Statement of Bro. Rolando Dizon FSC and the Good Citizenship Movement against the RH Bill

Statement of the Good Citizenship Movement on the RH Bill

The Good Citizenship Movement strongly rejects the Reproductive Health Bill on the following grounds:

Once it becomes law –

1) It will turn mothers’ wombs into killing fields because the contraceptive devices and substances it promotes are abortifacient or abortive in nature (Lagman HB 96: Sec. 2, par. 3 and Sec. 4 – 15), per the authoritative Randy Alcorn documentation and admissions of pharmaceutical manufacturers [please see attachment].

This bill is unconstitutional in that it violates Art. II, Sec. 12 of the Philippine Constitution.

It also violates the natural moral law contained in Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations in 1948 and Article 6 of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child adopted in 1989 because Lagman HB 96 subverts the spirit of its preamble.

2) Children aged 10–12 shall have the legal right to satisfying sex with full access to all types of contraceptive devices and substances, and parents who stop them will be imprisoned or fined or both [please see attachment].

The bill will also legalize in effect child prostitution and pedophilia.

Worst of all, children and adolescents will become the jailers of their own parents who will refuse them their sexual “rights” supported by the new RH law. (Lagman HB 96: Sec. 22, a, a-3 & e; Sec. 3b; Sec. 4 – 1 & 19d, Sec. 23)

These are all brazen violations of Art. II, Sections 11 and 12 of the Philippine Constitution.

3) The mandatory sex education program from Gr. 5, 6 to 4th year high school obliges parents to have their children undergo it or face penalties if they refuse. Also, teachers, principals, school administrators, priests, pastors, ulamas, journalists or anyone who oppose this program or any part of the passed RH law , face the same penalties. (HB 96: Sec. 13; Sec. 22-e; Sec. 23)

Again, these are blatant violations of Art. II, Sections 11 and 12 of the Philippine Constitution and Art. 26-1 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights and Art. 29-c of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child.

These three valid grounds are compelling enough to reject the RH Bill with fullness of conviction and finality. Any attempt, therefore, to force the passage of this unjust and immoral bill into law is clearly a legal hocus pocus because it will be a maneuver to “smuggle” into a law a constitutionally flawed bill. On this account, every Filipino citizen will have every right and duty to disobey it should this unconstitutional bill become law.

Finally, having rejected the RH Bill, the Good Citizenship Movement strongly endorses the Golez HB 13 and the Enrile SB 2497 because these uphold and protect the life and the rights of the unborn child as mandated by the Philippine Constitution and the abovementioned UN declarations on the preservation and protection of authentic human rights.

Only by defending and protecting human life in its most helpless state, when yet unborn, and in safeguarding the natural rights of parents over their children will our nation discover the first true and sure step to authentic human development.

It is with much hope and prayer, therefore, that the Good Citizenship Movement respectfully calls on all the members of Congress and the Senate to consider and heed the wise words of a great man of law:

“Every act of a delegated authority contrary to the tenor of the commission under which it is exercised is void. No legislative act, therefore, contrary to the Constitution can be valid. To deny this would be to affirm that the deputy is greater than his principal, that the servant is above his master; that the representatives of the people are superior to the people themselves; that man acting by virtue of powers may do not only what their powers do not authorize, but what they forbid.”

- Alexander Hamilton,

The Federalist

(Sgd.)
Bro. Rolando Dizon FSC
Chairman
Good Citizenship Movement

References cited in Statement of Good Citizenship Movement on Lagman HB 96:

1) Lagman HB 96: Sec. 2, par. 3:

“The State likewise guarantees universal access to medically-safe, legal, affordable, effective and quality reproductive health care services, methods, devices, supplies and relevant information and education thereon even as it prioritizes the needs of women and children, among other underprivileged sectors…”

HB 96: Sec. 4-15: Modern Methods of Family Planning - refers to safe, effective and legal methods to prevent pregnancy such as the pill, intra- uterine device (IUD), injectables, condom, ligation, vasectomy and modern Natural family planning methods which include mucus, Billings, ovulation, lactational amenorrhea, basal body temperature, and Standard Days methods.

Philippine Constitution - Art. II, Sec. 12: The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception…

Note: Randy Alcorn’s “Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions?” is a separate attachment. (You can read this book here. -- CAP)

Universal Declaration of Human Rights Art. 3: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

UN Convention of the Rights of the Child: Art. 6: States Parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life.

Preamble of the Rights of the Child: ….”the child, by reason of his physical and and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection before as well as after birth”,

2) Lagman HB 96: Sec. 22 Prohibited Acts – The following acts are prohibited:

a: Any healthcare service provider, whether public or private, who shall:

a-3: Refuse to extend health care services…..on account of the person’s ……AGE!..... (capitalization and underscoring supplied)

Sec. 3. Guiding Principles – This Act declares the following as guiding principles:

Sec. 3-b: Respect for, protection and fulfilment of reproductive health and rights seek to promote not only the rights and welfare of adult individuals and couples but those of adolescents and children as well. (underscoring and italization supplied)

Sec. 4. Definition of Terms. – For the purposes of this Act, the following terms shall be defined as follows:

Sec. 4-1: Adolescence – refers to a life stage of persons aged 10 to 19.

Sec. 4-19: Reproductive Health Care – the access to a full range of methods, techniques, facilities and services that contribute to reproductive health and well-being by preventing and solving reproductive health-related problems. It also includes sexual health……The elements of reproductive health care include:

d) adolescent and youth reproductive health;

Sec. 23: Penalties – Any commission of the foregoing prohibited acts or violation of this Act shall be penalized by imprisonment ranging from one (1) month to six (6) months or a fine of Ten Thousand (P10,000.00) to Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00) or both.

Philippine Constitution: The State values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human rights (Art. II, Section 11). The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception (Art. II, Section 12).

3) Lagman HB 96: Sec. 13 – Mandatory Age-Appropriate Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education …….starting from Grade Five up to Fourth Year High School…

Age-appropriate reproductive health and sexuality education shall be integrated  in all relevant subjects and shall include, but not be limited to, the following topics:

d. Children’s and women’s rights;

Sec. 22. Prohibited Acts. – The following acts are prohibited:

22-e: ANY person who maliciously engages in disinformation about the intent or provisions of this Act.(Capitalization and underscoring supplied).

Sec. 23: Penalties – Any commission of the foregoing prohibited acts or Violation of this Act shall be penalized by imprisonment ranging from one (1) month to six (6) months or a fine of Ten Thousand (P10,000.00) to Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00) or both.

Please see above cited articles of the Philippine Constitution.

UN Declaration of Human Rights Art. 26-1: “Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.”

UN Convention of the Rights of the Child Art. 29-c: “1. State Parties agree that the education of the child shall be directed to…..(c) the development of respect for the child’s parents, his or her own cultural identity, language and values, for the national values of the country in which the child is living, the country from which he or she may originate, and for civilizations different from his or her own.” .