A PROPONENT of the controversial  Reproductive Health Bill is blaming the leaders of the Catholic Church for the rising cases of unwarranted pregnancies saying they denied women access to family planning.

Minority Leader Edcel Lagman, one of the authors of the RH bill, said the Catholic Church’s campaign against the bill could be considered a form of violence against women.

“Unremitting and yearly pregnancies are serious cases of violence against women who are denied access to family planning, including legal, medically-safe and effective contraception,” Lagman said.

He slammed the anti-RH rally last week which was attended by pro-life advocates who denounced the bill which was being deliberated in the House of Representatives before lawmakers went on their Lenten break.

Lagman said that the Church  continues to oppose the enactment of the reproductive health bill and propagates misinformation on modern family planning methods.

The lawmaker also hit the government for procrastinating on the passage of the long-delayed RH measure.

“This form of violence against women constitutes physical, psychological and financial violence which are punishable under Republic Act No. 9262 or the Anti Violence Against Women and Their Children Act,” Lagman added.

He claimed that it is physical violence because unremitting pregnancies pose high risks to women and constitute a major cause of maternal death and illness.

The National Demographic and Health Survey shows 11 women die daily from maternal causes.

On the other hand, it is psychological violence because many women are driven to abortion because they cannot afford another child to suffer grave psychological trauma, Lagman said.

According to the UP Population Institute, an average of 500,000 abortions are performed annually in the country.

It is likewise financial violence because pregnancies prevent women from finishing their education and securing remunerative work for which reason they are condemned to financial subjugation, Lagman said.

The House will take up the bill again when session resumes on May 9.