RP senator proposes bill on abortion<\/p>\n
By Adam Easton<\/p>\n
MANILA: Women in the Philippines who have abortions and the
\ndoctors performing them will face the death penalty if congress
\napproves a bill being supported by the government.<\/p>\n
Senator Ramon Revilla, a former actor, proposed the bill after
\nreading newspaper reports of fetuses being dumped on the streets
\nin rural provinces.<\/p>\n
The bill, which defines abortion as a \"heinous\" crime on a par
\nwith murder or rape, has been backed by the health minister.
\nThe United Nations has described the Philippines, which is
\nstaunchly Roman Catholic, as already having \"the most severe
\nabortion laws in the world\".<\/p>\n
A fetus' right to life is enshrined in the 1987 constitution
\nand under the existing revised penal code abortion is illegal
\nexcept in circumstances where the mother's health is at risk.
\nOffenders risk a minimum of six months and a maximum of six years
\nin jail.<\/p>\n
But Revilla says these penalties have become \"outmoded by the
\nchanging times, what with the dynamic growth of society and the
\nultra-liberal policies brought about by the influential Western
\nculture\".<\/p>\n
If the bill passes through both houses, the maximum penalty
\nfor women who have abortions would be life imprisonment or death.
\nPhysicians performing the operations would face the same penalty.<\/p>\n
The health minister, Carmencita Reodica, said: \"We support the
\nbill and we fully agree that abortion is a heinous crime.\"<\/p>\n
The Philippines' Protestant president, Fidel Ramos, has been
\npursuing a population control program since 1992.<\/p>\n
The Catholic Church has opposed the program. Earlier this year
\nManila's archbishop, Cardinal Sin, said condoms were \"only fit
\nfor animals\" and prominent members of the Church boycotted the
\ninternational AIDS conference in Manila last month because free
\ncondoms were issued to delegates.<\/p>\n
The Church, while not sanctioning the use of the death
\npenalty, favors strict abortion legislation.<\/p>\n
The health department estimates that 17 percent of women in
\nManila have had at least one abortion. Treatment of post-abortion
\ncomplications ranks as the top reason for admission to hospital.
\nRevilla's office said the bill could pass through congress within
\ntwo years.<\/p>\n
But the executive director of the Women's Legal Bureau, Evalyn
\nUrsua, criticized it as severely discriminatory.<\/p>\n
\"This bill can only have been proposed by a man and a very
\nignorant one at that,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Dr Wilbert Eleria, of the health department, said the
\ngovernment was trying to strengthen the family planning program
\nand wanted every local health center to carry a six-month
\ncontraceptive supply for each family.<\/p>\n
-- The Guardian News Service<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rp-senator-proposes-bill-on-abortion-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }