Cardinal Vidal (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/EDDIE PLANAS) File Photo
CATHOLIC Church officials and pro-life groups in Cebu yesterday lamented the decision of the Supreme Court (SC) which declared the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) Law as ‘not unconstitutional’.
Archbishop emeritus of Cebu Ricardo Cardinal Vidal expressed dismay over the High Court’s ruling which allows the implementation of the law that requires government health centers to hand out free condoms and birth control pills as well as mandating schools to include sex education in their curriculum.
“I’m very sad about it. If they say those things are constitutional, then expect other (immoral) proposals to follow. Once you open the door to things like these, what do you expect to happen? This law facilitates other things to come like same-sex marriage and abortion,” said the 83-year-old prelate when interviewed yesterday afternoon.
Vidal said the faithful should remain steadfast in proclaiming and practicing what is right and shun what is wrong.
“I encourage the people to express their will and say to the government why we oppose the RH Law. Let’s see what can still be done and what we can contribute to make these people (pro-RH Law) aware why the Church is against it,” he said.
Fr. Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Family and Life of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), said in a statement that the High Court’s ruling does not defeat the Church’s mandate to echo Jesus Christ’s teachings.
“We’re prepared to suffer. .. What matters is to teach what is true and good,” he said.
Dr. Rene Josef Bullecer, country director of Human Life International, said even if some provisions of the RH Law were declared unconstitutional, the SC ruling is still “not a cause for joy”.
Sex education can still be taught in all schools from Grade 6 up but Bullecer said schools can oppose the law, especially since the SC nullifed Section 23 that punishes any public officer who refuses to support RH programs.
“The RH Law is just the tip of the iceberg. That law is the key to opening the door for other things to come in. Let’s not just focus on RH Law. There are more immoral proposals on the way. And we’re preparing for it,” he said.