Lacson urges the church to stop insulting RH bill advocates

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Panfilo Lacson cried foul on Monday at how pro-Reproductive Health (RH) advocates were being insulted inside the church.
Lacson said he himself witnessed a priest spending at least 10 minutes insulting and criticizing the RH advocates.

“Dapat lang ipagpatuloy yung dialogue, huwag nating daanin sa pang insulto kasi na experience ko mismo sa aming pagsisimba, pagtapos ng misa, napakahaba nun siguro mga 10 minutes yung iniinsulto, inaalipusta yung mga advocate sa RH bill (The dialogue should be continued. They should not stoop to insulting advocates of the RH bill),” he said in an interview with reporters in the Senate.

“Sana huwag namang gamitin kasi hindi level yung playing field dun. Kasi yung nagsisimba nakikinig lang, hindi naman masagot , o hindi naman makapangatwiran sa sinasabi ng pari na minsan mali na, taliwas na sa katotohanan (They should level the playing field as most people who go to church intend to hear the mass and cannot answer or defend the issue),” he said.

Lacson specifically cited claims by some priests that the enactment of the proposed RH bill would legalize abortion.

“Alam naman nating hindi totoo yun so dapat sa dialogue daanin (It should be taken up during a dialogue as we believe that it is not true),” he said.
Instead of restoring to insults, Lacson said advocates and critics of the proposal should continue their dialogue or they could request for additional public hearings in the Senate on the issue.