Sponsorship Speech: Confirmation of the Ad Interim Appointment of Hon. Vitaliano Napeñas Aguirre II

Sponsorship Speech of Senator Loren Legarda
Confirmation of the Ad Interim Appointment of
Hon. Vitaliano Napeñas Aguirre II
as Secretary of the Department of Justice

Mr. President,

Our appointee today, who was born and raised in Mulanay, Quezon by his parents, Alfaro G. Aguirre and Maria Napeñas, has a reputation of being a reserved yet very highly intelligent man, with a sense of probity and integrity—qualities that are important in the performance of his duty in ensuring the effective, efficient and equitable administration of justice.

Prior to his years of experience as a successful lawyer, gaining national fame as counsel for the likes of Hubert Jeffrey Webb, Senator Panfilo Lacson, and then Court of Appeals Justice Bienvenido L. Reyes, he was a consistent honor student and graduated as a full scholar at the San Beda College during his high school, college and law school years.

Given his humble roots, it comes as no surprise then that defending the poor and the marginalized has always been close to his heart. As a budding litigation lawyer, he began his law practice by defending farmers and fisher folks. A staunch activist since his college days, he was forced to go into hiding after a military tribunal filed a case against him on the alleged crime of Inciting to Sedition after the declaration of Martial Law in 1972.

He was a recipient of awards such as Quezon Medalya ng Karangalan, Outstanding Litigator of Lex Talionis Fraternitas in 2015, Distinguished Bedan Award in the field of Law, and Bedan Recognition Award for Private Practice of Law.

It is, thus, with honor and privilege that your Chairman endorses and moves for the confirmation of the ad interim appointment of the honorable Vitaliano Napeñas Aguirre II as Secretary of the Department of Justice.

Thank you.