Aquino is bad Catholic, says Laguna Church official

SAN PABLO CITY, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino III is a bad Catholic and his conscience is not well-formed, a Catholic leader in Laguna said Tuesday in response to the President’s declaration last Sunday ascertaining the passage of the controversial Reproductive Health bill by his administration.

“He is misled,” Fr. Jerry Oblepias, Laguna diocesan director of the Family Life Ministry, said of the President. “What he is thinking as ways to solve poverty are the easy and lazy ways. He must face the real issue, that we are poor because of bad governance and bad economic policies.”

He said that Aquino’s latest declaration was far from his election campaign battle cry: “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap (If there is no corruption, there is no poverty).”

In a telephone interview, Oblepias told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that Mr. Aquino had a “falsified conscience” and had an utter disrespect for the sentiments of thousands of Catholics around the country who called for rejection of the RH Bill, which they condemned as anti-life and anti-family.

In his speech at the University of the Philippines graduation rites, the President said, “I am aware of those who are opposed to it but it’s my obligation as a leader to reach out to all sectors and talk and explain to them calmly this—even if some are saying I should be excommunicated.”

“I am very sad that he does not know the meaning of it (excommunication). He is really totally different from his mother (the late former President Corazon C. Aquino),” Oblepias said.

He said Aquino’s insistence that the RH Bill be approved into a law exposed his ignorance of his responsibility as President of the Philippines who should lead the country based on the rule of law.

As chief executive, the priest said, Mr. Aquino should set an example by respecting the Philippine Constitution and the rule of law if he wants the Filipino to respect him in return. He should study well the RH Bill whether or not it truly conforms to the Philippine Constitution.

Meanwhile, Laguna Bishop Leo M. Drona has extended his gratitude to all priests of Laguna for supporting the recently concluded Walk for Life Prayer Rally spearheaded by the Knights of Columbus of the diocese last March 26.