To masturbate is murder? RH critics think so - Cayetano

MANILA, Philippines - Senator Pia Cayetano said she is no longer surprised by the arguments raised against the Reproductive Health (RH) Law, including a former senator's which likened the controversial measure to genocide.

Cayetano, author of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, said  allegations that couples are coerced to choose one form of family planning under her law are "unfounded."

The senator said she stands by her belief that her law, which would require government health centers to hand out free condoms and birth control pills, is constitutional.

"First of all, the right to choose is always there. It is written throughout the law that no one is being coerced to do anything, and it is also written throughout the law that only family planning methods that are considered safe, legal and non-abortifacient will be made available," she said in an interview, a transcript of which was uploaded to the Senate website.

On Tuesday, the oral arguments for the RH Law were held before the Supreme Court (SC), with Cayetano as one of the intervenors.

Related story: RH war: Pros, antis face off at SC

On the other hand, former Senator Francisco Tatad led the petitioners in challenging the constitutionality of the measure.

In his opening remark for the oral argument before the SC, Tatad described the RH Law similar to genocide since it allegedly kills unborn children as their births are prevented.

Cayetano said these statements from RH critics are nothing new to her.

“I've heard [the argument by anti-RH advocates] that for a man to masturbate is 'murder,' and so to say that it is 'genocide,' then it tells us what kind of discussion we have,” Cayetano said.

Was I surprised by the argument that RHlaw=genocide? No, I've heard it all before, incl the stmt that masturbation = murder.

— pia cayetano (@piacayetano) July 9, 2013

But the senator also said she is satisfied with the SC Justices' questions, saying there was a lot of clarification that the intention of the RH law is to provide products that are non-abortifacient.

"I'm just saying let people draw their own conclusions. If these are the kinds of statements that the petitioners make, I leave it up to them to draw their own conclusions," she added.

Last March 19, the high court issued a 120-day status quo ante order (SQAO) enjoining the government from implementing the contested law after 15 consolidated petitions were filed against it.

Cayetano said she expects the SC to provide a resolution on whether or not it will extend the SQAO that is set to lapse on July 17.

The senator added that she does not expect the oral arguments to be concluded by July 23.