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IF there were more men and lawyers like Atty. Alan
Paguia, a tireless fighter for truth and justice and as a result has
found himself being suspended from practicing his profession, our
country would probably not be in the dismal state it is in.
He prepared the following 40
questions to be used in a cross-examination of proponents of the
Reproductive Health Bill(s) now pending in Congress.
The explanatory note says: The
questions are answerable by yes or no. There is no need for any
explanation for the answer because the same would be
self-explanatory. If the answer is neither yes or no, the examiner
should let the subject finish his answer and then follow-up with the
question: “is that a yes or no?” Honest answers ought to kill
the bill. Dishonest ones will serve as predicate for judicial
review.”
The examiner should give the
following statement:
My questions are answerable
completely by a simple yes or no. If the answer is not a yes or no,
I will listen but I will have to ask right after whether the answer
is a yes or no.
Questions about the
Constitution’s preamble
Q1. Do you believe in the
sovereignty of the Filipino people?
Q2. Do you know that under the
preamble of the Constitution, the Filipino people believe in
almighty God?
Q3. Do you believe in almighty
God?
Q4. Do you believe in the rule of
law?
Q5. Do you believe the government
must operate under a regime of love among the people, including the
unborn?
Article ii, section 12
Q6. Do you believe in the
sanctity of family life?
Q7. Do you believe sanctity means
“holiness”?
Q8. Do you believe the state must
protect and strengthen the sanctity of family life?
Q9. Do you believe the family, as
a basic social institution, is autonomous?
Q10. Do you believe that autonomy
of the family must be respected by the state?
Q11. Do you believe the state
must protect the life of the unborn?
Q12. Do you believe the unborn
has the right to be born?
Q13. As a general rule, would you
agree the unborn is considered born if it is alive at the time it is
completely delivered from the mother’s womb?
Q14. Do you believe the state
must protect the life of the unborn from its beginning until it is
born?
Q15. Do you believe almighty
God’s creation of man is replicated by man’s procreation of
children?
Q16. Would you agree the birth of
a human being is preceded by a biological process?
Q17. Would you agree that process
has a beginning and an end?
Q18. Would you agree that process
is either natural or artificial?
Q19. Would you agree the natural
process is the general rule and the artificial is the exception?
Q20. Would you agree that
process, whether natural or artificial, may be generally divided
into two stages, namely: (1) the unborn stage; and (2) the born
stage?
Q21. Would you agree the unborn
stage has a beginning?
Q22. Would you agree
“conception” takes place within the unborn stage?
Q23. Would you agree
“conception” cannot take place without the sperm of a male
fertilizing the egg of a female?
Q24. Would you agree conception
is, generally speaking, a natural effect of a prior sexual act
between a male and a female?
Q25. Do you believe in
responsible parenthood?
Q26. Do you believe the state
should encourage sex outside the context of the “sanctity of
family life”?
Q27. Do you believe the state
should discourage sex outside the context of the “sanctity of
family life”?
Q28. Do you believe in the
natural and primary right and duty of parents to develop the moral
character of their children?
Q29. Do you believe the
government must help develop the moral character of children?
Q30. Do you believe the
government will strengthen the moral character of the youth by
promoting the use of contraceptives?
Article xv
Q31. Do you believe the
government will promote responsible parenthood by promoting the use
of contraceptives among the youth or unmarried couples?
Q32. Do you believe the family is
the foundation of the nation?
Q33. Do you believe marriage is
the foundation of the family?
Q34. Do you believe the
government will strengthen the nation by strengthening the family?
Q35. Do you believe the
government will strengthen the family by strengthening marriage as a
social institution?
Q36. Do you believe marriage, as
a social institution, is inviolable?
Q37. Do you believe the
government will strengthen the inviolability of marriage by
promoting the use of contraceptives among the youth or unmarried
couples?
Q38. Do you believe the
government will strengthen the family by promoting the use of
contraceptives among the youth or unmarried couples?
Q39. Would you agree a major
substance of the bill(s) refers to the criminalization of certain
acts related to reproductive health care?
Q40. Do you believe the title of
the bill, stating in part the catch-all phrase “and for other
purposes,” is a fair description of the criminal acts enumerated
therein?
Members of the House and the
Senate should use these questions in interpellating sponsors of the
Reproductive Health Bill(s).
rqb@manilatimes.net
rq_bas@yahoo.com
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