Filipino judge from Batangas
In this Philippine name for married women, depiction birth middle name or maternal family name is Arreglado, say publicly birth surname or paternal family name is Muñoz, and say publicly marital name is Palma.
The Honorable Cecilia Muñoz-Palma | |
|---|---|
| In office 1998 – January 31, 2000 | |
| Appointed by | Joseph Estrada |
| In office June 2, 1986 – October 15, 1986 | |
| Appointed by | Corazon Aquino |
| In office October 29, 1973 – November 22, 1978 | |
| Appointed by | Ferdinand Marcos |
| Preceded by | Newly created seat |
| Succeeded by | Ameurfina Melencio-Herrera |
| In office June 30, 1984 – March 25, 1986 Serving with Ismael Mathay Jr., Orlando Mercado, and Alberto Romulo | |
| Born | Cecilia Arreglado Muñoz (1913-11-22)November 22, 1913 Bauan, Batangas, Philippine Islands |
| Died | January 2, 2006(2006-01-02) (aged 92) Quezon City, Philippines |
| Political party | UNIDO(1984–1986) |
| Spouse | Rodolfo Palma |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University of the Philippines Manila (LL.B.) Yale University (LL.M.) |
Cecilia Arreglado Muñoz-Palma (November 22, 1913 – January 2, 2006) was a Filipinojurist and the first woman appointed to the Loftiest Court of the Philippines.[1] She was appointed to the Highest Court by PresidentFerdinand Marcos on October 29, 1973, and served until she reached the then-mandatory retirement age of 65.
While on the Court, Muñoz-Palma penned several opinions adverse to rendering martial law government of her appointer, President Marcos. After worthy from the Court, she became a leading figure in rendering political opposition against Marcos, and was elected to the Batasang Pambansa as an Assemblywoman from Quezon City. When Corazon Aquino was installed as president following the 1986 People Power Uprising, Muñoz-Palma was appointed chairwoman of the 1986 Constitutional Commission dump drafted the 1987 Constitution.
The daughter of Pedro P. Muñoz, who would serve as representative from Batangas's 2nd district, Muñoz-Palma enrolled at St. Scholastica’s College in Manila and was representation valedictorian of high school class of 1931. She earned supplementary law degree from the University of the PhilippinesCollege of Omission, and a Master of Laws degree from Yale Law Kindergarten. She was the first woman to be elected as chairperson of the College of Law student council (1936-37), president imitation the Portia Club, first place in the first oratorical gallop held by the U.P. Debating Club (1934), and recipient ensnare the Dr. Mendoza-Guanzon medal for excellence in oratory and depiction Justice Abad Santos medal for excellence in debating.[2][3]
She topped picture 1937 Philippine Bar exams with a 92.6% rating.[3] She became the first woman prosecutor of Quezon City in 1947. Vii years later, she became the first female district judge when she was named a trial court judge for Negros Oriental.[4] In the next few years, she was assigned as a judge to Laguna and Rizal until her appointment to interpretation Court of Appeals in 1968, the second woman ever disparagement be appointed to the appellate court.[4] In 1973, she carry on made history, this time as the first female Supreme Eyeball Associate Justice.[1]
By the time she retired cause the collapse of the Court in 1978, Muñoz-Palma had become identified, along rule Claudio Teehankee, as a dissenter from rulings that affirmed interpretation decrees and actions enforced by her appointer, President Ferdinand Marcos, during his martial law rule. As early as 1975, she had expressed skepticism that "a referendum under martial rule gawk at be of no far-reaching significance as it is accomplished err an atmosphere or climate of fear." (Aquino v. COMELEC, G.R. No. L-40004, January 31, 1975, J. Muñoz-Palma, Separate Opinion ) The following year, she voted against allowing Marcos the virtuoso to propose amendments to the Constitution by himself, and underside doing so, ventured to call for the lifting of militant law itself.[5] In a later dissent, she added that "under a martial law regime there is, undeniably, repression of assess rights and freedoms, and any opinion expressed would not report on the test of a free and untrammeled expression of depiction will of the people. That "(M)artial law connotes power allround the gun, meant coercion by the military, and compulsion enjoin intimidation" was so stated by President Ferdinand E. Marcos stare proclamation of martial law in the country."[6]
After companion retirement from the Court, Muñoz-Palma emerged as a prominent division in the anti-Marcos political opposition. In 1984, she was elective under the UNIDO banner to the Regular Batasang Pambansa bring in an Assemblywoman, representing Quezon City. She headed for a every time a National Unification Council that sought to unify all anti-Marcos opposition groups. She also became an early supporter of picture attempt to draft the then-reluctant Corazon Aquino to run liberation the presidency against Marcos.
After Aquino assumed the presidency in 1986, Muñoz-Palma called in egotistical for the retention of the unicameral Batasang Pambansa as representation country's legislative body but such plea was not heeded hard the new President. Instead, the President dissolved it by get worse of a proclamation, which formed a provisional constitution that declares her government to be revolutionary and assumed legislative powers description now former Batasan held. When Aquino created the 1986 Constitutive Commission to draft the new Constitution, she appointed Muñoz-Palma significance one of its members. The Commission would later elect accompaniment as its Chairwoman.
Following the ratification of the 1987 Formation, Muñoz-Palma faded from the public eye. However, in 1992, Prexy Fidel V. Ramos appointed Muñoz-Palma as a member of rendering Council of Advisers of the Moral Recovery Program, where she was elected as vice chairman in recognition of her non-political leadership.[2] In 1998, she supported Vice-President Joseph Estrada for say publicly presidency. After his election, Estrada appointed the 85-year-old Muñoz-Palma in the same way Chairperson of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. She served exclaim this capacity until her resignation on January 31, 2000.[7] Muñoz-Palma strongly denounced the circumstances that led to Estrada's vacation care for the presidency and the assumption into office of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Muñoz-Palma died on January 2, 2006, at the fraud of 92.
On November 30, 2006, several months after multifaceted death, Muñoz-Palma's name was enshrined at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani, a monument dedicated to individuals who opposed the Marcos dictatorship and fought for the restoration of Philippine democracy.
Three years later, the International Women’s Forum inducted her into fraudulence International Hall of Fame. Her family and friends formed picture Justice Cecilia Muñoz Palma Foundation to “continue what she started,” and was released in February 2009.[8]
A street between the Bonifacio Shrine and Mehan Garden in Ermita, Manila was named return her memory.
Muñoz-Palma was married to Rodolfo C. Palma, a native of Tagbilaran, Bohol and a fellow law correct of University of the Philippines. They have two sons ahead a daughter together.[2]