JIB Chairperson and Retired SC Justice Romeo J. Callejo, Sr., 86
September 20, 2023
The Supreme Court mourns the passing of Judicial Integrity Board (JIB) Chairperson, retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Romeo J. Callejo, Sr., who passed away on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, at the age of 86.
“The Supreme Court and the entire Judiciary join the loved ones of the late Judicial and Integrity Board Chairperson, retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Romeo J. Callejo, Sr. in mourning his death. We offer our sincerest condolences and prayers. Justice Callejo, Sr. will always be remembered as one of the Members of the Court who, for close to four decades, tirelessly and selflessly devoted his life in the service of the Judiciary,” said Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo.
The remains of Justice Callejo, Sr. lie in state at Loyola Memorial Chapels along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. Public viewing started at 3:00 P.M. today, September 20, and will be held until noon of September 23.
A necrological service will be held in Loyola Memorial Chapels on Friday, September 22, 2023, 4:00 P.M.
Justice Callejo, Sr., the 152nd Associate Justice to be appointed to the High Court, devoted 37 years of his life to dedicated and tireless government service, serving the Judiciary as magistrate in three court levels.
He first served as Regional Trial Court Judge of the City of Manila from 1986, for which he was named Outstanding Judge of Manila twice (1991 and 1994). His exemplary performance as a judge was again recognized in 1992 when he was conferred the Cayetano Arellano Award for Judicial Excellence by the Foundation for Judicial Excellence.
In 1994, he was promoted to the position of Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals, a position he held until his appointment to the High Tribunal in 2002.
Justice Callejo, Sr. served as a Member of the Court until he mandatorily retired in 2007. He was also a part of the Philippine Judicial Academy (PhilJA) Corps of Professor, and was appointed as PhilJA Vice-Chancellor in 2015. In 2020, Justice Callejo was appointed as the first ever JIB Chairperson.
After passing the Bar in 1962, Justice Callejo, Sr. joined the Jose W. Diokno Law Office and eventually became head of the firm’s Trial Department. Later, he became a Partner in the Montenegro, Madayag, and Hernandez Law Office until his appointment to the Judiciary in 1986.
A dedicated teacher, Justice Callejo, Sr. taught Criminal and Remedial Law at the San Beda College, Arellano University, Ateneo de Manila University, and the Far Eastern University from 1987 to 2000. He was also a Lecturer in the Remedial Law Institute of the University of the Philippines Law Center. He was the Chairperson of the Department of Criminal Law of the PhilJA, a position he held from 1998 until his passing.
Justice Callejo, Sr. obtained both his Associate in Arts (Pre-Law) and Bachelor of Laws from the San Beda College (now San Beda University) where he graduated as class Silver Medalist.
He is survived by his wife Filipinas V. Callejo; children Michel and Geraldine Geday, and Romeo and Ivy Callejo; and grandchildren Jacqueline Callejo-Geday and Amelie Callejo. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)
