Sereno: SC never issued TRO on RH Law

MANILA, Philippines — Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Thursday clarified that the high tribunal never issued a temporary restraining order against the implementation of the Reproductive Health Law.

The statement was made in response to the statement of President Rodrigo Duterte regarding the RH Law during his second State of the Nation Address last Monday.

Duterte said the TRO prevents the Department of Health from distributing subdermal implants, claiming that it puts to waste P350 million worth of taxpayers' money.

"I also note that since its issuance two years ago, this TRO has impaired the government’s ability to fully implement responsibly family planning and methods and the RH Law," Duterte said in his SONA.

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Sereno stressed that after the decision on the partial constitutionality of the RH Law, the high court issued a TRO against two specific contraceptives regulated under the law.

"This pertains to two implants - Implanon and Impanon NXT," Sereno said in a statement, adding that the TRO is limited to the two implants.

The TRO against the two implants will be lifted as soon as the Food and Drug Administration certifies that they are not abortifacient.

Sereno stressed that the reason why the TRO has not been lifted yet is with the FDA and not with the high court.

"By the express terms of the Court's Decisions, there is no TRO against the implementation of the RH Law or all contraceptive products," Sereno reiterated.