Voltaire Y. Rosales
Encyclopedia
Voltaire Y. Rosales was a Filipino
Executive Judge of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 83, Tanauan, Batangas, Philippines.
where he majored in Political Science. From there he went on
to receive his LLB from the Ateneo Law School
where he was a scholar.
Voltaire Y. Rosales took the bar examinations in 1981 and landed in the twenty-fifth place with a grade of 84.5 percent. He then started his legal career as an attorney at the Santos, Balgos and Perez Law Office. After, Voltaire Rosales worked as Chief of Staff for Congressman Rafael B. Legaspi of the lone district of Aklan.
In 1986, he joined the Office of the Solicitor General and rose to the rank of Senior Solicitor. Ten years after, he was sworn in as a Regional Trial Court Judge of Tanauan, Batangas by Chief Justice Reynato Puno
. Soon after he was promoted to Executive Judge assigned to handle multiple salas handling heinous crimes.
Despite his overload of cases and the inadequacy of the court facilities, Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales continued to discharge his duties with dedication. He would spend his own money for his court.
Realizing that drugs are the bane of the youth and recognizing that justice is the foundation of an orderly society, Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales applied the full force of the law on drug dealers, kidnappers, and gangsters. He would pray to seek divine guidance before writing his decisions.
While he devoted his public life to his fellowmen, Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales dedicated his private life to God and his family. He was a devotee of the Sacred Heart, a Eucharistic minister, and household head of the Couples for Christ.
Soon, Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales started receiving offers of money and threats to his life. He remained steadfast in his commitment to the highest ideals and the noblest standards of his legal education at the College of Law of the Ateneo De Manila University. Even as the threats to his life become more ominous, he refused to follow up his transfer to a safer jurisdiction. He believed that if he should be killed in the line of duty, it only meant that God had decided to call him and he was ready to meet his destiny.
Finally, on June 10, 2004, Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales was ambushed and killed.
Judge Rosales left a legacy of being an incorruptible Judge who maintained his integrity despite threats on his life. He is also remembered as a loving father who dedicated his life to giving back to his country.
, the Lux in Domino by the Ateneo de Manila University
, a Special Citation from the Provincial Peace and Order Council of Batangas (2004), a Kampon ni Pakakak Award (2004), the Fraternal Order of Utopia's President's Awards for Excellence (2005), and the Barangay
Dasmariñas Government Service/ Law Award (2006)
.
In 2009, a notorious drug lord whom Judge Rosales convicted of violating the Philippine Dangerous Drugs Act was suspected of sending death threats to Supreme Court Justice Arturo Brion
Justice Brion reportedly blocked the acquittal of the drug lord and affirmed the conviction of the death sentence.
Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales has come to be known for as "fearless, upright and evenhanded" bringing honor to the maligned judicial system of the Philippines.
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 ....
Executive Judge of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 83, Tanauan, Batangas, Philippines.
Early life and education
Judge Voltaire Rosales obtained his Bachelor of Arts from the De La Salle UniversityDe La Salle University
De La Salle University is a private Lasallian university in Malate, Manila, Philippines. It was founded in 1911 by De La Salle Brothers as the De La Salle College in Paco, Manila with Blimond Pierre serving as its first director...
where he majored in Political Science. From there he went on
to receive his LLB from the Ateneo Law School
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...
where he was a scholar.
Voltaire Y. Rosales took the bar examinations in 1981 and landed in the twenty-fifth place with a grade of 84.5 percent. He then started his legal career as an attorney at the Santos, Balgos and Perez Law Office. After, Voltaire Rosales worked as Chief of Staff for Congressman Rafael B. Legaspi of the lone district of Aklan.
In 1986, he joined the Office of the Solicitor General and rose to the rank of Senior Solicitor. Ten years after, he was sworn in as a Regional Trial Court Judge of Tanauan, Batangas by Chief Justice Reynato Puno
Reynato Puno
Reynato Puno y Serrano was the 22nd Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. Appointed on December 8, 2006 by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, he was the 22nd person to serve as Chief Justice...
. Soon after he was promoted to Executive Judge assigned to handle multiple salas handling heinous crimes.
As an Executive RTC Judge
Voltaire Y. Rosales took the ringing words of Justice Pompeyo Diaz to heart when he donned the robes of a judge. He plunged himself into his work with dedication. He served with a burning passion for justice and shining compassion for the victims of injustice. The lowliest citizen could stand before his courtroom unafraid of the mightiest tycoon, for he was confident that in the court of Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales justice would be dispensed in accordance with the Roman Maxim, "Let justice be done though the heavens fall."Despite his overload of cases and the inadequacy of the court facilities, Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales continued to discharge his duties with dedication. He would spend his own money for his court.
Realizing that drugs are the bane of the youth and recognizing that justice is the foundation of an orderly society, Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales applied the full force of the law on drug dealers, kidnappers, and gangsters. He would pray to seek divine guidance before writing his decisions.
While he devoted his public life to his fellowmen, Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales dedicated his private life to God and his family. He was a devotee of the Sacred Heart, a Eucharistic minister, and household head of the Couples for Christ.
Soon, Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales started receiving offers of money and threats to his life. He remained steadfast in his commitment to the highest ideals and the noblest standards of his legal education at the College of Law of the Ateneo De Manila University. Even as the threats to his life become more ominous, he refused to follow up his transfer to a safer jurisdiction. He believed that if he should be killed in the line of duty, it only meant that God had decided to call him and he was ready to meet his destiny.
Finally, on June 10, 2004, Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales was ambushed and killed.
Death and legacy
On June 10, 2004 he was assassinated a few meters away from his court. It was suspected that his assassination was related to a drug case he was handling as a Heinous Crimes Judge. Despite the many threats to his life by the drug lord, determined to let justice be done though the heavens fall, Judge Voltaire Rosales convicted the drug dealer.Judge Rosales left a legacy of being an incorruptible Judge who maintained his integrity despite threats on his life. He is also remembered as a loving father who dedicated his life to giving back to his country.
Awards and recognition
Since his murder he has been honored with the Ka Pepe Diokno Award of Recognition as a Champion of Human RightsJosé Diokno
Jose "Pepe" Wright Diokno was a Filipino nationalist. He served as Senator of the Philippines, Secretary of Justice, founding chair of the Commission on Human Rights, and founder of the Free Legal Assistance Group....
, the Lux in Domino by the Ateneo de Manila University
Ateneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
, a Special Citation from the Provincial Peace and Order Council of Batangas (2004), a Kampon ni Pakakak Award (2004), the Fraternal Order of Utopia's President's Awards for Excellence (2005), and the Barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
Dasmariñas Government Service/ Law Award (2006)
Dasmariñas Village
Dasmariñas Village or simply Dasma, is a private subdivision and gated community in Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines. It occupies 187.21 hectares and is bounded by Epifanio de los Santos Avenue to the north, McKinley Road to the northeast, Pili Avenue/Forbes Park South to the east, Maricaban...
.
Effects of his death on the judiciary
After his assassination in 2004, the Supreme Court of the Philippines abolished the heinous crimes court (Courts tasked to decide cases on kidnapping, robbery, murder and other felonies punishable by death or capital punishment) in order to diffuse concentration of heinous crimes on a single Judge.In 2009, a notorious drug lord whom Judge Rosales convicted of violating the Philippine Dangerous Drugs Act was suspected of sending death threats to Supreme Court Justice Arturo Brion
Arturo Brion
Arturo D. Brion is an incumbent Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He took his oath as a member of the Supreme Court on March 17, 2008 after having been appointed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo...
Justice Brion reportedly blocked the acquittal of the drug lord and affirmed the conviction of the death sentence.
Judge Voltaire Y. Rosales has come to be known for as "fearless, upright and evenhanded" bringing honor to the maligned judicial system of the Philippines.