We are members of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (ICM).
We find most unfortunate what happened in the impeachment proceedings last Feb. 29 between the “gentle lady from Iloilo” (a senator-judge) and a private prosecutor.
We are educators who teach our students, not only “the rule of law,” but basic courtesy, whether in a court of law or outside of it—meaning, everywhere. We tell them that “the rule of law” is a human convention, whereas “the rule of love” is a divine command. We tell them that the Golden Rule commands us that we do not do to others what we do not want others to do to us, whereas any conventional rule only guides us towards good behavior. We would follow the rules of court, but not at the expense of the rules of propriety. We tell them that discourtesy bears bad fruits whereas courtesy bears good fruits—that contempt for human dignity is a sin that demands reparation, whereas contempt of court is a misbehavior that requires an apology. For us, the Commandments of God are superior to the Constitution promulgated by men, even as we obey both.
We bring these truths to all those under our care as part of our religious-missionary task.
On March 12 the impeachment court resumes the trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona. We pray that the senator-judges will set the good example of courtesy. Otherwise, they do not deserve to be the respect of Filipinos, the sovereign people, well-known for our pakikipagkapwa-tao.
—ICM RELIGIOUS-MISSIONARIES,
Queen of Peace Convent,
Quezon City,
queenofpeaceconvent
@yahoo.com