THE threat of some members of the Catholic Church to punish politicians who will vote for the Reproductive Health (RH) bill should not be taken seriously because aside from the non-existence of the so-called Catholic vote, it also violates “the constitutional principle of separation of church and state,” according to Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

Santiago, one of the authors of the Senate version of the RH bill, maintained that the so-called Catholic vote is a political myth. She noted that the Catholic Church campaigned against former senator Juan Flavier for distributing free condoms when he was still the Health secretary, but he was still elected as senator.

The senator said that of the major churches in the Philippines, only the Catholic Church is against the bill.

Santiago, a constitutional law expert, said that the threat of the Church can be considered as a violation of the Charter.

“The separation principle includes what is called the establishment clause, as well as the free exercise clause. The general guide is that the government should observe neutrality,” she added.

Section 6, Article 2 of the 1987 constitution states that “the separation of Church and State shall be inviolable.”

The RH bill is still pending at the Senate but some lawmakers believe that efforts to pass the measure may be futile because there is a possibility that the House of Representatives may fail to pass its own version.

Not fair
Malacañang said on Monday that it is not fair to threaten politicians to vote for or against the reproductive health bill.

In a press briefing, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said that all groups, including the Catholic Church, should respect the decision of some politicians.

Abad said that it is not right for the Catholic bishops to threaten lawmakers that voters may reject them if they voted for the passage of the controversial measure.

“I don’t think that’s fair to do because in a democracy, it’s the competition in a marketplace of ideas that brings out the best,” he added.

Attend sessions
House leaders also called on lawmakers to attend sessions and not be afraid of the Catholic Church’s threat.

Deputy Majority Leader Romero Quimbo urged his colleagues to show up during the deliberation of the bill.

“Lawmakers are elected precisely to make laws, laws that are relevant and needed by the people. They are not elected to do only what is easy, popular or convenient. We should all realize that,” Quimbo, vice chairman of the House committee on justice, said.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao of Isabela province backed up Quimbo’s stance that the position of the Catholic Church should not be a factor in legislative work.

“As you already know, Quezon City has an RH ordinance while I was serving as its mayor. There’s no adverse political effect on councilors, all of them, who voted for the RH ordinance,” Belmonte said.

“I have been attending sessions so I can’t say why others have not,” Aggabao added.

Rep. Teddy Brawner Baguilar of Ifugao province, chairman of the committee on national cultural communities, said that the Catholic Church would go out of its way to campaign for the non-election of lawmakers who are against their views.

“The [Catholic] church is like other constituencies. They need attention. For as long as we politicians explain to the priests, laymen and the faithful about our position and the reasons behind it, there can be mutual respect,” Baguilat said.

At the House of Representatives, House Bill (HB) 4244 or the Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood, Population and Development Measure was approved at the plenary level.

The appeal of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to party leaders from the Nacionalista Party, Nationalist People’s Coalition and National Union Party to convince their party-mates to attend the plenary session seemed to have worked because 174 lawmakers showed up.

The plenary approved the amendments on the bill.

Under the substitute bill of Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales 2nd, which also contained the amendments agreed upon by the authors of the measure, HB 4244 mandates the state to guarantee public access to relevant information and education on medically safe, legal, ethical, affordable, effective and quality reproductive health care services, methods, devices and supplies, including condoms, which do not prevent the implantation of a fertilized ovum as determined by the Food and Drug Administration.

“I talked to the majority coalition leaders this afternoon and I appealed to them that they talk to their members, help one another to ensure that they attend the session. Second, I told them I was hoping to get on with the period of amendments on the RH bill because prior to the approval [of the amendments by Majority leader], we don’t know exactly how the RH bill would look like,” Belmonte told reporters.

“Now, we can look at [an RH bill] that is definite. Now it is up for the lawmakers’ conscience whether they would vote yes or no,” he added.

The quorum, however, was short lived since the Rep. Rodante Marcoleta of Alagad party-list, a backer of the RH measure, motioned for adjournment right after the amendments were adopted.

Gonzales said that there was no need to push the issue yesterday.

“Why argue when you already won? This is not the end of the period of amendments. The period of individual amendments is next,” he said.

WITH A REPORT FROM LLANESCA T. PANTI