‘Civil disobedience not an option’
It’s “no retreat, no surrender” for the Catholic Church’s campaign against the Aquino government’s Reproductive Health bill.
But Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said the archdiocese is not “espousing civil disobedience” to protest the passage of a new law that would make state-funded contraceptives more available to the public.
“Civil disobedience is not an option for us. The government is still our government,” Palma said in a speech before Cebu businessmen.
He said they will continue to pray for the enligtenment of legislators and never surrender in the “ongoing education and proclamation of Christian values.”
In Davao City, amid cheers from doctors gathered for a national convention, President Benigno Aquino III made another pitch for the RH bill.
“I’ve read the stand of the PMA (Philippine Medical Association) and I’m happy to note that it is consistent with my stand,” said Mr. Aquino.
He mentioned meeting a a 16-year-old girl who just delivered her second child.
“Instead of studying for the college entrance exams, she was faced with the challenge of raising two children. Who is responsible for this? Who brought about the situation?” the President asked.
“That’s why, it’s important to talk about responsible parenthood. We need legislation that would prevent this tragedy from happening,” he said as the crowd broke into wild cheers for the second time.
He said reproductive health “must be against abortion.”
“Educate the couples, give them a menu of choices of family planning methods as they are in the best position to decide on matters affecting them,” Mr. Aquino said.
“In short, we don’t want and will not force anyone to go against their individual preferences but let them make informed decisions.”
He said it would be best to educate people than to hold them hostage to the limited resources available to them. “It is right to grant them free will, which is their inherent right.”
At a press briefing, Aquino said he did not want to pick a fight with the Catholic church.
“I urge the Church to work with us instead on the many areas where we do agree—poverty alleviation, peace and order, and perhaps, even responsible mining. Let us work together. This single issue does not have to be as divisive as it has become,” Mr. Aquino said.
Philippine bishops are not about to call for civil disobedience.
“ If there are voices advocating civil disobedience, it doesn’t come from the collective judgment and decision of the CBCP,” said CBCP president and Tandag bishop Nereo Odchimar.
Archbishop Palma spoke in a forum “Retooling Businessand Church for Social Responsibility Challenges” at Harold’s Hotel in Cebu City.
“As church leaders, we believe it is our very sacred duty to proclaim the teaching of the Church: the teaching about the sacredness of life, the dignity of marriage, the dignity of human person and the many Christian values,” Palma said.
Threats
Palma said while churchgoers are free to discuss their belief and support in the bill, they consider it their sacred duty to “proclaim the truth.”
The 61-year-old prelate also described as “unfair” threats by those in power against those who oppose the bill.
Such threats, he said, include withholding Countryside Development Fund (CDF) to congressmen against the RH bill.
The Cebu archbishop said they will continually pray for the enlightenment of lawmakers in hopes they will withdraw support for the bill.
Palma cited an informal survey that showed 65 percent are against the bill while 35 percent are in favor.
“If people are given the opportunity to choose and vote on the issue, I still would like to believe that Filipinos in general are against the bill,” he said.
Immoral provisions
In opposing the bill, Palma said the Church isn’t blind to poverty nor the suffering of women.
“The good aspects of the bill can be given in other ways—not through the RH bill, which consists a lot of immoral provisions,” he explained.
Dr. Rene Josef Bullecer, director of the Church group Human Life International, said pro-life groups will question the bill’s constitutionality before the Supreme Court should it be approved.
The bill is authored by eight members of the House of Representatives.
The latest version of the RH bill was filed by House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman, Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin, Muntinlupa City Rep. Rodolfo Biazon, Iloilo Rep. Augusto Syjuco Jr., Akbayan party-list Reps. Arlene Bag-ao and Walden Bello, and Gabriela party-list Reps. Luzviminda Ilagan and Emerenciana de Jesus.
Rep. Manny Pacquiao’s anti-RH stance has drawn fire from the bill’s supporters and proponents with former president Fidel V. Ramos asking the People’s Champ to study both sides of the debate.
Pacquiao interpellated Lagman in yesterday’s House session on the RH bill.
“I think it is but fair if Congressman Pacquiao would also discourse, meaning discuss intelligently, with those on the other side of the issue—those that champion the RH Bill … he must be exposed to both sides of the issue,” Ramos said.
Name-calling
Odchimar said there are provisions in the RH bill that are non-negotiable.
He also lamented the proponents for engaging in name-calling by labeling the priests as “liars” and “Padre Damasos.”
Damaso is the reviled Spanish friar in Jose Rizal’s novel “Noli me Tangere,” which planted the seeds of the Philippine revolution against Spain.
Like Malacañang, Odchimar also called for sobriety by stopping the name-calling and insults thrown at Church leaders by staunch RH advocates.
“We have to concentrate on the real issues. We have to stick to the issues of the debate. If we focus on the name-calling, we are diverting the issues … [we have to] concentrate on what is at the core of the debate,” said Odchimar in an interview with reporters./With Inquirer reports
