Group calls event an 'abortionists' conference'

MANILA, Philippines -  A pro-life group on Tuesday branded the event in the country on reproductive health and sexual rights an "abortionists' conference."

AJ Perez of Pro-Life Philippines said "top abortionist" from over the world will attend the three-day 7th Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive Health and Sexual Rights at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

"It's an abortinists' conference. Plain and simple. They would try to sneak in abortion in the country little by little which is illegal," Perez said during the picket rally of the  members of the group outside the  PICC compound.

Perez said that instead legalizing medical abortion in the country, the national government should provide decent jobs to poor families.

"The government will spend billions of pesos to contraceptives. It  should instead [focus] on job-generation for our people," Perez said.

As this developed, Eric Manalang, president of Pro-Life Philippines, said their group would try to secure a temporary restraining order before the Pasay Regional Trial Court to stop the event, arguing the conference is illegal.

"The holding of this kind of conference is in violation of the existing anti-abortion bill," Manalang said, noting that the TRO on the implementation of the Reproductive Health Law is still in effect.

For her part, Sen. Pia Cayetano, a staunch advocate of the women's reproductive health rights, said she respects the protest action by the several pro-life groups.

"I recognize freedom of assembly and freedom of speech. They can say what they want. They can  assemble and express their thoughts at the same way this conference can go on provide information about reproductive health rights and educate people from the Asia Pacific region on this very important topic," Cayetano said.

She said the abortion argument used against reproductive health advocates has already been employed all too long by so-called pro-life groups.

"If they can only, for a second, leave or even visit the other issues that are being discussed, that would make this more productive. Tinitignan ba nila isyu ng early pregnancies? Tinitignan ba nila ang paglaganap ng HIV and other sexually transmitted infections? Tinitignan ba nila ang abuse ng ating mga kabataan who are forced to ... early marriage?"

"If this youth, and even their parents, are more educated on the need to prepare their children before life, hindi sana nangyayari ito. Imbis na ipaglaban nila itong sa isyu, na karapatan naman nilang ipaglaban, pero sana naman tignan ang bigger isyu. But at the end of the day, hindi ko papakialamanan ang gusto nilang gawin. Pabayaan nilang gawin ang mga legal na pwedeng gawin ng ibang tao katulad namin na i-promote ang information on reproductive health rights," Cayetano said.