Appointed by Ferdinand Marcos Role Justice | Succeeded by Jose Melo Preceded by Cecilia Munoz-Palma | |
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Born 11 May 1922 (age 101)
Cabanatuan, Philippine Islands ( 1922-05-11 ) Name Ameurfina Melencio-Herrera Grandparents Emilio Aguinaldo, Hilaria Aguinaldo Uncles Emilio Aguinaldo, Jr, Miguel Aguinaldo Great-grandparents Trinidad Famy, Carlos Aguinaldo Aunts Cristina Aguinaldo Suntay, Maria Aguinaldo Poblete People also search for Emilio Aguinaldo, Hilaria Aguinaldo | ||
Parents Carmen Aguinaldo Melencio | ||
2018 PHILJA Founding Chancellor Emeritus Justice Ameurfina Melencio Herrera Award
Ameurfina Aguinaldo Melencio-Herrera (born 11 May 1922) served as an Associate Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court from 1979-92. She was the second woman appointed to the Supreme Court, filling the vacancy left by the retirement of the first female Supreme Court Justice, Cecilia Muñoz-Palma
Contents
- 2018 PHILJA Founding Chancellor Emeritus Justice Ameurfina Melencio Herrera Award
- Profile
- Family
- Supreme Court career
- References
Profile
Born in Cabanatuan City to Jose P. and Carmen (née Aguinaldo) Melencio, Herrera is a granddaughter of Emilio Aguinaldo, the first President of the Philippines. Among the future Justice's baptismal godfathers was Supreme Court Justice George A. Malcolm, who also happened to be the founder of the law school she would later attend, the University of the Philippines College of Law.
Herrera studied law at the University of the Philippines and graduated cum laude in 1947. She topped the bar examinations administered that year with a 93.85% having the highest grade for women. After a brief stint with a New York City law firm, Herrera engaged in private practice for several years until she was appointed to the judiciary. From 1962-73, Herrera served as a trial court judge assigned in Quezon Province, then the City of Manila. She was appointed to the Court of Appeals in 1973.
Family
Her husband, Dr. Florentino B. Herrera, Jr., served as Chancellor of the University of the Philippines Manila. They have three children: Florentino III, Victoria Lourdes and Milagros Gloria.
Supreme Court career
Herrera was elevated to the Supreme Court by President Ferdinand Marcos in 1979. When Corazon Aquino assumed the presidency following the 1986 EDSA Revolution, the incumbent members of the Supreme Court, all of whom were Marcos appointees, were asked to resign. Herrera, along with Claudio Teehankee, Sr., Vicente Abad Santos, Nestor Alampay, and Hugo Gutierrez, Jr. were the only incumbent justices who retained their seats on the bench. Aquino, however, however opted to extend new appointments to these justices in lieu of extending their previous appointment by Marcos. Prior to re-appointing Herrera, Alampay and Gutierrez, Jr. on 16 April 1986, Aquino appointed three new members to the High Court, Jose Feria, Marcelo Fernan and Andres Narvasa. As a result, Herrera, Alampay and Gutierrez, Jr. were supplanted in seniority by the Aquino appointees.
When Chief Justice Marcelo Fernan resigned in 1992 to run for the vice-presidency, Herrera was widely regarded as a leading contender to replace him. Because she was overtaken in seniority by Narvasa after the 1986 reorganization, however, it was Narvasa who was named Chief Justice, although Herrera had served on the Court longer.
Herrera retired in May 1992, and was named as the Chancellor of the Philippine Judicial Academy upon its inception in 1996. The Academy is tasked with the professional training of members of the Philippine judiciary. Herrera served as Chancellor until May 2009.