REPRODUCTIVE health activists who threaten government with civil disobedience face sedition raps.

President Benigno  Noynoy Aquino III said  sedition charges may be filed against anti-reproductive health activists who threaten not to pay their taxes if the RH bill is enacted into law.

Aquino said it could be a serious offense if the Citizens Alliance for the Protection of Human Life (CATH-Life) would make good their threat.

“I will be surprised if anybody will say that publicly because if I’m not mistaken mabigat na kaso po yan,” the President said.

Lawyer Lyndon Caña of CATH-Life made the threat in protest of the RH bill.

“I think sedition would be the charge that would be filed for not doing your civic obligation. Marami nang precedent yan,” Aquino said.

He said even a mere threat could be considered a serious offense.

“Talagang mahigpit ang ating batas. Pag nagmungkahi ka na wag magbayad ng buwis ay feeling ko a very serious offense. Hindi ko maalala kung sa sedition papasok yan o rebellion, pero mukhang sedition,” he said.

The non-payment of taxes was a form of civil disobedience that some Catholic bishops have suggested as a response to the state-sponsored promotion of artificial contraceptives and other RH programs.

While the Aquino administration favors the passage of the RH or the Responsible Parenthood bill, the Catholic Church and several senators are opposed to it as it would allow the use of government funds to make available to couples artificial contraceptives including condoms.

Majority Floorleader Sen. Vicente Tito Sotto said that the RH bill would open the door to corruption especially in the use of funds for artificial contraceptives.

The Catholic Church espouses only natural methods of family planning. 

Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone slammed the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines for threatening to withdraw support for the Aquino administration over the controversial RH bill.

Evardone said the CBCP should respect the decision of the government and reminded the bishops of the separation of Church and state.

“CBCP’s threat to withdraw support from the Aquino administration and some group’s warning to campaign for civil disobedience are totally uncalled for,” Evardone said.      With Jester P.
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