Pampanga celebrates Abad Santos’ martyrdom

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines — Today is a non-working holiday in this province including in the chartered city of Angeles, in observance of the martyrdom of former chief justice Jose Abad Santos.

The holiday was enacted by Congress on Aug. 21, 2000 under Republic Act 8815.

Ceremonies in honor of Abad Santos will be held today at the justice halls of San Fernando and Angeles, according to Gov. Lilia Pineda and Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan.

Abad Santos was born in the province on Feb. 19, 1886.

He became the country’s fifth Supreme Court chief justice on Dec. 24, 1941.

During the Japanese occupation, Abad Santos was appointed caretaker of the Philippines by former president Manuel Quezon, who went on an exile in the US in March 1942.

The following month, he was arrested by the Japanese soldiers for refusing to cooperate with them.