Court denies TRO on PICC event

MANILA, Philippines - The Pasay City court on Thursday denied the request of a pro-life group to stop the event at the Philippine International Convention Center which allegedly promotes abortion in the country.

Judge Petronilo Sulla Jr. of Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 110 dismissed the petition for a temporary restraining order of Prolife Philippines Foundation on the 7th Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive Health and Sexual Rights.

The court, however, scheduled the main case of preliminary injunction asked by the group on February.

Eric Manalang, president of the group, said they are still hoping to get a favorable ruling from the court despite failing to secure a TRO to stop the event.

"It's not the end of the world," Manalang told philstar.com in a phone interview.

Manalang and other pro-life groups picketed outside the PICC compound on the start of the four-day event, which they call an "abortionists' conference."

Manalang maintained that the holding of the conference is a direct violation of the existing anti-abortion act in the country.

Organizers of the conference admitted some of the discussions deal on medical abortion which is performed to save the life of a woman, particularly in ectopic pregnancies.