MANUEL G. ARAULLO (1853-1924)
Manuel Araullo y Gonzales, eminent jurist, was born in Batangas on January 1, 1853.
He was educated at the Ateneo Municipal but later on transferred to the Colegio de San Juan de Letran where he received his Bachelor of Philosophy degree. He went on to study theology but shifted to law at the University of Santo Tomas. He completed his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1876. While still a student, he won a prize for his essay Labor Omnia Vincit.
Araullo passed the bar in 1877 and proceeded to practice law. Eager to continue his studies, he left for Spain and there completed his doctorate in law in ]878. He travelled extensively through England and France, practiced law for a while in Spain but decided to return to the Philippines in April 1879
His educational attainment and his brilliant record caused him to be appointed to a number of distinguished positions. He was made a Relator de la Audiencia, an office he held for ten years. He also served, on a concurrent basis, as secretary to the government and as Abogado Fiscal de Audiencia of Manila. He was tranferred to Cebu in 1890, and there promoted to Fiscal de Audiencia Territorial. Araullo became so popular that he was literally swamped with offers of important positions. He became Promotor Fiscal of Binondo; lawyers and Fiscal of the Audiencia in Manila; Magistrado Suplente for four years and Letrado en la Intendencia General de Hacienda. Araullo resigned his government offices to accept a professorial chair at the Uhiversity of Santo Tomas from 1892 to 1898 where he taught Derecho Mercantil y Hacienda Publica.
On May 28, 1899 Araullo was appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a position he held for two years. In 1931,he became the judge of the Court of First Instance of Pampanga.
On January 1, 1913, he was named Chairman of the Code Committee created with Washington L. Goldsborough, Francisco Ortigas, Rafael del Pan and Thomas A. Street as members. The Committee had been created by the Philippine Legislative and it was charged with delicate duties to revise the civil, commercial, penal and procedural codes, the mortgage and land registration acts, and to prepare new codes in accordance with modern principles of law and customs of the country. When this job was accomplished, Araullo was again reappointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1913. He served in that capacity until his appointment as Chief Justice on 1 November 1921. He succeeded Chief Justice Victorino Mapa and became the third Filipino to hold such an office. He served as Chief Justice until his death on July 16, 1924.
To perpetuate the memory of this brilliant jurist, the former Manila Evening Grammar School was renamed Araullo High School in 1947.
