Women to Bishops: The RH law will not jail you

By DSWP
November 14, 2010

QUEZON CITY  –  A women’s organization tells the Bishops to stop worrying about going to jail because of their opposition to the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill.

Elizabeth Angsioco, National Chair of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP) said, “When HB96 authored by Rep. Lagman is passed, malicious disinformation about the intent or provisions of the law will be penalized. This scares the Bishops but, there really is no reason to be if they only speak of facts.  Their statement about going to jail is more of a manifestation that they know the RH Bill will soon be enacted by Congress.”

Angsioco added, “Archbishop Cardinal Vidal’s assertion that he will no longer be able to do sermons if the RH Bill passes is unfounded unless he is admitting that what they do is ‘malicious disinformation.’ At this point, the Bishops know that they are losing in public opinion which is very favorable to the RH Bill’s passage. They also know that the number of legislators supportive of the measure is rapidly increasing.”

She said further “perhaps the Catholic hierarchy wants to be seen as the underdog in a desperate move to win support for their unpopular opposition to the bill. Let us not forget that it is them who sent Carlos Celdran to jail allegedly for ‘offending their religious feelings.’ Instead of misinterpreting the RH bill’s provisions, we urge the Bishops to study it so they do not get unnecessarily stressed.”