Church tells Lapu fiesta goers to fight RH bill

THE feast of the Birhen sa Regla in Lapu-Lapu City was generally peaceful.

The event also gave the Catholic Church the venue to highlight its opposition to the Reproductive Health bill being tackled in Congress.

This was the assessment of Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, director of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office, and parish priest Rev. Jimmy Duero.

“The whole occasion was successful, starting (from) the motorcade on the first day of the novena … and even with the change of weather from hot to rain and vice versa, still thousands of devotees came to visit the Blessed Mother,” Duero said.

Lawas said tight security was in place particularly in barangay Poblacion where the Birhen sa Regla is located. Ten public assistance centers (PAC) manned by a composite team from the police, the fire bureau, medical personnel and the military.

No to RH

In his homily, during the Pontifical Mass yesterday morning, Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Julito Cortes challenged the devotees to perform their duties as missionaries like Mary and San Pedro Calungsod, who was fearless in helping spread the word of God.

The bishop likewise rallied the faithtul to join the Catholic Church in resisting the approval of the controversial Reproductive Health bill that is due for further deliberation in the Senate this week.

“This year is the year of missionary. All of us are challenged, even the church. Our challenge is to go against the RH bill, for this week we heard that the Pro-RH bill (bloc) are doing their best to continue the votation,” Cortes said.

Shooting incident

Police are set to file frustrated and attempted homicide charges against Michael Talledo, 33, for shooting Joseph dela Peña of Sacred Heart Village.

Investigators said the victim was with a group when Talledo appeared and fired his gun. They said the suspect was targeting Danilo Degolacion, but instead hit the victim in the nape.

In another incident, police arrested a fellow lawman PO3 Elde Artezuela for alledgely poking his gun on civilians.

Artezuela who is assigned in the Olango Island Police Station was briefly detained at the Hoops Dome Police Station, but he was released yesterday after paying a P500 fine for drunkenness.

Lawas has summoned Artezuela to his office and ordered him investigated by internal affairs.