MANILA, Sept. 20, 2011— After meeting with Catholic bishops, Senator Vicente Sotto III said there is something about the Catholic faith that puts everything else into perspective especially on family and life issues.
Sotto said it was important to adhere with the Church’s teachings especially in the fight against the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill.
While others rally the support of pro-RH bill lobby groups, the senator said he would rather side with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in continuously opposing the birth control measure.
“Nothing beats prayers,” said Sotto after his hour-long meeting with the CBCP Permanent Council led by its president, Bishop Nereo Odchimar and incoming successor, Archbishop Jose Palma.
Sotto said resorting to prayers might even be better than asking the prelates to meet with other senators to get their support.
“It depends because the bishops might not be interested in talking to senators and also other senators are not interested in talking to bishops,” said Sotto.
And Sotto may not need more convincing as the bishops appeared all too willingly to relentlessly help the anti-RH bloc in the Senate.
“We have the doctrine of the Church to follow and the teachings of the Magisterium… there are non-negotiable aspects,” said Odchimar.
The CBCP official said they are also hoping that many senators would finally reject of the RH bill if they realized that it is not the answer to the country’s problems.
“Some of the senators are putting their aces in their chests… meaning, they are still undecided,” opined Odchimar.
Sotto affirmed Odchimar’s statement saying many senators “still want to learn more” what is in and behind the RH bill. [CBCPNews]
