Pro-RH solons: Davide ‘agent of falsehood’

House members backing the Reproductive Health bill called former Chief Justice Hilario Davide an “agent of falsehood” for supposedly launching a black propaganda against the bill as the Church stepped up its campaign against the measure that has the backing of the Aquino administration.

Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello, one of the staunch proponents of the Reproductive Health bill, said he was very disappointed at how Davide carried his black propaganda against the RH bill.

“He’s dead wrong. He’s exploiting his status to perpetuate falsehood about the RH bill promoted by the Catholic Church hierarchy. Worse than earthquakes and tsunamis — this comes right out of the Nazi propaganda playbook,” Bello said.

Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Rep. Antonio Tinio, also a co-author of the measure,
said Davide is opposing public opinion which is overwhelmingly supporting the RH bill.

“Former Chief Justice Davide is working against the tidal wave of public opinion. Time and again, surveys have shown that Filipinos are overwhelmingly in favor of the RH bill,” said Tinio.

Davide, a member of the Knights of Columbus, have joined protests and prayers rallies initiated by the Church-affiliated Knights of Columbus, at the San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila where they staged what they termed as the Knights of Columbus’ Walk for Life.

Davide also joined the big anti-RH bill rally at the Quirino Grandstand.

“Let us not only walk for life. Let us, without cease and without fear, stand, fight, work and pray for life … For today, there are forces that threaten the right to life itself, especially the right of the Unborn,” said Davide.

This developed as Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez said that the RH Bill proponents are flip flopping now because of strong public resistance even as he noted that its advocates are now trying to amend provisions of the bill.

“It’s a flip flop in view of strong public resistance. Proves they did not think it (the bill) out and simply copied the RH law as advanced by the depopulation proponents like US AID (United States Agency for International Development), UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) and Secretary (Hilary) Clinton without considering Filipino culture,” Golez said yesterday.

Golez pointed out that the provisions advanced by the proponents about the issue of “sex education” was originally a US-imposed policy per Kissinger memo NSSM 200 to implement two-child policy.

“In view of parents’ complaints, RH group retreated and now wants this optional,” the Parañaque lawmaker said.

Golez also pointed out that the RH group “retreated” and claimed that the bill is not population control bill following a rethinkingl of the two or one- child policies of South Korea, China, Singapore, Japan with onset of demographic winter in those countries.”

“The RH group retreated and claims that the bill is not a population control bill. But why did they want it referred to Population Committee instead of Health Committee?” Golexz asked.

A major flip-flop, Golez said is on the penalty provision.

“This is their ‘major, major’ flip flop. They are scrapping martial law style penalty provisions on disinformation,” he said.

Davide, meanwhile, hit back at the RH bill backers and criticized a new television advertisement on the bill.

The ad showed former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baranquel presented the bill as “a chance” for families to have a better future.

Davide admitted he was disappointed by the content of the ad in a statement read by Court of Appeals (CA) Justice Reyes Jr. during a “Work for Life” in Manila on Saturday.

Davide and Reyes are senior officials of the Knights of Columbus who led the protest march to raise their strong objection against the measure.

Davide said he was “deeply saddened, discouraged and troubled” by the advertisement shown on a commercial television reportedly sponsored by the RH bill lobby group Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD).

“In short, she (Baraquel) says that the RH bill provides the chance for a better future of a family or of a child, for a better health of the child, of the mother, etc.” Davide said.

“I asked myself: Have we lost our faith and trust in God that we now would leave our future to chance,” he said.

Davide also pointed out that if the bill is passed, it would violate the first and most fundamental human right which is the right to life.

“At no other time than now must we walk, stand, fight, work and pray unceasingly with the courage, resources and might we could give and muster, for life,” he said.

A multi-sectoral rally, meanwhile, against the bill organized by the Diocese of San Pablo and the Knights of Columbus have declared Laguna a prolife and family-friendly zone.

Around 7,000 young and old Laguna folks who participated in the march dubbed as “Walk for Life 2011” have committed to favour and protect the integrity of life and family, while urging local government leaders to do the same.

The Coalition for Life and Family of Laguna composed of individual parishioners, civic and religious organizations signed a resolution that read in part: “We, the citizens of Laguna and of the Cities of San Pablo, Calamba, Santa Rosa and Biñan gathered today as a Coalition for Life and Family of Laguna composed of the individual parishioners and civic and religious organizations now assembled, declare and affirm: our commitment to uphold and protect the dignity of the human person, the value of life from conception to natural death and the sacredness of the family founded on the indissoluble union of man and woman, thus, we urge and request our good Gov. Jeorge E.R. Ejercito Estregan, the honorable Mayors Vicente Amante of San Pablo City, Joaquin Chipeco of Calamba, Arlene Arcillas of Santa Rosa and Len Len Alonte-Naguiat of Biñan to declare the Province of Laguna and their respective Cities as Zones for Life and Family.”

San Pablo Bishop Leo Drona said they are in the process of making representations with Laguna lawmakers and local government units (LGUs) to also make their commitments clear about the controversial issue of the RH Bill pending in Congress.

He said he is pleased that presently, three out of the four congressmen in Laguna had signified their intentions to reject the said bill in Congress.

The lawmakers are Rep. Edgardo San Luis of District 4; Rep. Ivy Arago, District 3; and Rep. Dan Fernandez, District 1.

The prelate said, they are still praying and waiting for the final words from District 2 Rep. Justin Timmy Chipeco who has not yet made any positive or negative commitment in relation to the RH bill.

The walk for Life spearheaded by the Knights of Columbus Laguna Chapter in coordination with the Family Life Ministry and supervised by Bishop Drona started with the celebration of the Holy Mass at about 7 a.m. at the Liceo de San Pablo Gymnasium.

Concelebrated by the Religious and Diocesan Clergy, the Mass was followed by a short program with Golez as guest speaker.

Golez said, the Filipino population is not the cause of poverty nor are they a liability, but assets. For instance, he stressed, the majority of the OFWs who remit millions of pesos and dollars in the country are members of poor families that have several children. He said, the fight against the RH Bill is not only for the people in the Church, rather it is a fight by every legitimate citizen, private individuals, professionals, parents, civic group, media, other religions, mainstream leaders of government, the general public who believe in the dignity and sanctity of human life from conception until its natural death.

Drona in his homily said among others, that life is a gift from God. Let us fight against the culture of death. It is an abomination to say that it is a person’s human right to kill a child inside the mother’s womb.

During media interview after the rally, the prelate said, the church is actively involved in this issue against the RH bill not because it wants to interfere with political affairs, rather it is because the bill, (although there are some positive points in it), is laced with vital moral issues which are being violated or being subjected into distortions.

He said our declaration to make Laguna a prolife and family friendly province is our commitment to continue fighting to defend the gift of life from God and to preserve the family. And this would mean sustained opposition against the RH Bill until it is finally rejected once and for all.

In the program, multi-awarded movie star and singer John Arcilla rendered entertainment numbers during the intermission by singing “Nais Ko” and “Salamin ng Buhay.”

After the program, the bishop spearheaded the signing of the resolution followed by priests, leaders of every delegation, officers, civic groups, youths and others. –Gerry Baldo, Daily Tribune