Church: No reconciliation while RH law is in effect

Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles. (southernluzoninquirer.com photo)

Malacañang’s attempts to “reconcile” with the Catholic Church are futile unless the reproductive health (RH) law is repealed, a Catholic prelate said Thursday.

Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles said there could be no reconciliation because that could be misconstrued by others as a move that the Church has already “approved” of the controversial RH law, which took effect yesterday.

He added that calls for reconciliation from Palace officials might only attempt to prevent the bishops from coming out with a “condemnation” of the Aquino administration when the Catholic Bishops Conference of Philippines (CBCP) meets for its plenary session later this month.

“We are not really angry at them but it’s like they knocked us down and now they want us to be friends. After beating us up, they want us to be friends,” Arguelles said in an interview.

“We don’t mind being beaten up but, for us, those who will suffer in the end [due to the RH bill] are our people and the country,” he added.

Arguelles said the Aquino administration used “everything [like] money, pressure, cheating” to push for the RH law.

“And now they’re pleading for reconciliation. I don’t think so,” he added.

Catholic lay groups have promised to mobilize their members around the country to boycott in the coming May elections politicians who supported the RH law.

The Church said the RH law promoted a “culture of death” and would eventually lead to the legalization of abortion, divorce and euthanasia or mercy killing in the country.

“We don’t regret that we were treated very badly [but] we regret that if we reconcile with the government, we would be part of their inequity,” Arguelles said.

Against God’s order

“If (reconciliation) means we approve of what they are doing, we cannot. That is against the order of God,” he added.

Arguelles conceded that administration officials might have believed that they were doing the country good by pushing for passage of the RH law.

“They say the Church is old-fashioned but we’re just defending life and trying to strengthen the family because (the RH law) would destroy our culture and that is in the program of these foreigners who were with them,” Arguelles said.

He said the calls from Palace officials for reconciliation were suspect because the CBCP members were holding their plenary meeting later this month.

“Maybe that is their purpose because we might come out with a condemnation or whatever. If they are afraid, you should ask them. Maybe they are concerned that we might talk about something that will not help them… they might just be paranoid,” Arguelles said.

“If they want reconciliation, and here I do not speak for the other bishops, they should debunk the RH law first. Get rid of it,” he added.