<div class="image-550">
<img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-19/jose-abad-santos.webp" alt="Jose Abad Santos"/>
<div>
(Jose Abad Satos)
</div>
</div>
<p>
Abad Santos was known to live a simple living, he did not smoke, drink or gamble.  He refused gifts to avoid any taint of corruption. Throughout his government career, he was never involved in any scandal.  Neither did he get rich while he was in office.
</p>
<p>
Abad Santos became Chief Justice on December 24, 1941, shortly after the outbreak of World War II. He accompanied the Commonwealth government to Corregidor, where on December 30, 1941, he administered the oath of office to President Manuel L. Quezon and Vice President Sergio Osmeña for their second term.
</p> 
<p>
He also undertook with Manuel Roxas the supervision of the destruction of the Commonwealth government currency to prevent its falling into enemy hands.
</p>
<p>
When President Quezon left for the United States via Australia, Chief Justice Abad Santos was given the choice to leave with him.  But the latter preferred to remain in the Philippines and carry on his work and stay with his family.
</p>
<p>
President Quezon appointed him as government caretaker with full authority to act in the name of, and on behalf, of the President of the Philippines in areas unoccupied by the Japanese.
</p>



February 19, 1886: Jose Abad Santos was born in San Fernando, Pampanga