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Court mourns the loss of former District Judge John S. Unpingco

Friday, October 13, 2023

Former District Judge John Sablan Unpingco passed away suddenly this week. 

Judge Unpingco was nominated to be a district judge for the District Court of Guam by President George H.W. Bush. The Senate confirmed the Presidential nomination on September 24, 1992 and Judge Unpingco was commissioned on October 9, 1992. An investiture ceremony was held on December 22, 1992 at the court in what was then known as the Pacific Daily News Building.   

Chief Judge Unpingco's facilitating the construction of a new courthouse for the District Court and the appointment of the court's first magistrate judge stand out among his many accomplishments on the bench. The court's new courthouse, 4-story structure on Marine Corps Drive owned by local businessman Mark V. Pangilinan, officially opened on July 5, 2000 and was dedicated a month later, culminating eight years of effort on the part of the judge.  The building, which cost in excess of $20 million, offered more room, better security, and a main courtroom that included state-of-the-art technology for digital evidence presentation.

Congress had left Guam out of the Federal Magistrates Act (28 USCA § 631 et seq.), but after five years of effort by Chief Judge Unpingco, a fulltime position was established and U.S. Magistrate Judge Joaquin V.E. Manibusan, Jr. was sworn in on February 6, 2004.

Judge Unpingco received a Master of Laws degree, specializing in International Law, from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.; a Master of Business Administration and Juris Doctor from New York University, New York City; and a Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude from St. Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri.  The Judge was former U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General (prosecutor); former Command Counsel at the Naval Warfare Center in China Lake, California. After Judge Unpingco served eleven years with the Court, he resigned from office effective April 30, 2004.

Nightly rosary and Masses for Judge Unpingco will be held at the Cathedral-Basilica beginning Monday, October 16th to Thursday, October 26th (Weekday rosaries begin at 5:30 p.m. followed by Mass, rosary on Saturday will commence after the 5:00 p.m. Mass, and on Sunday after the 7:30 a.m. Mass.). 

Viewing is set for Friday, October 27th, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Chapel of St. Therese. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on the same day at 12:00 p.m. in the Basilica.