THE conflict between the current administration and the Catholic Church continues to simmer with the administration, saying on Thursday that it is ready to defend

the Reproductive Health (RH) Law before the Supreme Court and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), saying that it fully supports the petition of a lay couple questioning its constitutionality.

“Now that it is before the Supreme Court, the government through the Office of the Solicitor General will be prepared to defend the RH Law,” Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said at a press briefing in Malacañang.

On Wednesday, James and Lovely Imbong asked the High Court to stop the implementation of the Reproductive Health Law because “it mocks the Filipino culture, which is noble and lofty in its values and holdings on life, motherhood and family life.”

James is the son of Jo Imbong, the legal counsel of the Catholic Church. She is also representing the couple in their petition.

Lacierda said that the contentions of James Imbong were “nothing new” as they had all been raised during the debates at the House of Representatives and the Senate. He expressed confidence on the constitutionality of the law.

Congress passed the final version of the reproductive health bill on December 19, 2012 after acrimonious debates pitting the Aquino administration and its allies against the Catholic Church and its lay organizations.

An officer of the CBCP said that they fully support moves by lay organizations challenging the legality of the law, saying that its enactment did not end their opposition to it.

“We are glad that the ordinary Catholic faithful are taking the initiative to further the discussion on the RH bill,” said Fr. Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Family and Life.

Castro clarified that the CBCP had no role in the Imbong petition, although the CBCP has been critical of the law. The CBCP has been the staunchest opponent of the measure saying that it is anti-life, since it promotes the use of artificial contraceptives as a method of family planning. The church views contraceptives as something that promotes promiscuity and irresponsible sex, if not abortifacients.

“Any person can file a petition. They have filed it as a family and it is their right to do so. Being a family member of a CBCP office personnel is purely incidental,” Castro explained.

Castro is confident that the petition can withstand the opposition of respondents Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Education Secretary Armin Luistro,
Health Secretary Enrique Ona, and Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas 2nd.

Jo Imbong said that the petition was just the “first salvo” against the law.

“We are paving the way for other similar suits from many faith-based groups,” she said Imbong revealed that big prayer rallies against the new law were also being planned across the country in the weeks to come.

“The Philippine constitution guaranteed the protection of the family and in passing the law the government overstepped its powers,” she said.