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Gibo defends Cabral on condom issue


Administration party bet Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Tuesday defended Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral, who is currently under fire for distributing condoms last Valentine’s Day as part of her department’s campaign against Human Immunodeficiency Virus- Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (HIV-AIDS). Teodoro, who recently withdrew his support for the controversial Reproductive Health Bill to advocate “moral choice," said in a radio interview that he does not agree with calls from the Catholic Church for Cabral’s resignation on accusations that the health secretary is publicly imposing “immorality." (See: Gibo on changed RH stand: ‘You have to please disparate sectors’) “I do not agree with this. Secretary Cabral is one of the most persevering and transparent secretaries in the Cabinet," he said in an interview with broadcast journalist Mike Enriquez on the radio program "Ikaw Na Ba?: The Presidential Interviews" aired over radio dzBB on Tuesday morning. Teodoro likewise said that he personally supports the Department of Health’s (DOH) campaign against AIDS. He also maintained that the use of contraceptives should be a matter between physicians and patients. “I am in favor of this program. It is up to Secretary Cabral to execute. When it comes to AIDS, we should be strict about physician-patient [confidentiality]," he said. Catholic bishops, including Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles and Bishop Arturo Bastes of Sorsogon, on Tuesday called for Cabral’s resignation a week after she said that the Church is partly to be blamed for the rising cases of AIDS in the country. (See: DOH chief scores Church for blocking AIDS prevention effort) The prelates called as “immoral" the DOH’s move to distribute condoms last Valentine’s Day supposedly to raise awareness about AIDS. The department recorded two cases of HIV-AIDS daily last year. (See: With flowers come condoms, too) Still part of Gibo’s Cabinet Despite the criticisms being hurled towards Cabral, Teodoro said he would still like the social-welfare-turned-health secretary to be still part of his Cabinet if ever he wins the presidential race in May. “She still has the choice on whether she would like to stay in DOH or she wants to go back to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, but I think DSWD is special to her," he told GMANews.TV in an interview after the radio program. Teodoro, however, refused to name other officials who he wants to be part of his Cabinet, saying that he still wants some leeway in making his choices. “I do not want my hands to be tied on any decision that I will do in the future," he said.—JV, GMANews.TV

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