Bishop: RH law won't stop Church from opposing contraceptives

MANILA, Philippines — The Catholic Church will continue to teach long upheld principles on family, life and marriage whatever decision the Supreme Court will make on the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) Act, a church official said Tuesday.

"With or without the SC’s decision, it is the duty of the Church to be teaching life. Our duty does not depend on civil laws, our duties come from God,” Bishop Socrates Villegas, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines president, said in a CBCPforLife post.

The high tribunal is expected to decide Tuesday on the various petitions questioning the constitutional basis of the law, which approves government funding and support for artificial contraceptives in a bid to slow down growing population and ease poverty.

While hoping the court will reject the law, Villegas said the church will continue opposing contraceptives and keep on teaching the "dignity of the human person," "the holiness of life and of the human person from conception until death."

"[The doctrine] does not depend on any law," Villegas added, explaining that popularity and numbers do not determine whether a matter is correct or wrong.

The RH Law has been suspended indefinitely through a status quo ante order following pleas from civil and pro-life groups contesting its provisions.

The Lingayen-Dagupan archbishop explained, however, that whether the high court will see the law constitutional or not, the ruling deserves the "highest respect."

“We should not make any comment on the justices or the SC or the Chief Justice because as a law-abiding citizen, we must always respect the court,” he said. - Camille Diola