Senator accuses Catholic clergy of disinformation on RH bill

Senator Panfilo Lacson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—An advocate of the reproductive health bill has accused the Catholic leadership of engaging in disinformation to dissuade the Catholic faithful from supporting the population management measure supported by the Aquino administration.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said he often hears priests saying that the reproductive health bill promotes abortion when, in fact, abortion would remain illegal even if the controversial piece of legislation is passed.

“What I don’t like with what the church is doing is engaging in disinformation especially from the pulpit. When I hear mass, I hear their clear disinformation that abortion is allowed under the RH bill,” Lacson said at the weekly news forum in the Senate.

Lacson said that abortion will not only continue to be illegal but the penalty for it will even be increased by a provision to be included in the bill.

The lawmaker said that based on his interaction with his colleagues, he believes that the measure would pass if put to a vote on the floor.

“It’s about time this is put to a vote on the floor to close the period of interpellation so that the individual and committee amendments may already be entered to come up with a final draft,” Lacson said.