Pangasinan bishop makes 11th-hour appeal vs RH bill

Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas (cbcpforlife.com photo)

DAGUPAN CITY, Philippines – Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas warned lawmakers that they would unleash “irreparable harm” on the new generation of Filipinos if they approve the controversial Reproductive Health bill in its present form.

In a pastoral letter posted on the archdiocese’s website on Friday, Villegas said: “As I have said in the past, a contraceptive mentality is the mother of an abortion mentality. The wide and free accessibility of contraceptives, even to the youth, will result in the destruction of family life and in greater violence against women.”

His pastoral letter will be read in all Masses in Catholic Churches under the archdiocese on Sunday (December 16).

On Monday, the Senate is expected to vote on its version of the RH bill, following the passing on second reading of the bill last week by the House of Representatives.

The goal, Villegas said, was to rush the passage of the bill before the start of the congressional Christmas break. “The same [agenda] seems to be the goal of our senators,” he said.

He said: “Those who mislead the young invoke divine punishment on themselves. Let us leave to the young a legacy of decency and morality, not promiscuity and moral corruption.”

He commended Pangasinan Representatives Gina de Venecia, Rachel Arenas and Leopoldo Bataoil for voting against the RH bill.

“We commend them for their courageous conviction and encourage you, my dear Catholic faithful, to support them with your prayers and make known to them your appreciation for their fidelity to our cherished Filipino Catholic values,” Villegas said.

“They are our heroic and exemplary representatives in Congress. They voted to stand up for life. They voted to stand up for morality and decency. They voted as God loving government officials.”