What would you tell Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach if you happen to meet her?
Court of Appeals Associate Justice Mariflor Castillo-Punzalan said she would tell Wurtzbach that United States military presence in the Philippines is unconstitutional.
Castillo-Punzalan was referring to a Twitter question sent to members of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) during the interview of aspirants to the Supreme Court Associate Justice post to be vacated by Associate Justice Martin Villarama on Jan. 16, 2016.
During the question-and-answer portion for the top five finalists of the Miss Universe 2015 pageant, Wurtzbach was asked about her stance on US military presence in the Philippines.
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Wurtzbach said “I think that the United States and the Philippines have always had a good relationship with each other. We were colonized by the Americans and we have their culture and our traditions even up to this day and I think that we’re very welcoming with the Americans. And I don’t see any problem with that at all.”
“Our representative [in the Miss Universe pageant] was asked if let’s say US military presence would be restored how would she feel about it,” the JBC said adding that Wurtzbach’s response would be welcoming such move citing the long history of friendship with the US.
“What would you tell her,” the JBC asked.
“I would tell her it is unconstitutional,” Castillo-Punzalan said.
Castillo-Punzalan is one of the 16 candidates vying for the Associate Justice position.
She is the head of the ethics committee of the Court of Appeals.
The last time she applied for a higher position was in 2010.
She said she opted not to apply for subsequent vacancies to the Supreme Court because she wants a zero backlog of her caseloads.
When asked about independence, she said “at the end of the day, it will be my responsibility alone and nobody else.” CDG
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