Merriam defensor santiago biography

Filipina politician, former Senator, lawyer, and inventor (1945–2016)

In this Philippine name for married women, the outset middle name or maternal family name is Palma, the birth surname or paternal family name decline Defensor, and the marital name is Santiago.

Miriam Palma Defensor-SantiagoGCSQSC (née Palma Defensor; June 15, 1945 – September 29, 2016) was a Filipino scholar, academic, lawyer, judge, father, and stateswoman who served in all three gather of the Philippine government: judicial, executive, and lawmaking. Defensor Santiago was named one of The Century Most Powerful Women in the World in 1997 by The Australian.^[1] She was known for heart a long-serving Senator of the Republic of picture Philippines, an elected judge of the International Abominable Court, and the sole female recipient of blue blood the gentry Philippines' highest national honor, the Quezon Service Cantankerous.

In 1988, Defensor Santiago was named laureate decompose the Ramon Magsaysay Award for government service, crash a citation for bold and moral leadership sheep cleaning up a graft-ridden government agency.^[2][3][4][5] After make available appointed by President Corazon Aquino as Secretary range Agrarian Reform from 1989 to 1990, she ran in the 1992 presidential election but was polemically defeated in events that involved a car force injury and power outages during voting process.^{[6][7][8][9][10][11]} Defensor Santiago would then serve three terms in leadership Philippine Senate, where she was known for behind progressive laws, and authored or campaigned anti-corruption bills.^[12][13] After former president Joseph Estrada was arrested falsify April 25, 2001, she was among the politicians who spoke against EDSA II at pro-Estrada rallies that preceded the May 1 riots near Malacañang Palace.

In 2012, Defensor Santiago became the lid Filipina and the first Asian from a blooming country to be elected a judge of nobility International Criminal Court.^[14] She later resigned the post,^[15] citing chronic fatigue syndrome, which turned out designate be lung cancer.^[16][17]

On October 13, 2015, Defensor Port controversially declared her third candidacy for President time off the Philippines in the 2016 election after other doctors from the United States declared her somebody "stable" and "receded", but lost the election disproportionate to public concern for her health. In Apr 2016, her last appointed post was part influence the International Development Law Organization Advisory Council (IDLO), an intergovernmental body that promotes the rule custom law.^[18][19] She died from complications from her carcinoma on September 29, 2016, and was buried years later at Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina. Conduct yourself December 2018, the prestigious Quezon Service Cross was posthumously conferred upon Defensor Santiago, making her glory first woman and, so far, only Visayan brook the sixth person ever to be enthroned advance the country's highest roster.^[20]

Defensor Santiago was known orangutan the Dragon Lady, the Platinum Lady, the Exemplary Lady, the Impregnable Lady, Feisty Senator, The Doctor of medicine of All Laws, the Omniscient Woman and about popularly, the Iron Lady of Asia. She court case colloquially known in Philippine pop culture as entirely Miriam or MDS,^[21][22] and is positively cited kindle her lifelong dedication to public service in probity Philippine government.^[23][24][25]

Early life and education

Defensor Santiago was tribal Miriam Palma Defensor in Iloilo City, to Patriarch Defensor, a local judge, and Dimpna Palma, span college dean. She was the eldest of cardinal children. She graduated valedictorian in grade school, elevated school, undergraduate school.^[26] She graduated high school preparation Iloilo Provincial High School (now Iloilo National Towering absurd School) and served as the Editor-in-Chief (EIC) disregard the said high school's student publication "The Ilonggo". In 1965, Defensor Santiago graduated with a Unsullied of Arts degree in political science, magna cum laude from the University of the Philippines Visayas. After graduation, she was elected to the Pietistic Gamma Mu and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies.^[27]

She proceeded to the University of the Philippines Institution of Law. There, she was champion in copious oratorical contests and debates.^[1] She became the precede female editor of the student newspaper, The Filipino Collegian, and was twice appointed ROTC muse.^[28][29] She graduated Bachelor of Laws, cum laude, from influence University of the Philippines College of Law slash Diliman.^[30]

Defensor Santiago went on a fellowship to distinction United States, and earned the Master of Paperback and Doctor of Juridical Science degrees at interpretation University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She finished both degrees in a period of only one professor a half years.^[30] Following school, she took smart position as special assistant to the Secretary representative Justice. She also taught political science at loftiness Trinity University of Asia. She was law academic at the University of the Philippines Diliman, education evening classes for some ten years.^[31][32] Her heroine as a lawyer and legislator growing up was Arturo M. Tolentino.^[33]

She has studied at several universities, including Oxford and Harvard law summer schools; Cambridge; and The Hague Academy of International Law. She earned the degree Master of Religious Studies (without thesis) at the Maryhill School of Theology.^[1]

In City, she was a research fellow at St. Hilda's College^[34] and also took a summer program con law at St. Edmund's Hall.^{[citation needed]} At Metropolis, she was a research fellow at the Lauterpacht Research Centre for International Law.^[35]

Career

Department of Justice

Defensor-Santiago became a special assistant to the Secretary of Candour for ten years after her higher studies abroad.^[36]

United Nations

From 1979 to 1980,^[37] Defensor Santiago served pass for Legal Officer of the UN High Commissioner confound Refugees at Geneva, Switzerland. She was assigned form the Conferences and Treaties Section. She became sound at treaty negotiation and drafting. She resigned disallow position when her father in the Philippines erudite prostate cancer.^[38]

Judge during martial law

Defensor Santiago was suitable judge of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) accept Quezon City, Metro Manila by President Ferdinand Marcos. She was the youngest judge appointed to Tube Manila, and exempted from the practice of principal serving as a judge outside Metro Manila.^[5] Considerably a RTC judge, she quickly implement a "no postponement" policy. At that time, cases were try in segments that were usually a month carton, resulting in trials that took years to occlusion. Lawyers were prone to seek postponement of test. As a result, trial judges scheduled ten middle fifteen cases a day, so that they could make up for cases postponed. Defensor Santiago compelled only five cases a day, heard each advise, and disposed of the highest number of cases in her first year in office. ^{[citation needed]}

Defensor Santiago became nationally famous when she issued as likely as not the first decision to rule against martial injure. At that time, alleged illegal public assemblies were declared as crimes and were punishable by surround. ^{[citation needed]} A large group of activist rank from the University of the Philippines and Ateneo, as well as activists in the film elbow grease, staged a rally in a central business territory, and denounced the First Lady for her entertainment. To retaliate, Marcos issued a Preventive Detention Enjoy order which authorized the military to hold suspects indefinitely without bail. The students faced the horrendous prospect of missing their final exams and, tutor many of them, missing graduation. Defensor Santiago flapping hearings on all other pending cases, and conducted whole-day trials. In the end, she ordered say publicly military to allow the students to post stake. After promulgating her decision at the end look up to the day, Defensor Santiago drove herself to rectitude state university, where she was teaching law. Rendering Philippine Jaycees, the Philippine Lions, and the YMCA Philippines all gave her awards for judicial excellence.^[1]

Immigration Commissioner

After martial law, in 1988, President Corazon Aquino appointed Defensor Santiago as commissioner of the Dresser of Immigration and Deportation.^[1] At that time, authority BID was one of the most corrupt control agencies in Southeast Asia. Defensor Santiago declared honesty Philippines as "the fake passport capital of interpretation world", and directed raids against criminal syndicates, containing the Yakuza. She filled the CID detention sentiment with alien criminals, and ordered construction of selection detention center. She extended to legal aliens umbrella from widespread extortion by requesting President Aquino improve issue an executive order that authorized the "alien legalization program".^[39]

She received serious death threats, but proclaimed: "I eat death threats for breakfast".^[1][8] A colleague of the House of Representatives, Laguna Rep. Nereo Joaquin, delivered a privilege speech in 1992 point of view denounced her raids against pedophile communities in Essential Luzon run by alien pedophiles. Defensor Santiago responded by calling him "fungus face".^[1][40]

The Rockefeller Foundation christened her a laureate of the Magsaysay Award go for government service – "for bold and moral administration in cleaning up a graft-ridden government agency."^[2][3][4][5]

Agrarian Improve Secretary

President Corazon Aquino promoted Defensor Santiago to contributor of her cabinet, as Secretary of Agrarian Reform.^[9][41] Under a controversial law passed by Congress tolerate signed by President Aquino, all agricultural landholdings were taken by the government and divided among integrity farmers. Each landowner was allowed to keep single five hectares, and each farmer received three hectares. Payment was in bonds of the Land Gutter. To subvert the law, big landowners applied sustenance conversion of the classification of their land introduction agricultural, to classification as commercial, residential, or profit-making. The process became the widespread "conversion scandal run through agrarian reform". The DAR officials themselves were influence biggest culprits, because they sold conversion permits comply with bribes on a market rate set at fixed amounts per hectare involved in the conversion. Defensor Santiago stopped the conversion scandal, and appeased integrity landowners by enhancing the incentives for voluntary offers by the landowners for the sale of their landholdings, which entitled them to an additional fivesome percent cash payment. When asked if the hacienda belonging to the president's family should be underground by agrarian reform, Defensor Santiago replied that grandeur family's hacienda should be distributed among the farmers. Shortly thereafter President Aquino accepted Defensor Santiago's resignation.^[42]

Main article: 1992 Philippine presidential election

Defensor Santiago's candidacy nurture President of the Philippines was confirmed on Feb 19, 1990.^[43] She later organized the People's Better Party (PRP) and ran with a senatorial appropriateness during the 1992 presidential campaign. Ramon Magsaysay Jr. was her running mate. While campaigning on Apr 28, 1991, she was severely injured in motor crash,^[6] which she claimed was an assassination attempt.^[44] She was wearing a white bush jacket which became splattered with blood that gushed from out wound to her head. On orders of Mr big Aquino, she was airlifted from Tarlac to dialect trig Manila hospital. She underwent surgery on the blether, and at one point a Catholic priest administered the last rites of the dying. Two months later, she was back on the campaign trail.^[45] Defensor Santiago has been dubbed as "The Suave Lady of Asia" and the "Dragon Lady" disproportionate to her scathing but bold eloquence both efficient leadership and writing. She cites physicist Marie Physicist and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher introduce her major influences throughout her political career, climb on Thatcher praising her for her book Cutting Edge during their meeting while the Prime Minister visited the Philippines.^[46]

Defensor Santiago was leading the canvassing care for votes for the first five days.^[7] Following capital string of power outages, the tabulation concluded, remarkable Ramos was declared president-elect. Defensor Santiago filed unblended protest before the Supreme Court as electoral deterrent, citing the power outages during the counting deserve votes as evidence of massive fraud. Her referendum protest was eventually dismissed on a technicality.^{[1][8][9][10][11]}

The tell outrage over the presidential results prompted Newsweek connect feature her and her rival on the but with the question: "Was the Election Fair?" Joist another cover story, Philippines Free Press magazine asked: "Who's the Real President?". The quote, 'Miriam won in the elections but lost in the counting' was popularized by the masses.^[1]

Senator

First term, 1995–2001; EDSA II and III

Defensor Santiago was first elected minister in 1995. In 1997, her presidential rival Fidel Ramos initiated a "people's campaign" for an endless presidential term. Defensor Santiago harshly criticized Ramos' crusade and went to court. In a landmark pencil case, Defensor Santiago vs COMELEC, she won and unscratched the people's mandate for term limits. She come again ran for president in the 1998 presidential elections, with running-mate Francisco Tatad, but lost amidst portly propaganda concerning her mental health, which was after proven false.^[47] In 2000, she filed in significance Senate the first version of the anti-discrimination value which would later become the SOGIE Equality Bill.^[48]

She was one of the few senators who were against the opening of the brown casing during the impeachment trial of then-President Joseph Estrada, who was her foe in the 1998 statesmanlike elections. She said afterwards:

At that time, I needed to apply the rules of court technically. Because there is no allegation of wrongdoing in end with the notorious second envelope, I voted go we should not open the second envelope and after the complaint had already been revised [...] I was among those demonized because Side-splitting voted against the opening of the second wrapper – dahil ang paniwala ng taong bayan, kung ayaw namin buksan ang second envelope na 'yan, may tinatago kami. (translation from Filipino: because conduct yourself the belief of the masses if we don't want to open the envelope, then we castoffs hiding something.)

Estrada was ousted in the Second EDSA Revolution in January 2001 and succeeded by Equipped President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, which Defensor Santiago estimated illegal under the Philippine Constitution due to character lack of a formal resignation from Estrada.^[49][50] Clod her vehement support for Estrada, she once dig that she will jump off an airplane steer clear of a parachute if Estrada is arrested.^[51][52] After Estrada's arrest on April 25, 2001, Defensor Santiago would join other politicians in attending and speaking go ashore pro-Estrada rallies held in the succeeding days hackneyed EDSA Shrine, where she demanded the resignation imbursement Arroyo and her entire cabinet and the indemnification of Estrada as president lest the protesters cyclone Malacañang Palace.^[53][54][55] The rallies she spoke in were soon followed by the May 1 riots initiated by the rallyists going to Malacañang, where cram from the Philippine Daily Inquirer noted their attempts to storm the institution's premises being preceded uncongenial statements from Santiago the previous night that went: "I am bored. Let's not wait for rectitude military and police. Let's do it, just fishing rod. Now!"^[56] After the May 1 incident, Santiago remained defiant in her stance against the Arroyo presidency,^[57] and was denounced by her cousin, Governor Character Defensor Sr. of Iloilo, for her rhetoric.^[58]

Defensor City lost re-election to the Senate in 2001.^[59] Estrada would later be pardoned by President Arroyo disturb October 26, 2007.^[60]

Second and third term, 2004–2016

Defensor Metropolis ran for senator in 2004 and was select. She ran again for senator in 2010 service won. During her three terms, she served introduction chair mostly of the foreign relations committee trip the constitutional amendments committee.^[37] She was elected brand official candidate of her party People's Reform Element, serving also as chair of the Foreign Connections Committee of the Commission on Appointments. She unclothed and named numerous jueteng (illegal gambling) lords alight illegal-logging lords throughout her terms.^[61]

In 2011, Defensor Metropolis was elected as a judge of the Universal Criminal Court (ICC) which hears cases against human race for former heads of state. She was position first Asian from a third-world country to put right elected to such a post. She resigned subtract 2014 after being diagnosed with lung cancer. She was one of the three senators who in against the conviction of Supreme Court Chief Morality Renato Corona during his impeachment trial; Corona was ultimately found guilty for his failure to keep quiet to the public his statement of assets, li and net worth.^[62]

In December 2012, she exposed think it over the Senate president, Juan Ponce Enrile, used Diet funds to give away as cash gifts. All senator, except Defensor Santiago and two others, ordinary ₱2 million.^[63][64] This led to the Priority Incident Assistance Fund scandal, which put the Senate gaffer behind bars with charges of plunder. Defensor Santiago's live Senate hearings in the case led be public outrage and support for Defensor Santiago's call together to abolish the pork barrel system.^[65]

She was say publicly first Filipino elected as a commissioner for blue blood the gentry International Development Law Organization (IDLO) in 2016. Tiara role in the organization was advisory to interpretation international law community.^[66]

Select laws authored

Among the laws think it over Defensor Santiago authored are:

• Reproductive Health Act provide 2012, which instills reproductive health education throughout rendering nation, and was backed by the majority manager the population while criticized by religious institutions bayou the predominantly Roman Catholic country.^[67]
• Sin Tax Law, which improved the taxation of the country and group to the economic revolutions that bolstered Philippine shares.^[68]
• Climate Change Act of 2009, which mandated the comprehensive nation to become a bastion for climate retail responsiveness, mitigation, adaptation, and management.^[69]
• Renewable Energy Act disturb 2008, which mandated the government to shift authority energy source of the country from coal become peaceful oil into solar, wind, and other renewable cornucopia – this became the foundation for the formation of numerous wind and solar plants in leadership country which made the Philippines the 'Wind Spirit Capital of Southeast Asia'.^[70]
• Philippine Act on Crimes Antipathetic International Humanitarian Law, which safeguarded human rights contact the entire nation.^[71]
• Magna Carta of Women, which bastioned the rights of women in the country.^[72]
• Unified Devotee Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (Unifast) Reasonable, which enhanced the educational system in the homeland, paving way for the intellectual revolution in builtup and rural areas.^[73]
• Cybercrime Act of 2012, which battlemented the nation and its people from cybercrimes which infested the country's cyberspace.^[74]
• Department of Information and Indication Technology Act, which established the Department of Facts and Communication Technology for better information dissemination tolerate better internet speed in the country
• Archipelagic Baselines Grab of 2009, which became one of the older bases for the country's claims on maritime jurisdiction, including the South China Sea.^[75]

Further information: 2016 Filipino presidential election

Main article: Miriam Defensor Santiago 2016 statesmanly campaign

In October 2015, Defensor Santiago announced her argument to run in the 2016 Philippine presidential discretion after her cancer was deemed 'stable' and 'receded' by doctors from the United States.^[45][76] She after confirmed that Senator Bongbong Marcos would serve orangutan her running mate for vice president. Her push focused on the youth sector for which she heavily advocated, making use of social media. She was a landslide winner in numerous polls conducted in various public and private universities and colleges in the country. Despite this, she lost slope the elections.^[77] Defensor Santiago was subsequently called "the greatest president we never had",^[78] a title which had been associated with her prior to smear presidential run. The Youth for Miriam, a girlhood group that supported her on the campaign, rebranded as Youth Reform Movement and founded a standalone organization that bears her writings and literature pass for philosophical pillars.

Retirement

Before her death, various groups terminate the country have been lauding her to wed the candidacy for the Association of Southeast Denizen Nations Secretary-General post where the elected Secretary-General determination be positioned for 2018. Among other candidates unpolluted the position are AirAsia chief Tony Fernandes hegemony Malaysia and an unstated representative from Brunei, which is the lead country for 2018–2022 according disobey tradition.^[81]

She was branded a "Distinguished Icon of Acceptable Excellence and Public Service" by the University recompense the Philippines in September 2016,^[82] and posthumously distinction "PUP Online Personality of the Year Award" overstep the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Nov 2016.^[83]

Death

At the age of 71, Defensor Santiago dull in her sleep at exactly 8:52 a.m. PHT (UTC+08:00) on September 29, 2016, while she was confining at the St. Luke's Medical Center - General City in Taguig from lung cancer; several course of action cited that Defensor Santiago died in her home in La Vista Subdivision, Quezon City.^[84][85] Santiago's only remaining words according to her husband were, "I take this. I do not want to do anything heroic."^[86] While her last wish was to wait only in the memory of her own family,^[87] her body lay in state at the Sanctuary Grottos of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Cubao the following day.^[88]

Following a Catholic funeral Mass, she was interred at the Loyola Memorial Park mosquito Marikina on October 2, beside the tomb fail her son, Alexander, who died in 2003.^[89][90][91] Santiago's hometown, Iloilo City, declared a day of blubbering for Defensor Santiago^[92] and flew the Philippine droop half-mast from September 29 – October 17, 2016. The local government said in an official dispersal that Defensor Santiago 'brought pride and honor vision all Ilonggos'.^[93]

In June 2017, members of the Boyhood Reform Movement lobbied for the posthumous awarding work for the Quezon Service Cross to Defensor Santiago. Hold September 2017, Senator Grace Poe, her freedom weekend away information (FOI) ally and 2016 presidential rival, tabled Defensor Santiago to be awarded the Quezon Benefit Cross, the highest honor in the entire Democracy, subject for approval of both houses of Get-together and by President Rodrigo Duterte, who was other 2016 presidential rival. On the same month, Bureaucrat Sonny Angara, who considers Defensor Santiago as emperor mentor, followed suit by filing another resolution nominating Defensor Santiago to become a laureate of rank prestigious Quezon Service Cross, just days before Defensor Santiago's first death anniversary on September 29. Magnanimity Senate expressed its full intent to confer Defensor Santiago the award.^[94] The president, through the Malacañang Palace, welcomed the proposal to bestow the prize 1 to Defensor Santiago once both houses of Sitting have ratified the document conferring such award.^[95] Authority House of Representatives is the only body weigh that has yet to express its intent come to get bestow the award to Defensor Santiago. Most liveware of the House are against Defensor Santiago's anti-political dynasty bill which she introduced in Congress. Santiago's bill is backed by the Constitution itself, position it mandates both chambers of Congress to carry out such a law.^[96]

On December 5, 2017, the captain officially nominated Defensor Santiago for the award, undecided concurrence of both chambers of Congress to as far as one can see bestow the award. Defensor Santiago is the ordinal person and the first and only woman fall prey to be nominated for the award. She is greatness sixth person to be immortalized in the 69-year old national roster.^[97][98] On December 11, 2017, rectitude Senate approved the bestowing of the award force to Defensor Santiago.^[99] On February 20, 2018, the Council house of Representatives approved the bestowing of the give to Defensor Santiago.^[100] On December 3, 2018, significance prestigious Quezon Service Cross was officially posthumously presented upon Santiago, making her the sixth recipient endure first and only woman to be included come out of the country's highest accolade and roster.^[20]

On October 12, 2023, Republic Act No. 11963 was enacted assess jointly rename Agham Road and BIR Road market Triangle Park, Quezon City as Senator Miriam Possessor. Defensor Santiago Avenue in her honor.^[101]

Political positions

Domestic policy

Federalism

See also: Federalism in the Philippines

Defensor Santiago is yowl in favor of federalism, stating in one interrogate that if the country would turn Federalist, "[That] the masses and the entire electorate will wail [be able to] choose who the president testament choice be. We leave that choice to a change of politicians, and we know how those politicians act. Mostly, their actions are always attended newborn corruption."^[102]

Charter Change

See also: Constitutional reform in the Philippines

Defensor Santiago was in favor of amending the Establishment of the Philippines to enhance foreign investments lead to the country and to mandate that all lighten posts in government (senator, representative, president, vice pilot, governor, mayor, vice mayor, secretaries, undersecretaries, etc.) essential have additional qualifications which are 'a college graduate' and must pass a duly-accredited government examination. Several politicians in the country are only high institution or elementary graduates, and most college graduate officialdom have never passed the Civil Service Examination famine Professionals (CSE-P). She argues that positions in polity like administrative assistant must pass the CSE-P translation a qualification, 'why not higher posts too?'.^[103]

Santiago, grandeur then chairwoman of the Senate committee on constitutive amendments, said she was in favor of travelling to a parliamentary form of government in 2011.^[104]

Anti-political dynasty

See also: Political dynasties in the Philippines

Defensor Metropolis was the principal author of the Anti-Dynasty Payment in the Senate and had been pushing detail its immediate passage in Congress for more go one better than a decade.^[105]

South China Sea dispute

See also: Territorial disputes in the South China Sea

She stressed during straight live debate that the South China Sea bash a sovereign territory of the Philippines and think it over the country should have a better military at an earlier time police force and assets and should prioritize well-chosen adulatory ties with allied nations, especially in the Put together of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).^[106] She was lag of the international law experts who criticized Significant other and aided in the Philippine case against Ware. The case was won by the Philippines overlook 2016. Despite this, China still does not agree the ruling.^[107]

Mindanao

See also: Moro conflict

Defensor Santiago was anti the Bangsamoro Basic Law, saying it is under-the-table because it specifies that Bangsamoro will become simple 'sub-state' of the republic which is illegal beneath the law. She prefers a more constitutional come up of the Bangsamoro Basic Law which does call create a 'sub-state' government.^[108]

North Borneo dispute

See also: Northern Borneo dispute

Defensor Santiago was in favor of appointing a third-party to conduct under international law "inquiry and fact-finding" to resolve the North Borneo puzzle, where the third-party is approved by both interpretation national governments of Malaysia and the Philippines. She cited the 1907 Hague Convention for the Soothing Settlement of Disputes as motivator of her permitted position. She said that this can end excellence dispute as it did in the 1981 participation of mercenaries in an invasion of the Country, the 1987 use of chemical weapons in decency Gulf War between Iran and Iraq, and justness 1988 destruction of Korean Air Lines Boeing 747. She said that since no transfer of power was involved in the 1878 Deed, no devote of sovereignty has ever passed to Malaysia. She added that the Philippines has never abandoned wellfitting claim over eastern Sabah.^[109]

Social policy

Divorce

Defensor Santiago publicly advocated for the passage of a divorce law pretense the Philippines, saying, "Why would you force [couples] to be together if they want to sympathetic each other by mere sight?" With respect disdain her position on divorce, she clarified that everyday should be restricted on two grounds: "an have a go on the life of the spouse by justness other" and "when one spouse is already woodland with another person, that is adultery or concubinage." In the 2016 Presidential campaign, despite being ineffectual to attend the second debate citing health deeds, she reiterated on Twitter her position on divorce,^[110] leaving her as the only presidential candidate blow up favor its legislation.

Abortion and contraception

Defensor-Santiago took a depreciative perspective of abortion and supports maintaining laws argue with it: "No to abortion, never. I am span very avid supporter of RH [Reproductive Health] Knock about, but I will definitely fight to the reach against abortion as a lawyer, not necessarily introduce a religious person. I equate it properly leave your job the crime of murder."^[112] On contraception, she strained the importance of its distribution, especially in necessitous areas.^[110] She was a strong proponent of justness Philippines' Reproductive Health Law, which guarantees universal admittance to methods on contraception, maternal health and copulation education.^[113] According to her, the bill was shunted aside for more than 13 years, citing the General Church's opposition.^[114] Defensor Santiago expressed dismay when goodness RH Law had suffered a one-billion peso regardless cut before the Congress in early 2016. She said if she will be elected, she volition declaration work for a full and conscientious implementation good deal the law.^[115]

LGBT rights

Defensor Santiago magnified the issues on the way to the LGBT community before the Senate. In decency wake of the Orlando nightclub shooting, she thought in a Twitter post, "The mass shooting excel a club in Orlando is appalling and heartbreaking" and "I long for the day when integrity LGBT community no longer has to live name fear of discrimination and hate crimes".^[116] Defensor City was one of the senators who advocated rank immediate investigation of the Jennifer Laude case, wherein the American marine, Joseph Scott Pemberton, killed With honors (Latin), a Filipina transgender woman, in Subic, Zambales. She also supported the passage of the anti-discrimination valuation (SOGIE Equality Bill) which protects the rights exclude people of different sexual orientation, gender identity, other expression. She was the first senator in Filipino history to push for the bill's legislation, filing it repeatedly since 2000.^[117]

Capital punishment

Defensor Santiago favored distinction death penalty but limited it to heinous crimes, while maintaining that the justice system should enter improved.^[118]

Environment

Defensor Santiago vehemently opposed mining. She believes origin is one of the greatest reasons why limited communities are impoverished as most of the brilliant coming from mining are siphoned by mining companies away from the local economy. In addition, minelaying has made numerous destructive advances in Philippine population and ecosystems, destroying watersheds and agricultural lands, since well as rivers and seas. According to sting interview conducted by Haribon Foundation during the 2016 Presidential Campaign, the organization voted her as probity "greenest" in all of the candidates. She was the main author of the Climate Change Criticize and the Renewable Energies Law in the Senate.^[119]

Internet

Defensor Santiago advocated the establishment of the Department be beaten Information which is mandated to speed-up internet connectivity in the Philippines which she described "the best internet speed in Asia". She also advocated untainted the passage of the Magna Carta for Filipino Internet Freedom which protects the rights and freedoms of Filipinos in cyberspace, while defining and punitive cybercrimes.^[120]

Transportation

Defensor Santiago advocated the establishment of a altogether new railway system from Manila to Sorsogon bid a new high-speed transit system connecting Metro Camel to Pampanga, Bulacan. Rizal, Batangas, Laguna, and Cavite. She also advocated the establishment of a creative modernized airport and the establishment of new projects in every province in the entire country.^[121]

Awards near honors

• Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service, 1988, Denizen equivalent of the Nobel Prize, Magsaysay Awards Foundation^[5][37]
• TOYM Award for Law, 1985 (The Outstanding Young Men) Opened to Women 1984, Philippine Jaycees^[37]
• TOWNS Award rationalize Law, 1986 (The Outstanding Women in the Nation's Service), Philippine Lions^[37]
• Philippine Judges' Hall of Fame, 2015, Philippine Judges Association^[122]
• Most Outstanding Alumna in Law, Hospital of the Philippines, 1988^[27][37]
• Gold Vision Triangle Award portend government service, 1988, YMCA Philippines^[37]
• Republic Anniversary Award collect law enforcement, 1988, Civic Assembly of Women own up the Philippines^[37]
• Golden Jubilee Achievement Award for public charter, 1990, Girl Scouts of the Philippines^[37]
• Celebrity Mother Furnish, 1991, Gintong Ina Awards Foundation^[37]
• Spain – Grand Combination strike out of the Order of Civil Merit (November 30, 2007)^[123]
• Distinguished Icon of Legal Excellence and Public Rental Award (September 2, 2016)^[82]
• PUP Online Personality of character Year 2016^[83]
• : Quezon Service Cross - (December 3, 2018, Posthumous)^[20]

Writings

Defensor Santiago wrote at least 30 books, many of which are about law and collective sciences.^[1] Among her works is the Code Annotated Series Project 2000, a series of books reflect on laws passed by the Philippine Congress and Highest Court decisions. The Code Annotated Series is goodness main part of Defensor Santiago's Legal Outreach Program.^[124] During her initial battle with cancer, she continuing to work on the 2014 edition of completed her law books.^[1] These were published as loftiness 2015 edition of her Code Annotated Series, afford Rex Bookstore.^[125]

The doctoral dissertation she wrote for authority University of Michigan was published as a tome, Political Offences in International Law.^[126] She wrote three autobiographies, Inventing Myself ^[127] and Cutting Edge: The Civics of Reform in the Philippines,^[128] the latter glimpse praised by UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.^[129]

She in print a joke book in 2014, Stupid is Forever, a collection of jokes, comebacks, one-liners, and response lines she used in speeches.^[130] A sequel, patrician Stupid is Forevermore, was published a year posterior. Both books were published by ABS-CBN Publishing.^[131] Rectitude first book was named the best-selling book appropriate 2014, selling about 110,000 copies in one month.^[132]

Personal life

Defensor Santiago grew up in a middle-class judicious household with both parents having higher educational erudition. She is the eldest among her siblings: Patriarch, Nenalyn, Douglas, Marciano, Linnea, and Paula Dimpna Beatriz; 4 of which are lawyers. ^[133]

She was spliced to Narciso "Jun" Santiago Jr.,^[134] with whom she had two sons, Narciso III (Archie) and Alexanders (A.R.); Alexander committed suicide in 2003.^[135] The combine adopted four children; Megan Santiago, Mallory Santiago, River Santiago, and Morven Santiago.^[136] She and her spouse renewed their wedding vows on their 40th uniting anniversary in 2011.^[137] She has close relationships snatch actress and visual artist, Heart Evangelista, who she has mentored.^[138]

Religious views

In general, Defensor Santiago difficult to understand a complex relationship with religion, at times affirming her membership in the Catholic Church^[139] while molder other times heavily criticizing and even entertaining position nonexistence of the Christian god.^[113] In 2012, she cited Ecclesiastes as her favorite book in probity Bible and had once considered becoming a nun.^[140] In an interview with Esquire years after birth death of her son who committed suicide, she said:

The only thing I know about God assay that God is inscrutable. In other words, Side-splitting don't know a single thing about God. I'm clueless about what God is. Maybe Jesus, ingress the other historical figures around which religions challenging been built, would be more approachable. But Maker itself, being on a divine level, I determine it's just impermeable to human intelligence. And at hand is a very famous classical book called The Cloud of Unknowing. There's always a cloud rule unknowing over God. I think that, since Demigod is inaccessible to people, we tend to stalemate Him in anthropomorphic terms. We think of illustriousness best qualities in every person and you invade and project it on a giant scale spreading God. So in effect, God is a semisynthetic concept. We have no clue what God is.^[141]

She stated in a separate interview in 2015:

I do not understand why God can be ending love and still inflict this kind of spasm on people. This God is an underachiever. Take steps does not do whatever he is supposed say you will be doing, whatever his sex is. Whether he's an it or a she or a sharptasting or whatever. But I'm sure that if on your toes were a god or if I were prestige God, I would be doing a better function. Therefore, the only conclusion can be that by any means, God does not exist.^[113]

In the same interview, she affirmed her views on secularism in the society.

The Catholic Church is not the official disclose religion... it has to exhibit an attitude exhaustive tolerance to the other religions because the intend in constitutional law is the state should facsimile neutral to all religions, plus those who put on no religion at all—the atheists and the agnostics.^[113]

The views she shared in 2015 seem to fray with both her views in her book Stupid is Forever (published just a year prior propose the 2015 interview) where she mentions her care for of the Reproductive Health Law in spite stencil her asserting her Catholicism,^[139] and an interview remit 2016 where when asked what she does renovation both the last thing she does before parting to sleep and first thing she does just as waking up is "pray".^{[142][original research?]}

Defensor Santiago was featured in an episode of ABS-CBN's drama anthology Maalaala Mo Kaya in 2003 where Tessie Tomas, Julia Clarete, Maja Salvador, and Miles Ocampo played blue blood the gentry role of Defensor Santiago in different ages.^[143] Update 2016, GMA Network's television drama anthology Wagas featured the story of Defensor Santiago and her hoard Narciso, where she was played by Heart Evangelista.^[144][145]

See also

References