Cecilia Muñoz Palma, the first woman Supreme Court justice and a known defender of justice, freedom, truth, constitutional democracy, rule of law and human rights, was laid to rest at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City yesterday afternoon. Her family, including her three children – Tady, Pearl, Gustav – were joined by friends and relatives in bidding goodbye to the distinguished jurist, who alse served as President of the 1986 Constitutional Commission that drafted the 1987 Constitution.
A requiem mass officiated by Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales was held at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Broadway Centrum, New Manila, Quezon City at around 1 p.m. before she was brought to her final resting place.
Several members of the judiciary, government officials, politicians, friends, relatives and ordinary people attended the funeral march.
Relatives of the 92-year-old Palma became emotional during the funeral procession that started at 3 p.m. as people lined the funeral route, joining the march from the memorial park gate to the burial site.
During the ceremonies, led by Fr. Joaquin Bernas, Palma’s grandhildren released more than 10 doves.
Among those who carried Palma’s casket were former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr., Renato Constantino Jr., Marikina Mayor Marides Fernando, and Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr.
Palma died after succumbing to cardio-pulmonary failure at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City Monday.
In 1973, Palma was the first female justice appointed to the High Court and served the High Tribunal until 1978. She also became the first female president of commission that drafted a new constitituion in 1986, and helped create the 1987 Freedom Constitution.
She was also a trial court judge and later associate justice of the Court of Appeals.
Chief Justice Artemio V. Panganiban described Palma as "a magisterial model of independence, integrity, industry, and intelligence."
Meanwhile, at the House of Representatives, Batangas Rep. Hermilando I. Mandanas (2nd District) filed House Resolution 1072 in honor of Palma, a native daughter of Bauan, Batangas.
HR 1072 expressed recognition, respect and admiration for Palma’s efforts to champion public service, the cause of democracy, rule of law, freedom and the rights of women, and a profound sorrow for her demise.
The late Justice Palma was an exemplar of service to the country and people, having served to a heroic degree the Republic of the Philippines for much of her life, Mandanas said.
He added that she was an inspiration to all Filipinas, having been the first woman prosecutor (19471954), the first woman judge of the Court of First Instance (now the Regional Trial Court, 1954-1968), only the second woman associate justice of the Court of Appeals (1968-1973), and the first female justice of the Supreme Court (1973-1978).
She was also a delegate of the Philippine government to various women’s conventions and conferences of the United Nations from 1960 to 1985, he noted.
Palma, he said, was unswerving, courageous, and outspoken in her adherence to the cause of democracy, rule of law, and human rights despite the threat to her life and liberty, and that of her family, during the dark days of Martial Law and dictatorship (1972-1986). "She had proven her patriotism and sympathy for her oppressed countrymen, her respect for human rights, and the dignity of the human person," Mandanas said. (with a report by Tito Aguirre)
|
