Pro-life supporters meeting with 3 presidential bets on Reproductive Health Bill

MANILA, Philippines – Emissaries of the pro-life movement are reportedly meeting with three top presidential candidates in an effort to convince them not to support the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill pending in Congress.

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Family and Life (CBCP-ECFL) secretary general Fr. Melvin Castro revealed anti-RH lobbyists have been talking to Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Senators Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Manny Villar to secure their inputs on the RH bill.

Castro said the CBCP had implicitly approved meeting the three presidential aspirants to get their stand on the bill.

Castro added they would be coming out with a database on the position of each candidate, from president, vice president, senators and congressmen on their positions on the controversial RH bill.

The Catholic Church is against the passage of the proposed legislation, believing that some of the drugs being promoted were abortifacent drugs.

Castro stressed it would be too early to name the candidates who passed their standards.

The group said they would only be able to finalize their database when it is already close to Election Day. – Evelyn Macairan, Philippine Star