Cardinal Rosales joins calls vs GMO rice

Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales has added his voice to the growing criticism of the government for allowing the sale of a genetically engineered US rice product in major supermarkets. In a letter dated February 9 that was released Wednesday, Rosales asked President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to recall from the market Uncle Sam Texas Long Grain Rice, which is being distributed by Purefeeds Inc. “We believe that we should strongly oppose any experiment or attempt to use genetically engineered food that is not safe or good to the environment," Rosales said. “We should feed our people with food that are produced through natural means." The cardinal also endorsed the petition initiated by the Ecology Desk of the Archdiocese of Manila and signed by 2,000 people raising several issues on the entry and sale of genetically engineered products in the Philippines. In that petition, the Manila archdiocese asked the government to impose a moratorium on the importation of GM rice from the US, require the agriculture department to do mandatory testing of imported rice and urgently stop the propagation of genetically enhanced food products. It said the government should certify as an urgent bill the mandatory labeling of all imported, processed food products. “As a Church institution we have a moral obligation to protect the interest of God’s people and their inherent right to safe food and healthy environment. Independent and environmentally concerned local and international scientists already warned that genetically modified crops and food products could be very harmful to the environment and to human beings," said the cardinal who was recently named as one of Pope Benedict XVI’s economic advisers. “We therefore strongly endorse the petition and in addition request you to order the recall ad stop the sale of all US rice contaminated wit LL601 GE rice together with Uncle Sam Texas Long Grain Rice from all markets and grocery stores," added Rosales.- GMANews.TV