Reproductive bills unconstitutional - Capiz bishop

MANILA, Philippines - The reproductive health bill pending in the House of Representatives is unconstitutional and morally unacceptable, Capiz archbishop Onesimo Gordoncillo has said.

In a pastoral letter, Gordoncillo said the bill is an "outright violation" of the fundamental human rights -- a slap on moral principles.

"We strongly condemn this reproductive health bill as an outright violation of the fundamental rights of men, women, children and families enshrined in our Philippine Constitution and a blatant opposition to our moral principles as a Christian nation," he said in a pastoral letter read in parish churches in the archdiocese.

He was referring to House Bill 17 (Responsible Parenthood and Population Development), HB 812 (The Reproductive Care Act) and HB 2753 (The Women's Right to Know and Act).

Gordoncillo said the House of Representatives had failed to hold a public consultation on the bills to be able to weigh all sides of the issue.

"This shameful railroading of a seriously flawed bill by our elected and trusted lawmakers is, indeed, a manifestation of the sad state of governance in our country," he said in his pastoral letter.

Responsible parenthood starts with the creation of conditions necessary for the husband and wife to procreate, he added.

This includes the assurance of a dignified life for their future child and health consideration on the part of the spouses, especially the wife.

Gordoncillo denounced the stand of the government that linked responsible parenthood to limiting the number of children, grappling with the problem of poverty.

He said the main root of poverty was not population growth, but the widespread corruption within the government and the "scandalous selfishness of the wealthy."

"Other ambiguous terms like family planning, reproductive health right, health education and health care, gender quality and equity, among others, just heighten our suspicions that the bill is primarily and truly anti-life, anti-marriage, and anti-family," he said.

Also, he said the reproductive health bills essentially contradict the moral convictions and religious beliefs of Catholics.

For her part, lawyer Jo Imbong, CBCP legal office executive secretary, said the reproductive health bill goes against the Constitution since it says every citizen has the right to health.

Imbong argued the State has a duty to protect the citizens against "dangerous substances" (Art. XVI, Sec.9), and protect women in their maternal function (Art. XIII, Sec. 14). - GMANews.TV