Solon welcomes Church 'peace talks' over RH bill
"We come in peace. "
With such message sounded off, Iloilo First District Representative Janette Loreto-Garin welcomed "peace talks" now offered by the Catholic Church hierarchy. Peace talks, that is, on the issue of the highly-controversial Reproductive Hill (RH) Bill. Garin, a physician by profession, is the major proponent of the RH Bill and has since advocated for RH vis-a-vis responsible parenthood and quality family life for every Filipino.
In fact, for the lady solon, Church involvement and understanding has since been the priority and major concern of her group, proponents of the RH Bill pending in the Lower House.
"Unity. In these trying times – global crisis and recession – unity is the very one thing we aim for and more than ever, the purpose and significance of the RH Bill is most apparent. And we certainly want the Catholic Church through the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to hear us on that," Representative Garin said in a The News Today (TNT) interview. "So yes, it is a welcomed development that the Catholic Church is opening their doors for us on the issue. I understand there are still misgivings and apprehensions on major provisions of the Bill but with this talks, I am very optimistic we will at least reach some resolution and much-need understanding."
The Church in a recent statement said it is open to a dialogue "in the spirit of humility and truth."
"That is the very precise purpose we have in mind – truth – and again, it is a welcomed development for us and those we know are supportive of the RH Bill and advocates for responsible parenthood," Garin added.
The CBCP in this dialogue is expected to seek amendments with Archbishop Paciano Aniceto saying "the bishops are "willing to consider" the passage of the RH bill with amendments."
In a pastoral statement obtained by TNT the CBCP challenged lawmakers to ensure the RH bill would "recognize, preserve and safeguard freedom of conscience and religion" and inspire the parents "not only to be responsible but to be heroic... in their duties as parents."
"Even as we recognize the right of the government to enact laws, we also reiterate that there must be no separation between God and man. We appeal to our legislators to state in the Bill in clear categorical terms that human life from the moment of conception is sacred," excerpts of the CBCP statement went as signed by Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo. The Jaro Archbishop is CBCP president. "Without these conditions, the bill, if enacted into law, will separate our nation from Almighty God.".
Alongside the dialogue cum 'peace talks,' the CBCP has maintained that the bill, in its present form contains provisions that encourage abortion. Garin and fellow RH advocates in Congress clarified the charge pointing out that none of the provisions promote abortion nor even hint of support for it.
"It is our collective discernment that the bill in its present form poses a serious threat to life of infants in the womb. It is a source of danger for the stability of the family," the pastoral statement said. "If not corrected of these "fatal flaws," the bishops said, the bill would be "unacceptable."