So its him. What I know of the guy is that he never made it to UP because he has no money to pay the jeepney fare from Sampaloc to Diliman. Thats how poor he was. Instead he end up at FEU but he didnt mind because he had former Senator Salonga as his mentor their. The guy has rags to riches story. Poor boy to become a high offical later on. Its just to show that poverty is not a hindrance and it could be a motivation.
He is also one of the two justices who declared that death penalty is unconstitutional (the other one is retired Justice Jose Vitug).
What is this that I heard that his appointment was opposed by the Iglesia ni Cristo and Brother Eddie Villanueva. I have an idea. Justice Panganiban is a devout Catholic.
Anyway Justice Panganiban wrote a book which contained the following entry, ""
up to now I could not understand how I summoned the courage to suggest to the Chief Justice (Davide) that the oath be administered to Vice President Arroyo knowing that President Estrada is still in Malacañang."
In the "Business Circuit" column of Malaya publisher Amado P. Macasaet, it was reported that the author later withdrew the book from the bookstores.
The statement was variously interpreted to mean that the Office of the President was not vacant when Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was given the oath as president.
The Davide court came up with what it called "constructive resignation" in legitimizing the Arroyo presidency.