm in Nueva Ecija. I am now in
“To my family he is an anchor; the captain at the head of the dinner table. The loving husband, who throughout their years held hands with my grandmother, kissed her goodnight, dedicated his books to her and cherished her. The father, who supported all his children’s endeavors, be these in business or other pursuits. The grandfather who took his grand kids to lunch dates and watched their recitals and school plays with pride. To my daughter, his great-grandchild, he will forever be ‘Lolo Sed’.
“To the people who have known him throughout his career in private practice and civil service, they know that he will only stand for what is right and true and just. Defending in court those who could not be heard, his passion for civil liberties and human rights borne out of years of fighting the dictatorship. His battleground was not on the streets, they were in the hostile territory of court rooms where you were never sure where or who your enemies are.”
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