Muslim group joins protest vs artificial contraception

A Muslim group has joined the opposition to President Benigno Aquino III’s open policy towards the use of artificial contraceptives for family planning. The Imam Council of the Philippines (ICP) said it is against the use of birth control pills and condoms even among married couples. “Sa contraceptives, hindi tayo pabor diyan para bawasan ang populasyon ng Pilipinas. Kontra po diyan ang Islam dahil bakit natin i-underestimate ang plano ng Panginoon," ICPl head Ibram Moxir said in an interview on Church-run Radio Veritas. (We do not favor contraceptives to control the Philippine population. Islam is against contraception because that will be underestimating God’s wisdom.) Moxir added the Islam community is one with the Catholic hierarchy in opposing the passage of the Reproductive Health bill. Excerpts of the interview were posted Friday on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news site. Also, Moxir said he is saddened that government is pushing for legislation that will allow the purchase of artificial contraceptives. “Bakit hindi natin ilalaan ang nasabing pondo sa ibang kapaki-pakinabang na paraan? Baka maging immoral na tayo diyan. Bakit tayo mamahagi ng ganyan (Why not spend the funds for something more useful? We may lose our morality in the process. Why allocate funds for contraceptives)?" he said. Earlier, Aquino said he is open to couples using contraceptives as they should be the ones to decide what type of family planning methods they will use. Catholic Church officials have ganged up on Aquino’s stance, with CBCP president Nereo Odchimar hinting Aquino is courting excommunication with his stance. On the other hand, Caloocan Bishop and CBCP public affairs head Deogracias Iñiguez Jr. warned the Church may lead a civil disobedience campaign against the RH bill if it is passed into law. — LBG, GMANews.TV