Gabriela reaction

The Gabriela Party list has reacted against the decision of the Citizens’ Alliance for the Protection of Human Life to campaign against candidates and party lists that have pushed for or voted to pass the Reproductive Health law that Bishop Vicente M. Navarra has described as “evil.”

I can’t understand why Gabriela’s Party List representative Luz Ilagan, one of the most vociferous advocates of the RH law and now divorce, should worry about this campaign. Is it not that they consider the Catholic vote as non-existent and therefore they can run roughshod and trample on Catholics and their beliefs?

Of course, Gabriela knows but chose to forget that when the government was running after them they also sought the protection of the Church and survived. But as usual, ingrates don’t remember and tend to belittle the people and institutions that helped them, deluding themselves of their own strength.

But that is not the point for the moment. Ilagan says that “the Church should not intrude into political matters” and adds that “the Church should take care of the religious and moral aspects of the people.” 

I don’t know whether Ilagan is just being coy or ignorant in what she is talking about. Or maybe she does not really understand the implications of the measure they have imposed on this nation, or, more precisely, in Catholics.

She contradicts herself but perhaps there is a greater and deeper lack of understanding about the issue that raised the hackles of Catholics. That probably is the result of not listening except to her and Gabriela’s own beliefs, whatever they are.

I am not now certain about their beliefs. When I thought they were nationalists and fighting for what is legally and morally right, I supported them as many did. But now they sing and dance to the tune of foreign multi-nationals and US President Barack Obama who was recently called by the Archbishop of New York as “an advocate for that which is shameful and criminal in the eyes of Almighty God.”

I have a copy of the Archbishop’s article which I shall discuss later in the light of local circumstances.

Ilagan says the Church should stick to religious and moral aspects of our lives, of which she is entirely correct. But should the Church keep silent when the religious and moral welfare of the people, or more precisely, of her faithful is violated with threats of imprisonment and fines for non compliance?

She forgets or ignores the fundamental fact that human life is primarily within the domain of the Church, or any church for that matter.

The Church has not only the right but the duty to take every legal politic action necessary to defend the faith of her followers against intrusions of Ilagan, Gabriela, President Benigno Aquino and the rest of those who voted to pass a law that violates religious freedom and moral precepts of the Church.

She is funny, if not ridiculous when she reportedly said that “it is unfair for politicians to be voted out just because they supported the RH Law.”

Is she naïve or just out of excuses? The voter can campaign and vote against any politicians against whom he or she is aggrieved whether it is the RH law or the pimp law or the Party List law. The voter decides whom to vote, not what Gabriela and her likes in China, Russia and Cuba want.

Voting only for what one wants is the essence of democracy and for whatever reason a voter might have and in this case against those who would penalize a Catholic for his beliefs.

Why, for instance, should a government worker be imposed a jail sentence and fines for her or his religious beliefs?

Sadly many of our people, some in media who cater to sponsors and commercials, do not realize the repercussions of the RH law. They do not see it now but wait when the deaths and agony of their children step into their homes and crush their families.

Heaven forbid that it will come and thousands suffer before we awaken to the evil that had been inflicted upon our land.

That song, “Lord, heal our land” has never been so painful to listen to than now.

Let me take a space to relay the invitation of Very Rev Felix P. Pasquin, Rector of the San Sebastian Cathedral and the Chairman of the Bacolod Diocesan Commission on Social Communications for a special forum for members of media on the topic “Church and Politics” on February 16 from 2  to 5 p.m. at the Bishop’s House. The forum will deal with the teachings of the Church on politics and the bases of political action.

Thereafter a series of fora will be waged.*

back to top