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Church defends drive vs RH bill
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MANILA, Is the Catholic Church exerting pressure on lawmakers why some of them withdrew their support on the controversial Reproductive Health bill?
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As far an official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines is concerned, it’s not pressure but a “strong advocacy” against efforts to threaten the sanctity of life and the family.
“We don’t pressure them but we respect them because they are our representatives in Congress. They have their personal decisions and they follow the principles of their own conscience,” said Aniceto who chairs the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Family and Life (CBCP-ECFL).
“Our advocacy is ongoing but there is no pressure... these are mature people,” he added.
The prelate was reacting to oft-repeated criticisms that the Catholic Church was all but bullying legislators into rejecting policies intended to control the country’s growing population.
One of these criticisms came no other than from RH bill’s principal author Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, a Catholic.
He earlier called on the bishops not to resort to “scare tactics” such threatening RH bill supporters in Congress to deny them of communion or urging people to reject politicians supportive of the bill.
Lagman said such approach will not help address the problems caused by a burgeoning population amid deteriorating poverty.
A signature campaign is currently ongoing in various dioceses nationwide to rally the faithful to prevent the RH bill from being enacted into law.
Church leaders and other pro-life groups tagged the bill as promoting abortion and the use of artificial birth control methods such as pills and condoms.
Lagman, however, said the bill merely gives couples the free choice to plan their family.
An effort of many bishops and priests to “reach out” to their respective lawmakers also shows no sign of letting up to ensure their support for the Church’s position against the bill.
CBCP-ECFL executive secretary Fr. Melvin Castro said the Church will not allow a bill that would provide widespread access to artificial contraceptives to become law.
source::
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