Forester of Nations The last resort A biography by Estelito Mendoza

by Adrian E. Cristobal, Francisco S. Tatad

Genres: History, Nonfiction

276 pages, Unknown Binding

Published January 1, 2021

About the author

Adrian E. Cristobal (1932–2007) was a prominent Filipino writer, playwright, and columnist who also served in government positions. A Palanca Award-winning writer, Cristobal was known for his essays, fiction, and plays, which often addressed political and historical themes. His best-known works include The Tragedy of the Revolution. He was widely read for his newspaper columns, including "Breakfast Table," which showcased his insightful political commentary. In his honor, the Adrian Cristobal Lecture Series was established by his family in collaboration with the Writers' Union of the Philippines.

Reviews

[Yong · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is the biography of Estelito “Titong” P. Mendoza, a Filipino public servant and highly revered litigator. As with most biographies, it is filled with self-laudatory statements, sometimes accompanied by “testimonies” of Mendoza’s contemporaries.

I firmly believe the book would have been better had it been written by Titong himself, similar to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Deus Ex Machina. Any accolades and praises should have been reserved to the actual reproductions of transcripts, letters, or recordings by third parties, not mere surmises made by the authors. In legal parlance, the statements in the book would be considered heresay. As such, the most engaging and memorable part in the biography is when Titong’s own words were used in the transcript of his great defense of Erap.

Whether the authors attempted to depict themselves as reliable objective narrators or as admirers of Mendoza is not clear. What is clear though is that there were three varying voices in this book — Titong and the two authors. It definitely made the early parts of the book a bit dragging and tedious to read that I only started reading intently when I reached the third chapter.

As a lawyer, I also found it odd whenever the authors would resort to Garner’s Black’s Law Dictionary to explain legal terms such as certiorari and demurrer to evidence. The legal definitions fell short to an explanation about the genius of Titong in the legal proceedings he was engaged in. Unless readers are lawyers, they would be unable to understand the legal procedure and the citations do not help.

As an ordinary reader, I would have appreciated uniformity in tone. Let Titong write his own biography! If this isn’t possible, it would be very good to emulate the style of writing in Diokno on Trial. Titong’s vast experience in oral advocacy would definitely make a great contribution to Philippine legal literature.

In any case, this biography is truly enlightening and a valuable resource on Titong’s domestic and international contributions, which are most likely not known by the younger generation. The book gives a brief overview of his accomplishments, giving historians and researchers sufficient leads in their study of a great lawyer’s life.

[Kyle Gabriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Atty. Estelito Mendoza, one of the greatest of all time in the Philippine Law Community who charms thousands of law students, will set the pace for a generation of lawyers. Mendoza not only spent his entire life in service to the Philippine government but is highly regarded for defending his high-profile clients. Known as the "Superstar" of lawyers, it is said he won 600 cases for the Philippine government, as evident in his brilliance and perseverance since his childhood and university life. Atty Mendoza, following the advice of his mother to become a lawyer, saw a Man dedicated to law and mastering every specialization. In the book, I feel that his most significant achievement by far is codifying the Philippines' legal maritime claims amidst territorial disputes in the South China Sea. This is a pertinent issue given our dispute with many countries in the Asia-Pacific region on the proper claimant of the Spratly Islands. The way he negotiated with other delegates in the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of the Seabed and the Ocean Floor beyond the Limits of National Jurisdiction saw the ratification of UNCLOS. This was important as it formally classified island-chained countries as an "archipelagic state." This allowed the Philippines to have complete dominion and sovereign rights over their baselines, seabed, and subsoil spaces. Effect of which made us win the ICJ arbitration case against the PRC on July 12, 2016. As a Kapampangan and having met him personally, I am very grateful to hear his insights and see him visiting with my great-grandmother during family occasions. Credits to Adrian E. Cristobal and Former Senator Francisco Tatad for writing this biography. If you are interested in maritime law, you can also read Atty. Mendoza's book: THE OCEAN SPACE OR THE MARITIME AREA OF THE PHILIPPINES 2021 EDITION.

[Rainier Moreno-Lacalle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find the book impersonal and replete with too many stories that are not related to Estelito Mendoza. I was hoping for Mendoza's thoughts and impressions about the situation during his beginning years and his enormous role in martial law. His early childhood life was barely discussed. It could have been important in his formative years. Reading the book felt like a cold narration of facts that goes awry in the middle to end.

Maybe this was "it."

[Dean Gabriel · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is so dry and uninteresting. I guess the litigation tips section was cool, but that’s about it. An autobiographical snooze fest.