[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 116 (Thursday, September 9, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1811]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E1811]]



             HONORING THE LATE JOAQUIN V.E. MANIBUSAN, SR.

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 8, 1999

  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, the island of Guam mourns the passing of 
one of its most respected and loved public servants. The Honorable 
Joaquin V.E. Manibusan, Sr., a man who served as the island's traffic 
and small claims court judge for 21 years, was called to his eternal 
rest on August 29, 1999, at the age of 78. He leaves behind his wife, 
Alejandrina, and his children, Marilyn, Joaquin, Jr., and Geraldine. 
With a sense of great loss, I pay tribute to this distinguished local 
leader.
  The Manibusan name is deeply embedded in the island of Guam's 
judicial system. Judge Manibusan's father, Judge Jose C. Manibusan, 
served in the Island Court from 1935 to 1960. His son, the Honorable 
Joaquin V.E. Manibusan, Jr., currently serves as judge in the Superior 
Court of Guam.
  Judge Joaquin V.E. Manibusan, Sr. was born on March 23, 1921, in the 
city of Hagatna. After his graduation from George Washington High 
School in 1940, he pursued legal studies through correspondence. Judge 
Manibusan's government service record predates World War II. From 1941 
until the outbreak of the war, he worked for the Civil Affairs 
Department at the Naval Air Station, Agana. Upon the island's 
liberation in 1944, he was again hired by the Civil Affairs Department 
to work at the Anigua Refugee Camp.
  The judge first worked for the island's court system as a law clerk 
for the Island Court in 1944 and was promoted to senior clerk in 1948. 
Later that year, he was appointed Deputy Clerk of the Island Court. In 
1969, the Guam Legislature confirmed his appointment as Judge of the 
Police Court of Guam. Upon the creation of the Superior Court of Guam, 
Judge Manibusan was sworn in as a judge in the court--assigned 
exclusively to the traffic division. The following year, he was 
reappointed to the Superior Court of Guam's traffic division. In 1982, 
the people of Guam expressed support for his legal contributions when 
he was retained as a judge of the Superior Court through a mandate from 
the island's voters. He retired from the bench on March 4, 1995.
  Judge Manibusan's community involvement went above and beyond his 
duties in the courtroom. Throughout his life, he actively participated 
in inter-governmental and community functions. He was a delegate to the 
Guam Constitutional Convention of 1969 and he was named chairman of the 
Guam Judicial Center's grand opening in 1991. He was a member of the 
Holy Name Society as well as a charter member of the Sinajana Civil 
Improvement Club. On top of this, he was also actively involved in 
Christmas seal drives and in Guam's sports, particularly baseball.
  During his tenure on the bench, Judge Manibusan is remembered for his 
dignity, fairness and compassion. His service of more than fifty years 
to the people of Guam has earned him a place in our hearts. He leaves a 
legacy of service and devotion to the island of Guam. May his 
commitment to the island's judiciary and to the people of Guam forever 
inspire us.

                          ____________________