Town mayors back RH bill

MANILA, Philippines – Mayors belonging to the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) backed yesterday the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, saying they wanted their constituents to have an informed choice.

Bacoor, Cavite Mayor Strike Revilla, LMP national president, said the RH bill will promote responsible parenthood.

“In Bacoor, I promote family planning because I believe there should be an informed choice and responsible parenthood,” he said.

Revilla said the RH bill would be one of the issues to be discussed during the first meeting of the new sets of LMP officers, who took their oath of office before Vice President Jejomar Binay.

He hopes to get the support of all the 1,511 members of the LMP, he added.

President Aquino could face impeachment if he signs into law the RH bill containing provisions promoting abortion, a lawmaker said yesterday.

When the hearing on the RH bill resumed at the House of Representatives yesterday, Bacolod City Rep. Anthony Golez, a medical doctor, said most medical literature teaches that life begins at fertilization when the egg cell meets the sperm cell.

“Before we can even decide at all (on whether to pass or not the RH bill), we have to decide whether or not this state, as enshrined in the Constitution, would protect the life of mother and unborn from moment of fertilization or conception?” he said.

Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon and Dr. Primitivo Chua of the Philippine Medical Association agreed with Golez.

Records of discussions in the 1987 Constitution Commission showed the framers equated conception with fertilization, according to Deputy Speaker Pablo Garcia.

Golez said many RH services contemplated in the various measures entail the killing of the fertilized egg.

“Will they (RH proponents) drag the President’s name into the controversy?” he asked.

“That is a culpable violation of the Constitution. And the President can be impeached because of that. Who is going to be answerable for this?”

Minority Leader Edcel Lagman, a staunch advocate of the RH bill, said Golez was going overboard in thinking Aquino could be impeached for the RH bill.

“I think he (Golez) was extrapolating too much on the constitutional issues,” he said.

“Definitely, the testimonies of those who are knowledgeable were practically unanimous that measures (contemplated in the bill) are not abortifacients,” Lagman said.

CBCP: Benedict’s message encouraged Catholic bishops

The president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday said they were “greatly encouraged” by Pope Benedict XVI’s message on their battle for life.

In a statement, Tandag, Surigao del Sur Bishop Nereo Odchimar said Pope Benedict’s message to the first group of Philippine bishops affirms the CBCP’s staunch resolve to preach and stand up for the gospel of life in season and out of season.

“We are greatly encouraged by the words of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI on the undertakings of the Church in the Philippines in fulfillment of her moral and spiritual witnessing in the various social concerns – such as the social communications and the media, the care for the poor and the weakest in society, the struggle against corruption in public administration,” he said.

Odchimar said the Pope also commended the Church in the Philippines for seeking to do its part in support of human life from conception until natural death.

“I commend the Church in the Philippines for seeking to play its part in support of human life from conception until natural death, and in defense of the integrity of marriage and the family,” he quoted Pope Benedict as saying.

CBCP: Stop surveys on RH BILL

A CBCP official asked survey firms yesterday to stop conducting surveys on the RH bill to stop any influence on lawmakers.

Fr. Melvin Castro, CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Family and Life executive secretary, said these survey firms should allow the public to see the questionnaires before they are distributed to respondents.

“Our impression is that they are trying to influence the legislators,” he said.

“We are also appealing to them, we cannot form the mindset that the legislators, especially if a majority of the people is for the bill.

“So there should be no undue influence on our legislators, who are still beginning to discuss the RH bill.”

Castro said he wants to know how the survey questions have been formulated.

“If they are objective enough then we would appreciate it,” he said. “At least, we can see beforehand these questions.”

Castro said some respondents have reportedly admitted that they have not yet read the RH bill.

“So do they read to the respondents the full content of the RH bill… They should mention every provision,” he said.

Castro said the RH bill must also be considered from a moral, economic and political point of view.

Filipinos must be given an informed choice, he added. —-Cecille Suerte Felipe (The Philippine Star) with Paolo Romero, Evelyn Macairan