Chel Diokno

Jose Manuel Diokno
Born Jose Manuel Icasiano Diokno
(1961-02-23) February 23, 1961
Manila, Philippines
Occupation Lawyer, Professor
Years active 1986 — Present

Jose Manuel "Chel" Icasiano Diokno (born February 23, 1961) is a Filipino lawyer, educator, and civil rights advocate best known for being one of the Philippines' foremost human rights lawyers. He serves as chairman of the Free Legal Assistance Group and as founding dean of the De La Salle University College of Law. He has also served as special counsel of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

Early life and education

Diokno was born on February 23, 1961, the eighth of ten children by Senator Jose W. Diokno and his wife Carmen Icasiano. He was a teenager when his family suffered under Martial Law, but Chel managed to graduate in high school with honors, was president of the La Salle Green Hills student council, and a Gerardo Roxas Leadership Awardee.[1][2]

After earning a degree in Philosophy at the University of the Philippines, Diokno studied law at the Northern Illinois University (NIU) in the US where he graduated Juris Doctor of Laws, magna cum laude, in 1986.[3]

Public service

Diokno took the Bar Examination in the State of Illinois and passed.[1] Despite this, his heart never left the Philippines. In 1987, Chel returned to the country. He passed the Philippine Bar Exam and immediately took up the cause of human rights. Chel joined the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) — the Philippines' oldest and largest group of human rights lawyers.[4]

Commission on Human Rights and Integrated Bar of the Philippines

In the 1990s, Diokno served on the Commission on Human Rights under Presidents Cory Aquino and Fidel V. Ramos. He was also a member of the Committee on Human Rights and Due Process at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).[1]

General Counsel of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee

In 2001, Diokno was team leader and private prosecutor in the impeachment proceedings against then-President Joseph Estrada. That same year, he became General Counsel of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee (the Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigation). And in 2004, he was appointed Special Counsel of the Development Bank of the Philippines.[1]

Establishment of the Diokno Law Center

With his expertise in litigation, in 2006, Diokno set up the Diokno Law Center. It provides valuable legal training to agencies such as the Comelec, the Public Attorney's Office, the Philippine National Police, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Bureau of Customs, and the IBP.

Founding Dean of the De La Salle University College of Law

In 2009, Diokno founded the De La Salle University College of Law, with the aim of developing leaders who are committed to upholding the rights of every Filipino. He has served as the College's Dean since 2009.[1]

Human Rights advocacy

Diokno's whole career, from his law practice with the Free Legal Assistance Group to his role as counsel to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to his role as founding Dean of the De La Salle University College of Law, has revolved around the central theme of Human Rights advocacy.[4] He has expressed the motivation for this focus in a 2012 column for the Investigative News Magazine Newsbreak:

“Our task–and our challenge–is to find safer ground. To find a path that can take us, eventually, to a world where life has meaning; where values count; and where we can say: This is where I want my children to grow up, instead of dreaming of a better life in distant shores.”[4]

Position against Martial Law Revisionism

As the descendants of former Senator and noted Martial Law critic Jose W. Diokno, Chel Diokno and the rest of his family have taken a strong position against historical negationism and denialism regarding the Philippines' Martial Law era under Ferdinand Marocs.[5][6][7]

Notable cases

As a practicing lawyer, Diokno has won numerous cases on behalf of the public interest.

In the 1990s, Diokno became part of the team of FLAG lawyers who prosecuted the 27 police officers who were implicated in the 1995 Kuratong Baleleng rubout case. FLAG continued to pursue the case into the 2000s, despite Diokno and his colleagues receiving numerous death threats. [4]

He is the counsel of Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada, NBN/ZTE whistleblower, and lead witness in the Ombudsman's cases against former National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) head Romulo Neri and former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair Benjamin Abalos.[8]

In 2007, Diokno made history when he, along with fellow FLAG lawyers Theodore O. Te and Ricardo A. Sunga III, successfully petitioned the Supreme Court to issue its first Writs of Amparo for Raymond and Reynaldo Manalo, two brothers who were allegedly picked up and tortured by agents of the Philippine military.[9]

The following year, Diokno won the release of members of the "Tagaytay 5," men who were illegally detained by the Philippine National Police.[10]

Diokno and Atty. Te also represented media organizations in a petition against the Arroyo administration. The case brought together members of ABS-CBN, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Probe Productions, Newsbreak, and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, among others.[11]

Authored books

Diokno has written two books: Diokno On Trial: The Techniques And Ideals Of The Filipino Lawyer (The Complete Guide To Handling A Case In Court), published by the Diokno Law Center in 2007; and Civil And Administrative Suits As Instruments Of Accountability For Human Rights Violations, published by the Asia Foundation in 2010. He has also written extensively on forensic DNA, electronic evidence, anti-terrorism legislation, media law, and judicial reform.[1]

Personal life

Diokno is the son of Filipino nationalist Senator Jose W. "Pepe" Diokno. His sister, Maris Diokno, is a senior administrator in the University of the Philippines system who has served as chair of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. Diokno's eldest son is the internationally awarded filmmaker Pepe, who whas named after his grandfather.

Ancestry

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Atty. Diokno's CV (as of November 2010)". We Support Atty. Chel Diokno for Ombudsman. 2011-05-06. Retrieved 2011-05-15.
  2. ↑ "2012 Philippine Daily Inquirer factsheet on Jose Manuel Diokno" (PDF). Inquirer.net. 2012. Retrieved 2018-10-13.
  3. ↑ {{Cite web . There, he received an American Jurisprudence Award for Excellence in the Study of Contracts, became a member of the NIU Law Review, and interned at the Office of the State Appellate Defender. | last = | first = | authorlink = | title =DLSU College of Law - Faculty List | work = | publisher =DLSU College of Law | date =2010-11-05 | url =http://law.dlsu.edu.ph/about/faculty.asp | doi = | accessdate =2011-05-15}}
  4. 1 2 3 4 Geronimo, Jee (2011-05-13). "Ombudsman search: Diokno is no joke". Newsbreak. Retrieved 2011-05-15.
  5. ↑ Takumi, Rie (2018-09-24). "Bongbong and Enrile's Martial Law video 'adding insult to injury' —Diokno family". GMA News Online. Retrieved 2018-10-13.
  6. ↑ Gavilan, Jodesz (2018-09-21). "'Distortion of truth': Diokno family slams Bongbong Marcos, Enrile". Rappler. Retrieved 2018-10-13.
  7. ↑ Galvez, Daphne (2018-09-21). "Diokno family blasts Enrile's 'false' claims on martial law". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 2018-10-13.
  8. ↑ Manahan, Ruben (2009-04-30). "Police arrest Jun Lozada". Manila Times. Manila Times. Archived from the original on 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2011-05-15.
  9. ↑ Panaligan, Rey (2007-10-26). "Supreme Court, QC RTC issue 1st Writs of Amparo". Manila Bulletin. Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on 2012-08-25. Retrieved 2011-05-15.
  10. ↑ Calleja, Niña Catherine (2008-08-29). "Tagaytay 5 freed; rebellion case 'nonexistent'". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2011-05-15.
  11. ↑ Jimenez-David, Rina (2008-01-29). "Who's publicity-hungry?". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2012-03-26. Retrieved 2011-05-15.
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