Hilario Davide, Jr.

Hilario Gelbolingo Davide, Jr, GCSS (born December 20, 1935) is a former Ambassador/Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations in New York City.

He was the 20th Chief Justice of the Philippines and head of the Judicial Branch of government from November 1998 to December 2005. As the highest judicial officer, he presided over the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

On June 30, 2010, President Noynoy Aquino announced that Davide will head a truth commission that will investigate important issues in the country.

Early life and career

The sixth of seven siblings, Davide was born in Barangay Colawin, in Argao, Cebu to Hilario P. Davide, Sr. (1905–2006) a retired Schools Division Superintendent, and Josefa L. Gelbolingo, a former public school teacher.

He completed his primary education at Argao Central Elementary School and secondary education at Abellana Vocational High School. In college, he went to the country's premier state university, the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City where he earned his Associate in Arts in 1955, his Bachelor of Science in Jurisprudence in 1958, and his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1959. He took and passed the bar examinations given that same year.

From 1959 to 1963, Davide worked as private secretary to the vice-governor and later governor of the province of Cebu.

From 1962 to 1968, he was a faculty member of the College of Law of Southwestern......
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