While Catholic clergy and bishops in the Philippines are strongly campaigning against politicians who back a controversial “reproductive health” bill, the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference has declared there is no such thing as a “Catholic vote”.
The proposed law seeks to provide funds for services on sex education, family planning and other reproductive health services — a term generally understood to include abortion.
“This is an important issue and this is a very good test whether the Philippines is a Catholic country or not,” Bishop Arturo Bastes of Sorsogon diocese told Radio Veritas, a Catholic station. “I hope even those who are not Catholics who believe in the sacredness of life will not vote [for] the politicians pushing for the RH bill.”
“We must use the Catholic vote and show them what the real Catholic is,” said Archbishop Ramon Arguelles of Lipa. “There are fake Catholics here, they are the ones ruling in our country.
“We can only stop ethnic cleansing, [the] contraceptive mentality, immorality, increasing number of broken families, and promiscuity if we vote for candidates who love life.”
Fears of Catholic voter backlash are believed to have caused debates on the bill to be postponed because not enough lawmakers were present for a quorum.
Manuel Mamba, head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, told the Inquirer News that lawmakers do not want to provoke their parish priests by appearing in the deliberations on the bill or voting for it.
“By voting for the measure, you’re provoking the Catholic hierarchy,” Mamba said. “In local politics, there is a Catholic vote, especially in areas where the clergy are very influential on their flock. If the clergy are popular, they have the pulpit. They can do it every Sunday.”
But Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu, president of the bishops conference, insisted there was no such thing as a “Catholic vote” and no history of “block voting”. He said news reports had “misinterpreted” what Archbishop Arguelles said.
“It’s up to the people to make their own decisions” in electing their political leaders, Archbishop Palma said. He added that the bishops’ conference would come up with “guidelines” for Catholic voters.
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Image: Inquirer News