CBCP head denies attacking proposed condom ordinance in Davao

The head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Saturday denied a newspaper report that claimed he had vowed to fight a proposed Davao City ordinance promoting the use of contraceptives. In a statement posted on the CBCP website, CBCP president Bishop Nereo Odchimar said he never threatened to oppose any government official pushing for the passage of the proposed ordinance. Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and her father, Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, had proposed new legislation that would “encourage private companies and individuals to donate condoms to the city," the news report said. The report said the CBCP head had opposed the proposal and quoted him as saying, “We will counter any government official pushing for the passage of a city ordinance allowing the distribution of condoms and other contraceptives." But Bishop Odchimar said that while he is against government-initiated distribution of contraceptives, he has not issued any statement and was never interviewed about the proposed Davao ordinance. “That’s putting words into my mouth," Odchimar said. According to the CBCP report, the institution found out that "a PR man distributed to reporters the press release containing a fake statement" from the prelate. The CBCP has consistently opposed the RH bill pending in the Philippine Congress and has issued a strongly-worded pastoral letter against the proposed legislation. — BC/YA, GMA News