SC issues 4-month TRO on RH Law

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a status quo ante order on the Reproductive Health (RH) law signed by President Benigno Aquino III last December.

Voting 10-5, the high court stopped the implementation of the RH law for four months or 120 days.

Those who voted for the status quo ante order were Teresita de Castro, Arturo Brion, Lucas Bersamin, Diosdado Peralta, Presbitero Velasco Jr., Roberto Abad, Bienvenido Reyes, Jose Mendoza, Jose Perez and Martin Villarama Jr.

Those who voted against the order were Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, Antonio Carpio, Mariano del Castillo, Marvic Leonen and Estela Perlas-Bernabe.

Oral arguments were set by the court on June 18 at 2 p.m.

At least eight petitions were filed by several groups against the implementation of the RH law or the Republic Act 10354.

The eighth petition was filed by pro-life groups Doctors for Life and the Filipinos for Life.

"What we are presenting here are medical and legal arguments against the RH law. We believe the Supreme Court will listen to us and correct this grave error imposed by the executive and legislative branches on faithful and freedom-loving Filipinos," Doctors for Life ad-hoc chairman Rey Echavez said in a statement.

Lawyer Howard Calleja, primary author of the petition, questioned the law's provisions on contraception citing studies in Spain purportedly showing the increase of abortions despite condom use.