CBCP readies RH Argument Before SC

Incoming Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said they will continue the fight for their church beliefs as well as the reasons for opposing the controversial Reproductive Health law, Gma news online reported.

Villegas has stressed the church’s stand as several lawyers of the 14 anti-RH law petitions attended a Mass in Manila Monday, the eve of the arguments before the Supreme Court.

Villegas has said it is the Church’s duty to fight for its stand on various issues. In his Twitter account, Villegas has said that ” We are not social troublemakers… We are not rally organizers…, We are Christ’s followers,” the news online said.

Meanwhile, an article in the CBCP news site early Tuesday has stated that Catholic bishops has invoked God’s blessings and guidance for lawyers who will argue against the RH law before the Supreme Court.

On 9 am Tuesday, the anti-RH law lawyers and petitioners are scheduled to attend a Mass at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Guia in Ermita, Manila.

“Our first support for the SC process will be a Mass and a prayer vigil because that is our first priority. Our first contribution is to show to the world that prayer has power to change the world,” said Villegas.

Villegas has said their second act is to encourage lay people who will be doing the oral arguments and to bless them.

Moreover, Antipolo Bishop Gabriel Reyes, chairman of the CBCP’s Commission on Family and Life, said some will be at the SC “to observe the oral arguments.”

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte on Sunday said that the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) will represent the government at the hearing. Valte added that it is the petitioners who will be the first to present their arguments before the high court, Gma news online reported.

Source: Gma news online, gma news tv