MANILA, Philippines—Saranggani Province representative and boxing icon Manny Pacquiao’s customary Thanksgiving Mass Saturday morning at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Manila turned into a mini-rally of protest against the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill.
After Quiapo parish priest Msgr. Clemente Ignacio advised Pacquiao in his homily to brace himself for a new bout in the House of Representatives against the controversial proposed law, the pound-for-pound king railed against the RH bill as “disobedience to God’s laws.”
A female churchgoer seemingly took the cue from the speakers and grabbed attention outside the minor basilica, proclaiming that she had been possessed by God and ranting loudly, “Free me now. I am already tired.”
Pacquiao, accompanied by his wife Jinkee and politicians former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza and Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson, arrived at around 9 a.m. at the Quiapo Church to hear Mass as thanksgiving for his victory over Sugar Shane Mosley last week.
During his homily, Ignacio minced no words in criticizing the RH bill and urged Pacquiao not to support the proposed law and stick to his stand against it in Congress.
He likewise reminded Pacquiao to never forget the Lord in Congress and for him to serve as God’s way of bringing back members of the House of Representatives to the fold.
For his part, the Saranggani province representative vowed never to support the RH bill because it was going against God’s laws, adding that he has long been against the proposed law.
He said it was not the solution to poverty and urged Congress to address the needs of the poor.
The RH bill is a proposed law aiming to guarantee universal access to information, methods of birth control, particularly artificial means, and maternal care. The Catholic Church is against the bill, calling it immoral and claiming it encourages abortion.
During the hour-long Mass, Tess Angeles, 49, of Laguna, drew attention as she proclaimed that she had been possessed by God and kept on writhing on the ground outside the Quiapo Church as she asked to be liberated.
Angeles, who was clad in a shirt over a pair of shorts and wore what appeared to be expensive jewelry, had even brought her own folding mattress.
Her companions, who requested anonymity, insisted that Angeles was not insane and to allow her episode to pass, claiming that she started to be “possessed” on Easter Sunday after a trip to the supposedly mystical Mt. Makiling. They also claimed that the church was the fourth she had gone to.
But security personnel at the Quiapo Church were not impressed by Angeles’ outbursts and actuations and quickly drove her away from the minor basilica to avoid disturbing other church goers. She and her companions promptly left in a car.