Petitioners: Trust SC to carefully study RH case

MANILA, Philippines - An anti- Reproductive Health (RH) law advocate said Wednesday that the petitioners have "succeeded" with the Supreme Cout's (SC) halt order on the controversial measure.

Lawyer James Imbong, who filed the first petition questioning the constitutional basis of measure in January, said people must put their "full trust and confidence" in the high tribunal that it will carefully study the constitutional basis of the law being the highest judicial body in the legal system.

"The Supreme Court is giving proper attention to the petitions ... It also means that the petitions have succeeded in presenting a justiciable case worthy of the SC’s time and judicial attention as the highest court of our country,” Imbong said in a statement.

The SC received about 10 petitions this year challenging the constitutional merit of the RH law signed by President Aquino last December.

Voting 10-5, the court issued a status quo ante (SQA) order, halting the implementation of the law for 120 days.

Imbong said that this move was in fulfillment of the court's "highest duty," which is "to decide cases that challenge the unconstitutionality of a particular law, in this case, the RH law."

He explained that the order in no way determines the fate of the law, but only allows the court a four-month period to review the case.

"The court simply wants the parties ‘not to make a move’ while the court is going into the merits of the controversy itself,” Imbong added.

Pro-Life Philippines which opposed the law's passage, meanwhile, said that anti-RH groups should use the duration of the order "to plan, to strategize, to mobilize, to regroup, and to pray," although they are "delighted" about the high tribunal's decision.

"This is also a time for praying for the all the Supreme Court justices that they may continue to uphold the constitution and that those in power will do their utmost to protect the weak and the poor.," the group said in a statement.

Imbong noted that while the status quo order is in place, government officials may carry out the provisions and indications of the RH law in violation of the court decision.

"If you are able to witness any government agency or official engaging in RH law-related activities, the best thing to do is to gather information about that incident--who, what, where, when--and transmit your observations to any of our pro-life attorneys so that we can determine if any violation of the SQA order has been committed," he said.