Pro-life solon’s clause on gov’t respect for religious freedom, rejected
MANILA,
Dec. 4, 2012—Cebu Representative Pablo Garcia proposed another
amendment to the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill, an
amendment meant to ensure government’s non-violation of the right of
couples to practice their religion. However, nominal voting yielded a
result which showed that majority of lawmakers present during
proceedings held a different view as regards the State’s duty to protect
the people’s freedoms even though these are enshrined in the
Constitution.
Garcia proposed that the line 3 of the Declaration of Policy be made such (proposed addition is the italicized text):
“The State recognizes and guarantees the exercise of the basic human
right to reproductive health by all persons particularly of parents,
couples and women, consistent with their religious convictions, cultural
beliefs and the demands of responsible parenthood, and the state
shall refrain from taking any action or mission that will tempt or tend
to make any woman or couple to violate the tenets or teachings of their
religion.”
“The State recognizes the right of couples… to be consistent with
their religious convictions, and to implify that right, we must include
the statement,” Garcia said.
The Cebu solon pointed out that the promotion of the use of birth
control supplies going against the teachings of the Catholic Church “is a
fact known by everybody.” Why should the State promote such devices and
“tempt our women by giving them free contraceptives – condoms, in the
case of men?” he asked.
Garcia, one of the stalwarts in the pro-life movement among House
members, explained that as far as the relationship between the State and
religion is concerned, the state must look at religion “with benevolent
neutrality and accommodation, such that the State may even accommodate a
teaching or tenet of a religion. But in this case, in the case of House
Bill 4244, the State is not neutral, much less benevolent to the
Catholic Church because the State is promoting and distributing free
contraceptives and other devices which are in violation of a tenet of
the Catholic Church.”
The proposed amendment was rejected, with a nominal aye-nay vote of 75-100.
Pro-RH legislators yesterday also shot down an amendment proposed by
Garcia which would have included only married couples among the
recipients of free birth control supplies and services, making even
adolescents as young as 13 entitled to contraceptives and essentially
eliminating the significance of parental authority. (CBCP for Life)
CBCP for LIFE Website
links:
http://cbcpforlife.com/?p=9617
BIBLE LIGHTS PROMOTIONS
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