Bishop to bring case vs QC reproductive health to SC

There is no way pro-life advocates, led by a Catholic bishop, would give up their campaign against the reproductive health ordinance of the local government of Quezon City allowing sex education in the city’s public high schools.

Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco said they would bring to the Supreme Court their objection to the ordinance passed by the Quezon City Council last month and seek a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the implementation of the new city law.

“We are now working on it (filing of motion for TRO). And we definitely have the strong support of our constituents,” the prelate said.

Ongtioco said that they are now organizing a group of Catholic lawyers that would help in the campaign against the ordinance, which he said has touched a nerve with the local residents.

Asked what his group would do in case they lose the battle again at the SC, the bishop said there are still other venues and ways of “counteracting” the ordinance’s expected results on morality of residents, especially students.

He said they could launch more protest rallies, saying that they have the strong support of the flock.

Quezon City covers the growing dioceses of Novaliches, headed by Bishop Antonio Tobias and Cubao.

It can be recalled that priests, nuns, students and other Church-based organizations joined Ongtioco in picketing outside Quezon City Hall on Feb. 12 as the Council voted on and passed the proposed measure.

The protesters wanted to stop the approval of the ordinance that “violates the beliefs of the Church.”

The rally outside the session hall, however, failed to deter councilors from approving the proposed ordinance, which is already set for implementation after it was signed by Mayor Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr. and published in the newspapers.

Reacting to the plan of pro-life groups, a member of the Quezon City Council said they are ready to face objections against the ordinance if it reaches the Supreme Court.

Majority leader of the Council Ariel Inton, of the fourth district of Quezon City, said Ongtioco and pro-life groups have the fundamental right to question the ordinance with the court as citizens of the city and of the country.

“Actually, we already expected that. They said they would bring the matter to court if we pass the ordinance in the Council. But for us, we are confident that the Supreme Court will uphold the constitutionality of the ordinance that was meticulously studied by many lawyers,” Inton told The STAR over the phone.

The councilor likewise argued that the voice of the Church was already considered in the passage of the ordinance.

“Their objections were considered during our deliberations. In fact, there were portions in the original bill that were adjusted in favor of the Church. For example, sex education would have been pushed for elementary schools but was adjusted to high schools. There is also a provision that clearly opposes abortion – and that is according to the teaching of the Church,” he said.

Inton also said that the Church would still be given a voice since they were given a slot in the body that would implement the ordinance.