Atienza welcomes suit on pro-life order

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Lito Atienza insisted yesterday that an executive order he issued during his term as Manila mayor prohibiting contraceptives in state-run health centers and hospitals in the city is constitutional.

“I welcome the move of the (20) women asking the Court of Appeals to nullify Executive Order 003,” he said. “This will allow us to uphold the legality of my administration’s policy to promote correct values among Manilans and defend the sanctity of life.”

“EO 003 was in accordance with the Philippine Constitution, which is clearly pro-life, strengthening our genuine Filipino and Christian values,” he added.

Atienza said the complainants – 20 mothers from Manila – seem to look at their children as burdens rather than blessings, which should further prove “the need to intensify efforts to propagate moral and correct family values.”

Atienza, however, directed his lawyers to immediately file a motion for intervention because he was not included in and has not received an official copy of the complaint filed by 20 mothers from Manila with the Court of Appeals (CA).

The women sought the nullification of EO 003 to allow them access to contraceptive in public clinics and hospitals in the country’s capital city.

Atienza also clarified that contraceptives were not banned in Manila but only in city government-run health centers and hospitals. He maintained that EO 003 propagated natural family planning methods, responsible parenthood, and stopped the wrong practice of using local government facilities to promote and dispense contraceptives like condoms and birth control pills.  – Katherine Adraneda