Calixto Zaldivar
Calixto Oriola Zaldivar (September 13, 1904 – October 13, 1979) was a Filipino lawyer and politician who was a Supreme Court Justice from 1964 to 1974 best known in Philippine history for being one of only four dissenting voices against the constitutionality of the Philippines' 1973 constitution in the 1973 case known as Javellana v. Executive Secretary, despite pressure by the authoritarian government of Ferdinand Marcos to vote in the constitution's favor. He is honored by having his name inscribed on the wall of remembrance at the Philippines' Bantayog ng mga Bayani, which honors "the heroes and martyrs  who fought against the Marcos dictatorship." Early life and education. Zaldivar was born in Pandan, Antique, Philippines. He graduated in law from the University of the Philippines in 1928 and was the third placer in that year's bar examination. Career. Zaldivar's career in Philippine government was unusual in that he held positions in all branches of the government. In the Legislative, he was elected as a municipal councilor of Pandan from 1928 to 1934 and served as a Representative of Antique from 1934 to 1941; in the Executive branch, as Governor of Antique from 1951 to 1955 and  as assistant and then acting Executive Secretary of President Diosdado Macapagal in 1964; and in the judiciary, as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from 1964 to 1974. Dissenting opinion against Martial Law. Zaldivar, along with Chief Justice Roberto Concepcion, were the dissenting voices during the deliberations on the issues arising out of the declaration of the Martial Law and the validity of the 1973 Constitution. They argued that the 1973 Constitution was not in force and effect because it was not validly ratified by the Filipino people. Despite pressure to agree to a ruling which would legitimize the Martial  law government of Ferdinand Marcos and his ideology of constitutional authoritarianism, Zaldivar and Concepcion persisted in their dissent. His positions as part of the Philippine Supreme court emphasized civil and political liberties at a time when their value were being questioned, and he was known for being a proponent of the social sciences, religion, law, government and statesmanship. Family and personal life. He was married to Elena Torres Ang and had five children, namely: Lorna Zaldivar-Segovia, Nona Zaldivar (former Consul-General to Beijing), Enrique Zaldivar (former Governor of Antique and Ambassador to Brunei), Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez (also former Governor  of Antique) and Calixto Zaldivar, Jr. (former Executive Director of the Lung Center of the Philippines). Zaldivar was a prominent member of the Philippine Independent Church.