SC orders PNoy to answer RH petitions

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court ordered President Benigno Aquino III office on Wednesday to comment on a new set of petitions hoping to restrain the controversial Reproductive Health law (RH), a report said.

This is the second time the high court directed Aquino's office to remark on the RH legislation following a slew of petitions from various groups questioning the measure's constitutional bases.

The Office of the President, however, failed to act on the first SC resolution issued last February 19, which required Aquino to comment within 10 days from notice.

"The Court Resolved, without giving due course to the petition, to Require the respondent to Comment on the petition within 10 days from notice hereof," the resolution said.

According to the report, the latest petitions against the RH measure are authored by former Senator Francisco Tatad and human rights lawyer Alan Paguia.

"The RH law cannot co-exist with the Constitution ... the Constitution must prevail by declaring the [measure] stillborn," Tatad and Paguia's petition for certiorari said.

"The [RH] law is contrary to public morals and destructive of the harmony and peace of society," the petition continued.

So far, the SC has received about 11 formal requests to issue a temporary restraining order on the implementation of the RH law, which President Aquino signed last December. (Related article: Noy quietly signs RH law)

The court, however, has deferred action on the petitions partly due to delays by the office of Aquino.