Senator Edgardo Angara on Thursday warned the Catholic Church against using boxing icon and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao in its campaign against the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill.
"Maraming admirers si Manny but I think let's not mislead the mood of our people," Angara said during an ambush interview with reporters on Tuesday.
He issued the statement after the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) announced that it will be discussing the RH bill with Pacquiao over lunch on Tuesday. However, Angara said said the CBCP must not use the boxing champion to change people's mind about the issue.
"Our people are for it whatever measure you take. They live with poverty and misery everyday so they want some help from government. Let's not divide and fragment just because of this issue," he said.
Meeting with bishops
Hours before the House of Representatives resumes debates on the RH bill, Pacquiao had lunch on Tuesday noon with Catholic bishops in Manila.
Pacquiao met with officials of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) at the CBCP compound in Intramuros, Manila, radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported.
Among the bishops who welcomed Pacquiao were retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz and Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes.
Cruz and Bastes were among the most vocal critics of the RH bill.
Pacquiao and CBCP officials have been vocal about their opposition to the RH bill which promotes the use of artificial contraception.
Under the official teachings of the Catholic Church, only natural means of family planning are accepted.
Pacquiao's personal initiative
Earlier, CBCP secretary general Msgr. Juanito Figura said in an article posted on the CBCP news site on Monday that the church is not using Pacquiao in its campaign against the RH bill.
Figura said Pacquiao's meeting with the bishops is the champ’s “personal initiative."
“This is his personal way of expressing support and not a celebrity endorsing the position of the Church. It is his personal initiative to be with the Church in the advocacy against RH because of his religious conviction," Figura said.
Figura added that the Church is thankful for Pacquiao’s support, saying he is a big help in the Catholic Church's campaign against the RH bill.
“He is a big help in terms of making the people aware that the RH bill is not good… he is also a big help in terms of making the people aware that even this Congressman…is against the RH bill," he said.
Leaning toward the RH bill
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Angara admitted that he is more inclined" to support the RH bill and he thinks it will not be difficult to pass the measure in the Senate.
"The same issue has gone through many Catholic countries, more Catholic and more devout than us, Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Italy, without this traumatic and indecent name-calling," Angara noted.
Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, the author of the Senate's version of the bill, is likewise confident that it will pass their chamber.
Senate Bill No.2378 or “An Act Providing for a National Policy on Reproductive Health and Population and Development," which guarantees universal access to medically safe, legal, affordable, and quality reproductive health services, methods, devices, supplies, and relevant information on the matter.
The bill, however, is being opposed by Senate Majority Floor Leader Vicente "Tito" Sotto III.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, for his part, said the Senate will not censor any bill. The RH bill is pending before the health committee at the Senate. - VVP, GMA New
Source: gmanews.tv
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