Bishop hails SC order on status quo for RH law

BACOLOD Bishop Vicente Navarra expressed happiness over the Supreme Court (SC) decision ordering a 120-day status quo against the implementation of the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) law.

"I'm so happy. It's a blessing from God and it only shows that our advocacy is now snowballing because it is our stand against the promotion of the culture of death," said Navarra, who personally appeared before the SC on Tuesday.

He said he was also surprised that there were activist groups outside the SC holding pickets in support of their advocacy against the RH law.

The SC issued a status quo ante order against the RH law on Tuesday, stopping its implementation for four months.

The RH issue pushed the Diocese of Bacolod to post the controversial "Team Patay, Team Buhay" tarpaulin in front of the San Sebastian Cathedral, which the bishop said is the expression of their advocacy against the RH Law.

The Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD), however, condemned the SC order.

In a statement, PLCPD Executive Director Rom Dongeto said the decision is an upfront to Filipino women and children who should have long benefited from an RH law.

“The SC decision is a conscious effort among the 10 justices to delay the state's delivery of this basic human right… It has taken 14 years to debate on the merits of a Reproductive Health Law and all means have been exhausted to deter the pros and cons of such a national health care program. The Filipino people have waited long enough and this decision of the Supreme Court is another attempt to delay the implementation of the landmark legislation,” it added.

The group also said that the justices who voted for the status quo ante “will be held accountable to 15 women who die each day due to pregnancy related circumstances, to the teenagers who will bear children due to lack of reproductive health education, to the persons Living with HIV due to lack of information and protection, and to the Filipino people in general who have only wished for better health care once this law is fully implemented.” (TDE/CNC)