BIO-DATA OF RUFUS B. RODRIGUEZ
Rufus Bautista Rodriguez was born in Cagayan de Oro City on September 13, 1953 to Maximo Glorioso Rodriguez, Sr., of Catubig, Northern Samar and Marta Bagabuyo Bautista of the Neri-Chaves-Abellanosa-Bagabuyo-Bautista Clan of Cagayan de Oro City.
He studied at Xavier University (Ateneo de Cagayan) and graduated Grade School Valedictorian (1967) and High School Valedictorian (1971). He took up AB Economics at De La Salle University, Manila as a Del Monte-PPC scholar, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 1975. He worked with MASICAP of the DAP-Ministry of Industry in 1974-1975.
He entered the UP College of Law in 1976 as an entrance scholar and a UP Alumni Scholar. In 1978, he was the first and only Filipino to be elected President of the World Association of Law Students (WALS) based in Washington, D.C. In 1979, while still a junior law student, he became the youngest author of law books when his book, The Law on Transportation, was published. He was elected in 1980 as the youngest senior board member of Misamis Oriental, while still a senior law student. A consistent honor student, he graduated from UP College of Law in 1980, ranking 7th in his class and passed the 1981 Bar Exams—placing 17th with grades of 90% in three bar subjects: Commercial Law, Criminal Law and Labor Law.
In 1984, he finished his MA in Economics at Xavier University with the highest distinction. He became the youngest Vice-Governor of Misamis Oriental from 1984 to 1986. He became the youngest law dean at age 37 at San Sebastian College in 1990. In 1995, he graduated with Harlan Fiske Stone Honors (equivalent to Magna Cum Laude) Master of Laws, Columbia School of Law, New York City.
In 1998, he was appointed by President Joseph Estrada as the youngest Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration, where he served up to January 2001 with utmost dedication and integrity.
He was awarded as Most Outstanding Alumnus of De La Salle University (1999) and of Xavier University (2002).
He is now practicing law and teaching, and enjoying a happy family life with wife, Fenina Tiukinhoy of Surigao City, and daughter Regine Beatrice.
Among his clients as a lawyer are President Joseph “Erap” Estrada, the late Fernando Poe, Jr., Sen. Loren Legarda, Sen. Loi Estrada, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, Mayor JV Ejercito, Gov. Mahid Mutilan, Publisher Ninez Olivarez, NBI Deputy Director Samuel Ong, and Actor Rez Cortez.
