The government, through Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, on Tuesday defended the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law or RH Law before the Supreme Court, with some justices grilling him while others seeming to give him support. Jardeleza defended the constitutionality of the controversial law during the third day of oral arguments before the 15 magistrates of the high court. “What the law seeks is to subsidize for the benefit of poor women, marginalized and vulnerable, contraceptives that have been legally available for the past 50 years to their more affluent counterparts,” said Jardeleza. Associate Justice Roberto Abad criticized Jardeleza and Congress – which passed the health bill – for consulting the World Health Organization during deliberations when the health measure was still in the legislation process. Casting doubts on the partiality of WHO, Abad said the international organization “is heavily funded by USAid and supported contraception. They want to export to us their contraception culture.” “If you want an impartial opinion on which is the best [method], would you go to Kris Aquino,” Abad asked Jardeleza. The solicitor general answered in the negative, and said experts should be consulted instead. “Yes, that’s the proper thing to do… and not [merely consult with] those whose advocacy is birth control,” Abad said. Jardeleza however noted that Congress also sought opinions from 24 experts from the United Health Care Study Group, which he described as “patriots who we should be proud of.” He added these experts were not “funded employees” of the WHO. Read More …
