Aquila Legis
Encyclopedia
The Aquila Legis is a Filipino
fraternity
based in the Ateneo de Manila School of Law
. Founded in 1949, it was the first fraternity founded by Ateneo Law School students, and the first fraternity in the Philippines using Latin nomenclature, preceding a number of Philippine law-based fraternities with names derived from Latin. (Aquila Legis in English means "eagle of the law," but is commonly translated as "legal eagle.")
Over the past six decades, the fraternity has inducted over 1,500 members, some of whom eventually rose to public prominence as cabinet secretaries, legislators, justices, and ambassadors.
-run Ateneo Law School.
Among the founding members were Gabriel Singson (later governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
, or BSP), Teofisto Guingona, Jr.
(later Vice President of the Philippines
) and Raul Boncan (later a member of the BSP's Monetary Board).
Over the years, the fraternity has earned a reputation for helping members pass the bar examinations, often with flying colors. Throughout Aquila Legis' history, over 40 fraternity alumni have reached the Top Ten of the Bar Examinations
, five of whom earned first place.
For a list of the fraternity's bar topnotchers, see: Bar Topnotchers and Placers from Aquila Legis.
for neophytes interested in joining the fraternity's ranks. As a result of the traditional hazing
ritual, fraternity neophyte Leonardo "Lenny" Villa died from serious physical injuries at the Chinese General Hospital
on February 10, 1991.
A second neophyte, Bienvenido Marquez, was hospitalized at the Capitol Medical Center for acute renal failure due to severe physical injuries inflicted during the same hazing ritual.
In the wake of Villa's death, charges were filed against 26 members of the fraternity. The lower court found the defendants guilty of the crime charged. The Court of Appeals however, overturned the findings of the lower court and acquitted 19 of the 26 defendants. The conviction of two Aquila Legis fraternity members, Fidelito Dizon and Artemio Villareal, was upheld, while the sentences for five other fraternity members were "downgraded from homicide to slight physical injuries". The case is now with the Supreme Court.
As a result of the controversy surrounding the death of Lenny Villa, Republic Act No. 8049 (more popularly known as the "Anti Hazing Law") was passed into law in 1995.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
fraternity
Fraternity
A fraternity is a brotherhood, though the term usually connotes a distinct or formal organization. An organization referred to as a fraternity may be a:*Secret society*Chivalric order*Benefit society*Friendly society*Social club*Trade union...
based in the Ateneo de Manila School of Law
Ateneo Law School
The Ateneo de Manila Law School is the law school of the Ateneo de Manila University, a private Jesuit university in the Philippines. It was founded in 1936, in the Padre Faura, Manila campus of the Ateneo, where it remained even after the college, graduate school, and basic education units moved...
. Founded in 1949, it was the first fraternity founded by Ateneo Law School students, and the first fraternity in the Philippines using Latin nomenclature, preceding a number of Philippine law-based fraternities with names derived from Latin. (Aquila Legis in English means "eagle of the law," but is commonly translated as "legal eagle.")
Over the past six decades, the fraternity has inducted over 1,500 members, some of whom eventually rose to public prominence as cabinet secretaries, legislators, justices, and ambassadors.
History
Aquila Legis was founded as Fraternitas Aquilae Legis in 1949 by 21 second- and third-year students of the Ateneo Law School. As expressed by Aquila Legis alumnus and former Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, the fraternity was created "to promote camaraderie" and to "nurture Catholic lawyers and to produce leaders in every field of human endeavor", in line with the aims of the JesuitSociety of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
-run Ateneo Law School.
Among the founding members were Gabriel Singson (later governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and commonly abbreviated as BSP is the central bank of the Philippines. It was rechartered on July 3, 1993, pursuant to the provision of the 1987 Philippine Constitution and the New Central Bank Act of 1993...
, or BSP), Teofisto Guingona, Jr.
Teofisto Guingona, Jr.
Teofisto Tayko Guingona, Jr. was the Vice President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2004 during the first term of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.-Early Life and Career:...
(later Vice President of the Philippines
Vice President of the Philippines
-Description:The Vice-President is the first in the Philippine line of succession, assuming the Presidency upon the death, resignation, or removal by impeachment and subsequent conviction of the incumbent. The position was abolished by Martial Law in 1972, and was not included in the original text...
) and Raul Boncan (later a member of the BSP's Monetary Board).
Over the years, the fraternity has earned a reputation for helping members pass the bar examinations, often with flying colors. Throughout Aquila Legis' history, over 40 fraternity alumni have reached the Top Ten of the Bar Examinations
Philippine Bar Examination
The Philippine Bar Examination is the professional licensure examination for lawyers in the Philippines.It is the only professional licensure exam in the country that is not supervised by the Professional Regulation Commission...
, five of whom earned first place.
For a list of the fraternity's bar topnotchers, see: Bar Topnotchers and Placers from Aquila Legis.
Controversy
On February 8, 9 and 10, 1991, Aquila Legis senior members conducted initiation ritesRite of passage
A rite of passage is a ritual event that marks a person's progress from one status to another. It is a universal phenomenon which can show anthropologists what social hierarchies, values and beliefs are important in specific cultures....
for neophytes interested in joining the fraternity's ranks. As a result of the traditional hazing
Hazing
Hazing is a term used to describe various ritual and other activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group....
ritual, fraternity neophyte Leonardo "Lenny" Villa died from serious physical injuries at the Chinese General Hospital
Chinese General Hospital College of Nursing and Liberal Arts
The Chinese General Hospital College of Nursing and Liberal Arts was established in 1921 as the Chinese General Hospital School of Nursing . The idea was conceived by Dr. Jose Tee Han Kee, who was then the Director of the Chinese General Hospital. With him were three physicians who organized the...
on February 10, 1991.
A second neophyte, Bienvenido Marquez, was hospitalized at the Capitol Medical Center for acute renal failure due to severe physical injuries inflicted during the same hazing ritual.
In the wake of Villa's death, charges were filed against 26 members of the fraternity. The lower court found the defendants guilty of the crime charged. The Court of Appeals however, overturned the findings of the lower court and acquitted 19 of the 26 defendants. The conviction of two Aquila Legis fraternity members, Fidelito Dizon and Artemio Villareal, was upheld, while the sentences for five other fraternity members were "downgraded from homicide to slight physical injuries". The case is now with the Supreme Court.
As a result of the controversy surrounding the death of Lenny Villa, Republic Act No. 8049 (more popularly known as the "Anti Hazing Law") was passed into law in 1995.
Notable alumni
- Mariano del CastilloMariano del CastilloMariano C. Del Castillo is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.After graduating from San Beda College, Mariano del Castillo pursued law studies at the Ateneo de Manila University...
, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the PhilippinesSupreme Court of the PhilippinesThe Supreme Court of the Philippines is the Philippines' highest judicial court, as well as the court of last resort. The court consists of 14 Associate Justices and 1 Chief Justice... - Teofisto Guingona, Jr.Teofisto Guingona, Jr.Teofisto Tayko Guingona, Jr. was the Vice President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2004 during the first term of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.-Early Life and Career:...
, Vice President of the PhilippinesVice President of the Philippines-Description:The Vice-President is the first in the Philippine line of succession, assuming the Presidency upon the death, resignation, or removal by impeachment and subsequent conviction of the incumbent. The position was abolished by Martial Law in 1972, and was not included in the original text...
under PresidentPresident of the PhilippinesThe President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
Gloria Macapagal-ArroyoGloria Macapagal-ArroyoGloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga... - Ernesto Maceda, Jr.Ernesto Maceda, Jr.Ernesto M. Maceda Jr. is a columnist and a Filipino politician who served as a Senator from 1971 to 1972 and again from 1987 to 1998. He served as Senate President from 1996 to 1998.-Early Life and Career:...
, former SenatorSenate of the PhilippinesThe Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines...
and President of the Senate of the PhilippinesPresident of the Senate of the PhilippinesThe President of the Senate of the Philippines, or more popularly known as the Senate President, is the presiding officer and the highest ranking-official of the Senate of the Philippines. He/she is elected by the entire body to be their leader... - Ignacio BunyeIgnacio BunyeIgnacio Rivera Bunye is a Filipino politician who is currently serving as the Monetary Board Member of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas since July 3, 2008...
, Presidential Spokesman under President Arroyo - Sergio ApostolSergio ApostolSergio Antonio Figueroa Apostol was born on January 17, 1935 in Catbalogan City, Samar.Apostol, a Roman Catholic, graduated from the Ateneo Law School and was a member of the Ateneo Law Journal. He passed the Philippine Bar exams in 1958, finishing 7th...
, former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel - Gabriel Singson, former Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng PilipinasBangko Sentral ng PilipinasThe Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and commonly abbreviated as BSP is the central bank of the Philippines. It was rechartered on July 3, 1993, pursuant to the provision of the 1987 Philippine Constitution and the New Central Bank Act of 1993...
(BSP) - Ricardo Puno Jr., Press Secretary under President Joseph EstradaJoseph EstradaJoseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
- Neptali M. Gonzales, Jr.Neptali M. Gonzales, Jr.Neptali "Boyet" Medina Gonzales, Jr. is a Filipino lawmaker. He is a current house member, representing the Lone District of Mandaluyong City in the Filipino House of Representatives. He has been a house member during the 10th, 11th, 12th and 14th Congress, respectively...
, Former Mayor of Mandaluyong CityMandaluyong CityThe City of Mandaluyong is one of the cities and municipalities that comprise Metro Manila in the Philippines. It is bordered on the west by the country's capital, Manila, to the north by San Juan City, to the east by Quezon City and Pasig City, and by Makati City to the south... - Vince Revil, Vice-Governor of Masbate Province
- Meynardo A. SabiliMeynardo A. SabiliMeynard A. Sabili is a Filipino politician. He is the current mayor of Lipa City, Batangas. A member of the Nacionalista Party, he is a former member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan representing the Fourth District. He also ran for the House of Representatives of the Philippines in previous...
, Mayor of Lipa CityLipa CityThe Lipa City /Li-pâ/ is a first class city in the province of Batangas, Philippines. It is one of the three component cities of Batangas province... - Francis TolentinoFrancis TolentinoFrancis Tolentino is the ninth and current chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority of the Republic of the Philippines. He was appointed by President Benigno Aquino III on July 27, 2010.Tolentino was mayor of Tagaytay City for 10 years...
, Chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development AuthorityMetropolitan Manila Development AuthorityThe Metropolitan Manila Development Authority , is an agency of the Republic of the Philippines created embracing the cities of Manila, Quezon City, Caloocan, Pasay, Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Valenzuela, Malabon, Taguig, Navotas and San Juan and the... - Prospero NogralesProspero NogralesProspero C. Nograles is the former Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines. He was elected as the Speaker of the House on February 5, 2008, the first ever elected Speaker from Mindanao in a hundred years in Philippine legislative history...
, former House Speaker