my so-called life

It took me a while to put my thoughts on paper about the recent passing of our beloved dean. I guess it is true what they say. When something painful hits close to home, it is indeed difficult to find the right words to describe how it feels. As I am writing this eulogy, I cannot resist the urge to listen to Jimmy Eat World’s song “Hear You Me” and somehow, the words just seem to flow. 

Dean Inigo was like a father to us all. I fondly remember him as the “Albus Dumbledore” of the law school and I guess the comparison aptly fits. He had a magic about him that can only be truly understood by someone who has had the opportunity to be taught by him.

I was not one of his brilliant students when I was in law school – certainly not a “Hermione” by anyone’s standards. If anything, I closely resembled “Neville” as I constantly fumbled along the way. Compared to him, I was but a flicker of light in his aura of brilliance.

Nonetheless, that flicker of his brilliance remains with me to this day. Three years into my practice, my little victories and lessons learned in the courtroom are but a concrete application of the lectures that dean painstakingly prepared everyday. I would like to think that he taught me well, as every legal tactic I made was a constant tribute to his teaching.

He was an educator till his very last breath. I was truly amazed to discover that he even thoughtfully asked who were the lawyers who went to manila on the recent fourth Sunday bar operations. When Bobet and Jing2 mentioned me to him, he seemed to think that it was only proper that I was there. I certainly take pride in the fact that I am the youngest in the law faculty given the task to lecture for the centralized bar operations, but this year proved to be a very poignant one as I went there completely handling that last subject, sans Dean Estrada’s supervision. Something I am certain would never happen if Dean did not have full faith in my capabilities.

I never had the opportunity to forge a bond with Dean the way the older faculty members did, but these past three years of being under his deanship gave me an opportunity to see him past the teacher’s table and more as a brother in the profession, and a father to our little family that is the law school.

I am sure I will be missing the beginning-of-the-school year dinners at Dencia’s filled with the predictable favorite dishes of Dean. I also know that I will long for those Christmas parties where Dean was like our Santa Claus and the faculty act like children in front of him. When there has been so much happiness that is shared with someone we care about, it is quite understandable to grieve for our loss. But rather than dwell on one’s grief, I do believe that is more apt to fondly remember his life as it was indeed a colorful one.

I am quite certain that Dean Inigo is in a better place right now. My colleagues lovingly say that he was eagerly fetched by Dean Estrellado so that they could have a “drinking session” alongside Dean Estrada and other legal giants in heaven and I would like to think that the same is true. So…farewell, Dean. May you enjoy your perpetual party out there with the ones closest to your heart. We will truly miss you. Maybe in God’s perfect time, we will eventually join your “drinking session”, too. 

Vaya con Dios.