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Sixto Serrano Brillantes Jr. (, August 14, 1939August 11, 2020) was a
Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
election lawyer who was the chairman of the
Commission on Elections An election commission is a body charged with overseeing the implementation of electioneering process of any country. The formal names of election commissions vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may be styled an electoral commission, a c ...
from 2011 to 2015. He was appointed by President
Benigno Aquino III Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III (; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. The son of ...
on January 16, 2011 to serve the unexpired term of Chairman
Jose Melo Jose Armando R. Melo (30 May 1932 – 18 October 2020) was a Filipino lawyer and jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from 1992 to 2002. He also served as Chairman of the Commission on Elections (COM ...
.


Early life and education

Brillantes was born in
Santa Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnight ...
,
Ilocos Sur Ilocos Sur, officially the Province of Ilocos Sur ( ilo, Probinsia ti Ilocos Sur; tl, Lalawigan ng Ilocos Sur), is a province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Located on the mouth of the Mestizo River is the capital o ...
on August 14, 1939 to Sixto P. Brillantes Sr., a former Governor and assemblyman of
Ilocos Sur Ilocos Sur, officially the Province of Ilocos Sur ( ilo, Probinsia ti Ilocos Sur; tl, Lalawigan ng Ilocos Sur), is a province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Located on the mouth of the Mestizo River is the capital o ...
, and Azucena Serrano. He has four siblings including former Labor Secretary and Ambassador to Canada Jose Brillantes. He studied at Saint Theresa's College of San Marcelino, Manila, and
Ateneo de Manila University , mottoeng = Light in the Lord , type = Private, research, non-profit, coeducational basic and higher education institution , established = December 10, 1859 , religious_affiliation = Roman Catholic (Jesuits) , academic_aff ...
for grade school and then
San Beda College es, Universidad de San Beda , image = San Beda University seal.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = University Seal , latin_name = Universitas Sancti Bedæ , former_names ...
for high-school and college, graduating with a
Bachelor of Science in Commerce A Bachelor of Commerce (abbreviated BComm or BCom; also, ''baccalaureates commercii'') is an undergraduate degree in business, usually awarded in Canada, Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Ireland, New Zealand, Ghana, South Africa, Myanma ...
degree in 1960 and a
Bachelor of Laws Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Chi ...
degree in 1965. While a law student, Brillantes was president of the San Beda College of Law Supreme Law Council and editor-in-chief of the San Beda College of Law Journal. He passed the CPA examinations in 1960 and then placed seventh in the 1965 bar examinations.


Career

In 1966, Brillantes worked at the
Court of Appeals A court of appeals, also called a court of appeal, appellate court, appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal. In much of t ...
as a legal researcher. From 1967 to 1972, he was a junior partner at the Brillantes Law Office. After that, he was AVP/Legal Affairs Officer of Northern Cement Corporation, a company owned by
Eduardo Cojuangco Eduardo "Danding" Murphy Cojuangco Jr. (June 10, 1935 – June 16, 2020) was a Filipino businessman and politician. He was the chairman and CEO of San Miguel Corporation, the largest food and beverage corporation in the Philippines and Sou ...
, for 10 years from 1972 to 1982. From 1983 to 1986, he worked at various offices including the then-
Ministry of Labor The Ministry of Labour ('' UK''), or Labor ('' US''), also known as the Department of Labour, or Labor, is a government department responsible for setting labour standards, labour dispute mechanisms, employment, workforce participation, training, a ...
as a legal consultant. He was also a director, corporate secretary and legal counsel of the Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. Group of Companies for various years. He then became a senior partner of several law offices starting in 1983 but specialized in election law only in 1985. From 2001 to 2006, he was the general counsel of the
Nationalist People's Coalition The Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) is a conservative political party in the Philippines, founded in 1992 by then-presidential candidate Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. History The Party was founded in 1992 after some members of the Nacionalista ...
, a political party founded by Cojuangco. He then was a legal consultant of United Opposition, a party founded by
Jejomar Binay Jejomar "Jojo" Cabauatan Binay Sr. (born Jesus Jose Cabauatan Binay; November 11, 1942) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 13th vice president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016, under President Benigno Aquino III. A hu ...
, from 2007 to 2009. He also helped in the campaigns of Cojuangco during the 1992 presidential election,
Joseph Estrada Joseph Ejercito Estrada, (; born Jose Marcelo Ejercito; April 19, 1937), also known by the nickname Erap, is a Filipino politician and former actor. He served as the 13th president of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, the 9th vice preside ...
during the 1998 presidential election,
Fernando Poe Jr. Ronald Allan Kelley Poe (August 20, 1939 – December 14, 2004), known professionally as Fernando Poe Jr., and often referred to by his initials FPJ, was a Filipino actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, and politician. His long and s ...
during the 2004 presidential election and
Benigno Aquino III Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III (; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. The son of ...
during the 2010 presidential election. Brillantes was also a college professor. He taught general and election law at San Beda,
Arellano Law Foundation The Arellano University School of Law (AUSL) is the law school of Arellano University. AUSL was established in 1938, making it one of the oldest law schools in the Philippines. The school is managed by the Arellano Law Foundation, a non-stock an ...
, and Perpetual Help College, as well as accounting at the
Philippine School of Business Administration The Philippine School of Business Administration is a college located in Quezon City in Metro Manila, Philippines. The college was established in 1963. Academic programs Undergraduate studies *Bachelor of Science in Accountancy *Bachelor of Sc ...
and St. Theresa's College.


COMELEC Chairman

Brillantes was appointed by President Aquino, his client, as chairman of the COMELEC on January 16, 2011. He resigned as an election lawyer following his appointment and said: “Marami ang nakakakilala sa akin, and for the last 20 years, ako ho ang humahabol sa mga operator. (People already know me, and for the last 20 years, I'm the one chasing the cheaters)”. Some quarters had criticized Brillantes fearing that he may not be an objective COMELEC chief, having served popular clients such as former President
Joseph Estrada Joseph Ejercito Estrada, (; born Jose Marcelo Ejercito; April 19, 1937), also known by the nickname Erap, is a Filipino politician and former actor. He served as the 13th president of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, the 9th vice preside ...
and the Ampatuan family. Even former Senator and Aquino ally
Mar Roxas Manuel "Mar" Araneta Roxas II (; born May 13, 1957) is a Filipino politician who served as a Senator of the Philippines. He is the grandson and namesake of former Philippine President Manuel Roxas. He served in the Cabinet of the Philippines as ...
supposedly expressed reservations over his appointment. He allegedly voiced his fears to President Aquino that Brillantes may favor Senator
Francis Escudero Francis Joseph "Chiz" Guevara Escudero (, born October 10, 1969) is a Filipino lawyer and politician serving as a Senator since 2022, and previously from 2007 to 2019. He recently served as governor of Sorsogon from 2019 to 2022, and was the re ...
or Vice-President
Jejomar Binay Jejomar "Jojo" Cabauatan Binay Sr. (born Jesus Jose Cabauatan Binay; November 11, 1942) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 13th vice president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016, under President Benigno Aquino III. A hu ...
in the 2016 elections. The
Commission on Appointments The Commission on Appointments ( fil, Komisyon sa Paghirang, abbreviated as CA) is a constitutional body which confirms or rejects certain political appointments made by the President of the Philippines. The current commission was created by th ...
confirmed the appointment of Brillantes only in October 2011 after extensive confirmation hearings and several deferments. During this time, COMELEC's legal department chief accused him of corruption while Senator
Alan Peter Cayetano Alan Peter Schramm Cayetano (Tagalog pronunciation: ajɛˈtano born October 28, 1970) is a Filipino politician, lawyer, and diplomat serving as a Senator since 2022 and previously from 2007 to 2017. He was the Senate Minority Leader from 20 ...
was vetoing his confirmation. Brillantes oversaw the handling of the 2013 midterm election.


Personal life and death

Brillantes married Francisca Verde-Brillantes, a nutritionist-dietician, in 1970 and had three children. In 2000, he was awarded one of the Bedans of the Century by
San Beda College es, Universidad de San Beda , image = San Beda University seal.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = University Seal , latin_name = Universitas Sancti Bedæ , former_names ...
. In 2009, he was awarded Outstanding Bedan Lawyer by the San Beda Law Alumni Association and in 2010, he was inducted to the San Beda College Alumni Association Hall of Fame. On July 25, 2020, Brillantes' daughter Zeena Brillantes and a former staff member separately disclosed that he tested positive for
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
amid the
COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines The COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines has resulted in, as of , reported cases, resulting in reported deaths, the fifth-highest in Southeast Asia, behind Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The first case in the Philippines was iden ...
. Prior to this, he was confined at the Medical Center Manila on July 18, and was intubated on July 25. He died on August 11, 2020, three days before his 81st birthday.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brillantes, Sixto 1939 births 20th-century Filipino lawyers 21st-century Filipino judges People from Ilocos Sur 2020 deaths Chairpersons of the Commission on Elections of the Philippines Benigno Aquino III administration personnel Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines