Sotto to expose backers of RH bill

source: gmanews.tv

Senate Majority Floor Leader Vicente "Tito" Sotto III said he will soon expose the identities of those who are really lobbying for the passage of the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill, which he opposes.

In an interview with reporters on Wednesday, Sotto said he will reveal in a privilege speech next week the personalities, pharmaceutical groups, population control groups, and family planning groups who are lobbying for the passage of the contested measure.

"I have yet to hear anyone lobby against (the RH bill). Lahat ng naglolobby in favor. Kaya kami lumalaban dito, walang nag-uudyok o kumakausap sa amin," he said.

Sotto said he got hold of the names after some research but refused to reveal more details about his impending exposé.

"Kinukumpleto ko lang yung mga records... ayokong gayahin sila na nagbibitaw ng mga figures at salita nang walang documents to back them up," he said.

The senator was pertaining to figures cited by some RH advocates saying that around 11 maternal deaths occur every day.

"There si no empirical data to prove that right now... show me 11 women dying everyday," he said.

Sotto admitted that he doesn't think his revelation would make a difference in the RH debate but that it's just best to let the public know the facts.

"There is a growing clamor lately for people to know more about the bill. They want to know what's inside this bill," he said.

In an earlier privilege speech, Sotto said almost P2.6 billion in government allocations for family health programs might not have reached the beneficiaries.

He later on admitted that his exposé was just a "veiled attack" on the RH bill.

Last week, Senator Pia Cayetano said the Senate health and demography committee will present and defend its version of the RH bill in plenary in two weeks.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, author of the Senate's version of the bill, said the Senate will probably begin its debates on the controversial measure in August.

Anti-RH website

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is using cyberspace to promote family and life and express its anti-RH stance.

Msgr. Pedro Quitorio, CBCP Media Office director, said church officials decided to use the internet because many Filipinos are now engaged in social networking.

On Wednesday, the CBCP launched the online portalwww.cbcpforlife.com.

Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez urged lawmakers and RH advocates to visit the website to understand the Catholic Church's anti-RH stance.

“They should visit this portal so they may see the other side," Iñiguez said.

Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay also asked her fellow lawmakers to access the website.

“At least through this website they can discern for themselves. God gave us the power of discernment that’s why it’s important that we enlighten our citizens," she said.

Msgr. Juanito Figura, CBCP Secretary General said the website is one of the venues for the Church to preach and spread God’s word.

“We have to make use of the internet because this is just one of the avenues through which we can continue to preach…even during the time of Pope Paul VI, he started to call the media as the extension of the pulpit," Figura said.

Purple for penance

Meanwhile, a CBCP official on Wednesday asked for prayers for pro-RH bill groups to help them understand the Church's stand on the RH bill.

CBCP Commission on Family and Life executive secretary Fr. Melvin Castro also said purple, the color chosen by RH advocates as a symbol of their pro-RH stance, means "penance" and "penitence" in the Catholic Church.

“It (purple) calls for penance and penitence. So at least every time we see that color the more that we (are reminded to) pray for them," he said in an article posted on the CBCP news site.

He reiterated there is no way the Church will allow government support for contraception because “it will boost the contraceptive mentality" in the country.

What the Church wants is for the people, especially the youth, to uphold the country’s culture in protecting the sanctity of life and of the family, he said.

“Therefore, our fight is not only against a proposed measure but for a culture that they want to change," he said.

Red for anti-RH advocates

Meanwhile, anti-RH bill advocates are using red ribbons to express their stance against the RH bill.

They said red symbolizes life while RH bill supporters said purple symbolizes women’s rights.

Catholic Church officials are against the RH bill because of its provisions allowing artificial contraception. The Church allows only natural means of family planning.

source: gmanews.tv