Book on life of Davide launched

A book on the life of former Supreme Court chief justice and now the Ambassador to the United Nations Hilario Davide, Jr. was launched at the Aznar Coliseum yesterday.

The 482-page biography written by Dean Antonio Tupas speaks about the life of Davide and his struggles.

Tupas said that the book is an unauthorized biography, which is a spontaneous account of a man who rose to the heights of the judiciary. A personal lawyer of Davide, the book author can only write as a friend.

The book is a minefield of information about Davide because Tupas was his colleague in the 1971 Constitutional Convention and in the Batasang Pambansa.

Tupas said he completed the 482-page biography for 13 months and claimed to have spent millions to publish it.

He said that he chose Davide after he conducted a survey among book readers as to who they think would serve as a role model. Tupas said that Davide gained most of the votes from the survey.

On the book, The Philippine Star publisher Max Soliven says: "In the pages of this interesting and fascinating book, you'll plumb the depths of character of the real Davide as capably and "lovingly" written by one of his supporters, Dean Antonio Tupas."

Davide, who graced the book launch, said that he is very much overwhelmed over Tupas' writing on his life.

The book was launched in Manila on June 28 at the Magsaysay Center and has sold around 7,000 copies in just two days. - Jasmin R. Uy