[In the news] Reproductive Health bill now has new ally in Senate | Sun.Star

Reproductive Health bill now has new ally in Senate | Sun.Star. SUPPORTERS of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill now have a new ally in Senator Panfilo Lacson, who declared Tuesday that he will back the passage of the measure. Lacson said President Benigno Aquino III is “on the right track” by supporting the passage of…

Human Rights Online Philippines

April 21, 2011

1–2 minutes

Aquino, Benigno Aquino III, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, Catholic Church, Excommunication, news, Panfilo Lacson, Philippine, Reproductive health, Reproductive Health Bill, RH Bill, Sen. Lacson, sunstar.com.ph

Reproductive Health bill now has new ally in Senate | Sun.Star.

SUPPORTERS of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill now have a new ally in Senator Panfilo Lacson, who declared Tuesday that he will back the passage of the measure.

Lacson said President Benigno Aquino III is “on the right track” by supporting the passage of the bill.

Lacson’s statement came after the President said Sunday that he is willing to risk excommunication from the Catholic Church to get the bill passed.

The Church has opposed the bill, saying distributing contraceptives is tantamount to abortion.

In October last year, tension between the bill’s supporters and critics rose after Surigao del Sur Bishop Nereo Odchimar reportedly threatened to excommunicate Aquino if he pushes for the distribution of contraceptives.

Odchimar, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines president, denied making the threat, adding excommunication was not “a proximate possibility.”

“Finding ways to curb our monstrous population growth rate is one sensible approach in poverty alleviation. Advocating population management is not being anti-life. In fact, it is pro-country and pro-people,” Lacson said.

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