Jose Melo

Early life and education

Melo was born in the Philippine General Hospital in Manila. He is married to Norma Cruz with whom he has 3 children: Olivia Ann, Jaime Alberto and Jorge Alfonso.

He graduated at Sta. Ana Elementary School, 1946 and at Victorino Mapa High School, 1950. He graduated Master of Laws, "Meritissimus", at UST, 1960. He passed the bar exams, in 1956, with rating of 85.5%. He began his law practice as staff member, Diokno Law Office, 1957–1962. He was legal adviser, Board of Censors for Motion Picture, 1969–1975.

Judicial career

Melo obtained his law degree from the Manuel L. Quezon University in 1956. During the 1970s, he worked for the Office of the Solicitor General. In 1986, he was appointed to the Philippine Court of Appeals by President Corazon Aquino.

Melo was appointed by President Fidel Ramos to the Supreme Court on August 10, 1992. Melo served for ten years on the High Court, retiring after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70 on May 30, 2002.

Melo Commission

On August 21, 2006, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo created an investigating body headed by Melo to probe the extrajudicial and political killings which had targeted militant activists and members of the press. The body, popularly known as the Melo Commission, rendered a report which concluded that most of the killings were instigated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, but found no proof linking the murder of activists to a "national policy" as claimed by the left-wing groups. On the other hand, the report "linked state security forces to the murder of militants and recommended that military officials, notably retired major general Jovito Palparan, be held liable under the principle of command responsibility for killings in their areas of assignment."

Comelec appointment

In January 2008, President Macapagal-Arroyo announced the appointment of Melo as Chairman of the Commission on Elections. He succeeded Benjamin Abalos in that office.