15 Facts About Samuel Martires

Samuel Martires was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from 2017 to 2018.

Samuel Reyes Martires was born on January 2,1949, in Palapag, Samar.

Samuel Martires's father died when he was five years old.

Samuel Martires then earned his Bachelor of Laws from San Beda College in 1975 and passed the bar exam the following year, becoming the first lawyer in his family.

Samuel Martires then became an assistant department manager at the Ministry of Human Settlements until 1984.

Samuel Martires's mother wanted him to join the judiciary.

Samuel Martires enrolled in the Master of Laws program of the University of Santo Tomas but only earned 27 units.

Samuel Martires accused the two judges of "gross ignorance of the law, incompetence, abuse of authority and dereliction of duty".

On May 11,2018, Samuel Martires was one of the eight justices who voted in favor of the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida against then-Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

In September 2020, Samuel Martires issued a memorandum circular regarding the releasing of copies of the SALN of public officials.

Samuel Martires announced that his office will stop conducting lifestyle checks on public officials, reasoning that having a luxurious lifestyle does not prove that an official is corrupt.

Samuel Martires criticized lifestyle checks as "illogical" and "purely" based on estimates.

Samuel Martires claimed that the SALNs and lifestyle checks are used by the media and political rivals to "extort" government officials.

In 2021, Samuel Martires proposed a bill to imprison or fine anyone reporting on a government official's statement of wealth.

Samuel Martires has suggested that the Office of the Ombudsman should be abolished, citing the lack of witnesses and their refusal to testify or file affidavits makes investigations more difficult and thus renders the office unnecessary.