SC extends indefinitely halt order on RH Law

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) - The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday extended indefinitely the status quo ante order (SQAO) on the controversial Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RH) Act.

The SC public information office announced that the magistrates voted 8-7 in favor of the indefinite extension of the SQAO, which was supposed to expire Tuesday.

The next round of oral arguments was set on July 23.

The high court issued a 120-day SQAO on the controversial law last March. The following month, the court junked a petition filed by former Akbayan party-list representative Risa Hontiveros to lift the suspension order.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, meanwhile, said that the extension of the SQAO on the RH law was "unfortunate," but assured that the administration will respect the court's decision.

Scheduled to speak in the next round of oral arguments are petitioners Luistro Liban on freedom of religion and Luis Gil Gana on the measure's implications in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

The court is examining 15 petitions questioning the constitutional basis of the law, which was subject to a fierce and decades of debate in Congress before it was signed into law in December 2012.