Former senator and one of the most prolific human rights lawyer in the country, Sen. Joker Arroyo has died in the United States of America as confirmed by an Arroyo family member during an interview with ABS-CBN. The late senator was 88 years old during his death.
The human rights lawyer, ex-Sen. Joker Arroyo was born on January 5, 1927 in Naga, Camarines Sur and finished his primary and secondary education in Naga before getting a scholarship in the University of the Philippines.
Atty. Joker Arroyo is a graduate of the UP College of Law and the Ateneo de Manila, he was thrust into national consciousness when he challenged before the Supreme Court the constitutionality of Proclamation No. 1081 or more popularly known as the Martial Law declaration by Pres. Marcos.
Sen. Arroyo handled more human rights cases that any other lawyer from 1972-1986, he defended various political detainess including Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr, Eugenio Lopez, Jr., Serge Osmeña III, Jose Ma. Sison, Jovito Salonga, Nene Pimentel, Eva Kalaw, Renato Tañada, Eduardo Olaguer and many others.
He also co-founded the MABINI and FLAG with other human rights lawyers and during the snap elections in 1986, he served as counsel of the late President Mrs. Corazon C. Aquino. Sen. Joker Arroyo was first elected congressman of Makati City but resigned from public service in 2013.
