By Andrew Lim
UNHOLY ALLIANCE
Recent developments point to a forming alliance between the Catholic
Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and far right Filipino politicians
who reject the RH bill.
Jose Descallar, staff of Michael Velarde ( Buhay party list
representative) said this after the re-election of US President Barack Obama:
- “If we will not hold our ground and make a lot of noise about our protests against anti-life measures specifically the RH bill, Malacanang will push for passage in the next Congress... ”
- “The task at hand, therefore, is to make sure that pro-lifers get elected.”
- “And junk Akbayan,Gabriela, Kabataan, ACT-Teachers, Bayan Muna and other such party-list groups. “
- “[There is also a] need to make pro-life issues an election/political issue, and to emphasize the Christian responsibility to evangelize politics. One way of doing this is by supporting and voting for pro-life candidates. ”
On November 16-17, the CBCP will hold in Cebu a “Philippines for
Life” Congress 2012 featuring among others, the following speakers: Kit Tatad,
Lito Atienza, Jackie Enrile, Mitos Magsaysay and impeached Chief Justice Renato
Corona.
Among the conference topics will be “The State of Philippine
Politics Today, “ “Population and Good Governance: Real Keys to Progress”, “RH
and MDG: How to Mangle the Filipino Soul” and “The Role of Vigilance in
Preserving Faith and Freedom”.
THE INCONSISTENCY OF IT ALL
What is ironic is that the political histories of these invited
personalities are striking examples of what is bad about Philippine politics
and are incredibly inconsistent with Christian/Catholic doctrines.
By hijacking the term “pro-life” they have framed the debate such
that they appear to be pro-life all the way – from conception to birth to adult
life. Really?
Mangling the Filipino Soul?
Martial law, with all its unspeakeable horrors did that. And both Tatad and
Enrile took active roles in it, as spokesperson and administratoir, respectively. Good Governance? Ask Renato Corona about midnight appointments and undeclared mllions. Or ask Lito
Atienza about his support for Gloria Arroyo. State
of philippine politics? Ask Jackie Enrile how being a son translates
into an inherited Senate seat. Or ask his bullying victims in the past. And
lastly, what do you make of Cagayan Representative Rufus Rodriguez who has been
stonewalling the passage of the RH bill as a “pro-lifer”, but supports the
death penalty for foreign drug traffickers?
In my personal view, you cannot call yourself pro-life if you
supported martial law and the oppression it created.
You cannot call yourself pro-life if you supported corrupt regimes
and electoral cheating.
You cannot call yourself pro-life if you justify midnight
appointments and underdeclare substantial assets.
You cannot call yourselves pro-life if you support plagiarism, and
indirectly teach our youth that it is okay to cheat and copy as long as you can
get away with it.
You cannot call yourself pro-life if you support the subjugation of
indigenous cultures, employ violent methods in imposing your religion, take
control of another country's resources in the name of “spreading Catholicism.”
Which is exactly what happened in the Chamorro Islands during Pedro Calungsod's
time. And yet the CBCP honors his “sainthood”.
Respect for life does not end at birth, as Thomas Friedman, op-ed
columist at the New York Times writes. To quote him: “ Respect for life has to
include respect for how it is lived, enhanced and protected- not only at the
moment of conception but afterward, in the course of that life. “
MORAL HAZARD?
In effect, is the CBCP creating a moral hazard by forging alliances
with these right wing Catholics?
(A moral hazard is a situation where some can take huge risks
without fear of the consequences since somebody else will cover for them. It
encourages an escalation of reckless risk taking.)
Are right-wing politicians now shielded from the consequences of
their recklessness and abuse by the CBCP, since it tacitly endorses them by
enlisting their support for their anti-RH cause?
Do these politicians' “pro-life” stand wash away their
transgressions in the political sphere?
Won't this encourage more of their reprehensible behavior in the
future?
Viewing the world through the narrow monochromatic lens of its
anti-RH stand like the defeated Republicans in the US, the local Church
hierarchy are just pushing themselves even more to the sidelines and
irrelevancy. Politics, governance and democracy are much larger than religion-
the refusal to analyze the issues and insistence on dogma results in the boxing
in of these ultra conservatives.
They are placing themselves in difficult situations like what Romney
faced- having to associate with extremists who reject abortion in rape cases
because "some girls rape easy" or "God wanted it to happen"
and because “some rapes are legitimate. “
Which makes me think: what are these so-called “pro-lifer's“ stand
on pregnancies due to rape?
To paraphrase Friedman, just call yourselves “pro-conception
to birth, to hell with life after that conservative”, not pro-life.
Because as I demonstrated above by pointing out the politics they have
practiced , they do not really care about life after birth – the quality of
life or the integrity and justice required in the course of life.
SOURCES:
- “Re-election of pro-abortion US President impetus for PH pro-lifers to intensify advocacy”, CBCP for Life website. Nov 7, 2012.
- “Pro-life leaders to speak at National “Phils for Life” Congress 2012 in Cebu”, CBCP for Life website. Nov 10, 2012.
- “An Alternative View of Pedro Calungsod” (In the Context of the Spanish Chamorro Wars 1671-1698) Society of Honor by Joe America, blog post by Andrew Lim. Oct 26, 2012.
- “Why I Am Pro-Life” by Thomas Friedman, New York Times Sunday Review. Oct 27, 2012
- “Solon bares small wrinkle on prolife stand” Inquirer Online News Nov 7, 2012.
