InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
MANILA, Philippines -- President Benigno Aquino III appears to have pulled all stops in his support for the Reproductive Health bill, calling a caucus of the Liberal Party on Monday in support of the controversial measure.
Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas II, LP president, said the caucus, scheduled on the eve of a crucial vote on whether the House of Representatives should end the period of interpellation on the proposed Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population and Development Act, will be attended by some 200 lawmakers including a number from other political parties.
"The President has very definite views on the matter, and it is his obligation to express this to our lawmakers," Roxas said.
Meanwhile, Aquino’s political adviser, Ronald Llamas, accused Catholic bishops of "bullying" and "impropriety" when they equated contraception to corruption.
"While we respect the right of bishops, as ordinary citizens, to express their opinions, when they use their ecclesiastical office to mislead the public and to bully elected representatives, it crosses the line into impropriety," Llamas said.
However, while slamming the bishops’ statements as "unfair,” Llamas said these were “not unexpected."
"From the start the anti-RH campaign has been characterized by false claims and misinformation ... Still, we remain confident that the proponents of the bill retain sufficient support in the House," he said.
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