His father wanted him to become a lawyer, but after his early death JJ had to take care of his younger brother Francisco Jr. (Frank) and sister Edith.
[citation needed] JJ enrolled at the Rizal Central Colleges in Pasay to pursue his high school education.
He was later encouraged and helped in his writing by novelists Rico Bello Omagap, Orlando Nadres and Pablo Gomez.
[4] In 1968 he joined the staff of the former newspaper Philippine Sun, which allowed him to develop his controversial writing style.
Justo used to host a television program titled Etchos Lang, and gained attention for the cause when he convinced AIDS victim Sarah Jane Salazar to share her story to the public.