I secretly cried when news reached me about the passing away of a
man who was neither a family member nor a stranger, but for whom I hold
very strange affinity or almost daughterly love. It was Thursday night at 9 p.m. when my husband read to me an sms
forwarded to him by my father-in-law. At that point I was okay but as
soon as my husband left I felt this pain in my heart, as if it was
being squeezed really hard, and tears started to swell up in my eyes.
I was just one of the
hundreds of struggling working law students during my time in ADDU Law
School. The only time that I might have given him the impression that I
was an almost A-1 student was during that time when I received an
Honors Card from him for garnering the 4th highest Quality Point Index
(QPI) for the second semester of my freshman year. That was the only
time. From then on, I was just one of those struggling working law
students who dealt with probationary periods, missed exams, letters of
appeal, and those ordeals that law students like me had to go through
if you’re studying in one of the toughest law schools in the country. I
also became one of those students who seemed to be perpetually pregnant
while in school because I carried my first pregnancies while in school.
So, I didn’t really make a stellar impression on him as a law student.
However, strangely enough, <!–more–> I always feel this great sense of respect and warmth towards him whenever I meet him along the school corridors. Almost like the feeling of warmth and endearment that I have whenever I see my father during those rare times when he was too busy with his job. Strange feeling because a lawyer of such stature and being the dean, the lesser mortals in law school (read:law students) know better. The friendliest gesture you could throw his way is a nervous "hi/hello/good evening dean!", or when you ask him a question related to the study of law, or when you are lucky enough to belong to some circles and get to join him in a round of drinks or two. Other than that, you will more likely get to speak with him face-to-face in recitations, when you are on your last appeal to stay in school, or when you do actually get invited to join him in a meeting such as when you are being considered for honors and in other occasions that come close to such.
Holding oral recitations in his class was always a sweat-inducing,
knees-knuckling episode. It didn’t help that names are called out
alphabetically because when he puts you on the spot with a question it
is always the cliffhanger moment of your law school life. Every time.
If you got the answer right, he would reply with his signature
“Yaann!!!”, or just say “Yes” and continue with his lecture.
But if you got it wrong, then you’re smashed to smitherens. You’re
doomed. You’re a nincompoop for life and the only way to redeem
yourself is by topping the bar when your time comes.
Well, an exaggeration, really but that’s exactly how you would feel
when he knows that you have not studied the subject well. So when you
know that it’s your turn for an oral recitation you will be reading
5-10 pages of your transcription material. Back and forth. At least 5
times. You would even memorize every word and punctuation marks, if you
only could.
I had my stupid moments too. It was my turn to read a provision, but
I read an entirely wrong provision. I think I was on the second
sentence when he interrupted, with his booming voice reverberating
across the room and told me I was reading the wrong provision and I
could see he was really irritated. While my seatmates tried so hard to
stifle their laugh, I felt like the whole La Mesa dam was emptied right
above me. Kaulaw.
But there was one time I escaped what would have been another good
dressing down. I was seated in front in a Criminal Law subject and the
lesson was penalties. I was right in the midst of my daydream when out
of nowhere, in the middle of his lecture his eyes zeroed in on me and
the next thing I hear was that he was asking me for the maximum period
of prision correccional.
The next thing I did saved me from eternal damnation.
My eyes quickly darted to the ceilings above (whew! thank goodness
for ceilings!), and I pretended not to have seen him or heard him ask
the question. He repeated the question but I continued my pretense. So
he looked to my right and asked the question to my seatmate (sorry
Meriam B.!) who was caught off-guard and answered.
Yes, she suffered eternal damnation.
Before anyone thinks that he was a terror teacher, well, I would
have to quickly say NO. In fact, I consider him as one of, if not THE
smartest, MOST imposing, influential and highly respectable teacher I
have ever met.
The legal profession was his calling and the study of law was his life.
He is a true student of the law.
I would surely miss him when I return to my alma mater to take review classes next year.
May you continue to daze those folks up there in heaven with your brilliance, Dean Hildegardo Iñigo.
Today I Learned... 