César Bengzon

Template:Expand Dutch Template:Short description Template:Philippine name César Fernando Cabrera Bengzon (May 29, 1896 – September 3, 1992) was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from April 28, 1961 until May 29, 1966. In November 1966, a few months after his retirement, he became the first Filipino to be appointed to the International Court of Justice.

Judicial career

Bengzon earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Ateneo de Manila in 1915. He graduated his Bachelor of Laws from the University of the Philippines in 1919, and placed second in the Bar Examinations that same year.

Starting out as a law clerk, he was promoted to Solicitor General in 1932 and Undersecretary of Justice under Governor-General (later U.S. Supreme Court Justice) Frank Murphy in 1933. He was later appointed in 1936 to the Court of Appeals, and became an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1945. He left the Supreme Court in 1948 to become Secretary of Justice under President Elpidio Quirino, but was reinstated a few months later.

In 1966, he became the first Filipino ever to be elected judge of the International Court of Justice. He held this position until 1976.

Death

He died on September 3, 1992 at age 96. Upon to his death, he is the longest-lived former Chief Justice ever recorded.

References

• Cesar Fernando Bengzon Baptismal Certificate
• Cruz, Isagani A. (2000). Res Gestae: A Brief History of the Supreme Court. Rex Book Store, Manila.
• Victor J. Sevilla, Justices of the Supreme Court: their lives and outstanding decisions. Vol. 2: 1945-1964, New Day Publishers, Quezon City (1985)

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