CONTROVERSY surrounding flood control projects has exposed several government officials and employees living lavishly — luxurious watches, high-end vehicles, the visible fruits of bribes. There is a widespread perception that holding high office means living the high life, that public service is a pathway to prosperity.
But there are exceptions. There are still public servants who choose the simple life. Carmela Rosario Pasquin, presiding judge of Municipal Circuit Trial Court (MCTC) of Aloguinsan-Pinamungajan, was one of them. It is only tragic that the public had to learn this through her death.
On Wednesday morning, Oct. 22, 2025, Pasquin, 41, died when the motorcycle she was riding collided with another motorcycle driven by a 19-year-old without a driver’s license.
Pasquin, who lived in Toledo City, was commuting to work with her court’s process server when the accident occurred. She never owned a car — a choice that initially puzzled some. When news of her death spread, netizens questioned her simple lifestyle, with most of them asking: “Why no wheels, Judge?”
But those who knew her understood: Pasquin viewed public service as a calling, not a privilege, according to Michael Ocampo, her former classmate at the University of the Philippines College of Law and a former government official.
Lawyers who appeared before her court remembered her as competent, diligent, incorruptible, and fair—a judge who wore the robe with honor. Ocampo paid tribute to her on social media.
“I used to work in government, in the judiciary like her, so I really appreciated her dedication to public service and how she remained true to the code of ethics for government officials,” Ocampo told SunStar Cebu Friday. He declined further comment, saying her family, co-workers, and the lawyers before her court were better positioned to speak about her life and work.
Known to classmates as “Carms,” Pasquin was remembered as kind, brilliant and grounded, a public servant who viewed her position as a responsibility, not a privilege. / CDF