What a jolt August brought upon us. Two icons of our youth recently left us to move on to eternal life. One after the other. The eminent lawyer’s lawyer, Justice Ricardo Concepcion Puno (RCP), died a few days before August set in, followed a week or so after, by the legendary woman of letters Carmen Guerrero Nakpil (CGN), definitely a National Artist by any measure. One could say they were worthy torch-bearers of an influencer generation—the pre-war/war generation as historians now reckon it to be – which valued patriotism, self-sacrifice and hard work, excellence, civic mindedness and, of course, good manners and right conduct, among other virtues. It was a generation which, in more ways than one, laid the ground for a modernizing, newly minted Republic. A generation which challenged generations of Filipinos after them and which continues to challenge us beyond their earthly existence to ensure that we will in time make of this benighted land the nation we can all be proud of.
To generations of lawyers and leaders of men, RCP was a towering figure in the rarefied field of law and public policy. Foremost, he was a teacher in the best sense of the word, an accolade which his students in the best law schools he became a fixture of – Ateneo, UP, San Beda, to name a few, and eventually MLQU Law which he co-founded, mentoring eventual eminent legal eagles themselves such as another lawyer’s lawyer, Juan Ponce Enrile, who himself nurtured generations of acclaimed lawyers. I remember one prominent lawyer who was once RCP’s student recounting how he had to stand up for an hour of questioning, of give-and-take on the intricacies of the law on wills and succession. To him, it was one of the most memorable moments of his student days being able to withstand the intense grilling, not only because he did not buckle down in fear but because he has won his cases using the arguments and interjections which the great RCP, as he called him, in his pleadings.
As remarkable as his teaching was, RCP was also a well respected member of the judiciary for years having been credited with issuing landmark rulings which remain part of case law and jurisprudence
to this day. In addition, as Justice Secretary, he was credited with having humanized the penology system and reformed the country’s prosecution and immigration services. It is a credit to his excellence and versatility not to mention his passion for the law that he managed to teach, hear and decide on cases and write “think pieces” for prestigious publications while raising with his wife and life partner, Priscilla, 12 children all of whom have made names for themselves in their respective professions. I am told that out of the twelve, sprang forty eight grandchildren, thirty seven great grand children and a great, great grand child —all of whom, I am sure, will miss his wit and his teachings and, of course, his patented brand of humor.
Tita Chitang, as we came to address CGN, was such a presence not only in the world of letters but in Manila society itself. A distinguished woman of letters she was considered one of the best read, incisive and unconventional product of her generation which included such eminences as Nick Joaquin, Blas Ople, O.D. Corpuz, Adrian Cristobal, Kerima Polotan-Tuvera, Johnny Gatbonton, Juan Luna Castro, E. Aguilar Cruz, F. Sionil Jose and her own kin, Leon Maria Guerrero, among others.
That she was unconventional was a give away what with a column titled “In My Humble Opinion” which was carried for years by the Manila Chronicle. Her pieces were not of the usual stuff as she constantly challenged conventions. She was as passionate in promoting gender equality and women’s rights as she did love of country. She was at home challenging church dogma as she did the country’s colonial past.
A product of convent schools, well mannered and coiffured to the hilt, she was not shy questioning the manner by which these institutions were teaching history and positioning women in society.
As she challenged conventions, she was as well questioning the way the country’s history was being written and appreciated. She did her own research and inquired extensively on the triumphs and foibles of generations past—the Europe based intellectuals of the Propaganda movement; the working class-cum-semi-landlord led struggle against Spain which only brought us under another colonizer and, the tragedies and hardships of Japanese occupation and the guerrilla movement it inspired.
She was, in a very real sense, a Filipina ahead of her time. Not only was she able to use her pen to strike out the cobwebs of our past, she was an ardent advocate of a Philippines unshackled, moving forward united in its diversity and proudly waving the excellence of the race and the beauty of its culture and traditions. She had her way with the political, economic and social class to which she herself belonged but to her last breath admonished for letting our people down.
Though gone, RCP and CGN will remain the influencers that they were in life. May the angels be with them in their continuing journey to eternal life.