Villar backs excommunication move vs ‘abortion’ lawmakers

MANILA, Philippines - A day after he issued a pastoral letter instructing priests to deny giving Holy Communion to “pro-abortion" lawmakers, Ozamiz archbishop Jesus Dosado got support from Senate president Manuel Villar Jr. But a pro-life group said Villar's move was not enough, saying he must go beyond a mere visit to the bishop and making an assurance. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said in an article posted on its website that Villar called on Dosado Monday afternoon at the Archbishop's Residence in Ozamiz City. Last Sunday, Dosado issued a pastoral statement saying pro-abortion Catholic politicians should be excommunicated unless they stop their pro-abortion campaign. Dosado expressed elation over Villar's assurance that there is no threat the 14th Congress would pass anti-life bills, as most members of the House of Representatives are "pro-lifers." The two also tackled during their 30-minute meeting the improvement of Cotta Shrine where the image of Nuestra Señora del Triumfo de la Cross the titular patron of the local Church is placed, the ZTE broadband deal mess and the House inquiry on capsizing of the "Princess of the Stars." Accompanying Villar to his visit were Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. and Vice Mayor Carlos Patricio Bernand. Human Life International chairman Rene Joseph Bullecer said it is not enough for Villar to declare his being a Catholic and a pro-life senator. He said that the senator must do all within his power to "kill the anti-life bills." He also said they would launch a series of pro-life rallies in various regions in the Philippines. He criticized Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, the principal author of the reproductive health and population management bill in the House who was quoted as saying "no one among the members of the 14th Congress is espousing permissive abortion." "Lagman is innocent that he is endorsing permissive abortion because he is a politician and not a doctor, but for us doctors we study and do research that contraceptive is clearly an abortion per se," added Bullecer. He appealed on the Catholic hierarchy to impose the same discipline to the Catholic doctors who are consistently doing massive ligation and vasectomy. Compared to 33 pro-abortion congressmen, there are more Catholic doctors who are doing ligation and vasectomy, he said, adding that "If these doctors will disobey the Church's precautionary measures they should be excommunicated or interdicted." - GMANews.TV