MANILA, July 2, 2013— Two Catholic Church officials said the plan to appoint former lawmaker and staunch advocate of a contraception law as Health undersecretary looks like political payback.
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Emeritus Archbishop Oscar Cruz said that appointing former Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin as Health undersecretary only shows that the government is “pro-population control.”
“It’s already very evident that the President (Benigno Aquino III) is anti-population,” said Cruz, who heads the Church’s National Appellate Matrimonial Tribunal.
“I think they are the same as far as population control is concerned. They are very much in agreement,” he added.
Mr. Aquino on Tuesday said the co-author of the controversial “Reproductive Health” bill will be an asset to the Health department because of her “extensive experience” as a doctor and a lawmaker.
Fr. Melvin Castro of the CBCP’s Commission on Family and Life said Garin’s looming appointment is Aquino’s way to pay his debt of gratitude for pushing the RH measure.
“It is obviously payback time,” said Castro.
He said what they are more afraid of is the pushing of more anti-life measures under the current administration.
“Well entrenched in the Aquino government are the anti-natalist, anti-life, anti-family forces,” he said. (CBCPNews)
