SC asked to lift status quo vs RH law

Akbayan Representative Risa Hontiveros. Cathy MIranda/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Akbayan Partylist chairperson Risa Hontiveros on Monday asked the Supreme Court to lift the status quo ante and allow the implementation of Republic Act 10354 or the Reproductive Health law.

In a 42-page motion for reconsideration, Hontiveros said there was no cause for suspension of the implementation of the law.

“The petitioners questioning the constitutionality of the law failed to show adequately that the provisions of RA 10354 violate the constitution,” the motion stated.

“In fact, there should be a presumption of constitutionality since the law was duly enacted by Congress. The anti-RH petitioners failed to show any actual violation of the Constitution and have not delivered any proof that such transgressions exist,” it said.

Last week, the high court issued a 120-day SQA on the implementation of RH law and set the case for debate on June 18.

An SQA is issued to preserve the last actual peaceable and uncontested status before the litigation or filing of a petition which means it is as if there is no law to implement yet.

There are at least six petitions filed with the high court by James Imbong, et al., Expedito Bugarin, Eduardo Olaguer and the Catholic Xybrspace Apostolate of the Philippines, Serve Life Cagayan De Oro City, et al., Task Force for Family and Life Visayas, Inc. and Valeriano Avila, and Alliance for the Family Foundation Philippines, Inc.

Petitioners argued that the Republic Act 10354 or the Act Providing for a National Policy on Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health “mochs the nation’s Filipino culture—noble and lofty in its values and holdings on life, motherhood and family life—now the fragile lifeblood of a treasured cultured that today stands solitary but proud in contrast to other nation.

They said the new law violates the constitution which upholds the ideal of an unconditional respect for life and aspires for the establishment of policies that create opportunities to harness the economic potential of every Filipino.

But Hontiveros argued that the RH law will help the government stop maternal deaths and misconceptions about reproductive health.

Contrary to allegations of anti-RH advocates, she said the new law does not legalize abortion in the country.

“[W]hile the petitioners mistakenly allege that RA 10354 will legalize abortion in the Philippines, a plain reading of the text of the said law makes it clear that abortion is expressly and repeatedly proscribed therein,” the motion stated.