Contempt, more than calm disgust

“Bigots,” uttered the Inquirer editorial in calm disgust. (Opinion, 1/24/14). Had an exclamation point been put after the word, a feeling of contempt would have been more rightly conveyed. But indeed, this paper could not comprehend the behavior of Pro-Life Philippines Foundation,  an affiliate of the local Roman Catholic Church, in going to court to stop the proceedings of a UN regional conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health Rights—just because some of its topics referred to that “dirty” word, “abortion.”

To placate the Manalangs and Imbongs of Pro-Life (which, incidentally, is the same group that obtained a temporary restraining order in the Supreme Court against the RH Law), Harry Roque, lead lawyer of the conference, sarcastically assured complainants that “No abortion will be performed in the conference.” Concerned citizens like us just look forward to reading this incident in the Guinness Book of Records.

The Regional Trial Court of Pasay City did not issue a TRO; it merely noted the filing of the complaint. It was not a Solomonic ruling; it allowed Pro-Life to go too far, far right. Still, we hope that Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle would shed tears for them.

Being sued in a local court for debating issues regularly discussed for years in connection with UN population and development forums in various venues around the world is indeed unprecedented, unthinkable, absurd. The cause of action merely existed in the fertile minds of “God’s commandos.” And they feel they could also do no wrong.

But they did. The Philippine government—the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Tourism, the Department of Health—are all red-faced. Imagine, encouraging delegates from the United States and Asia-Pacific to come, and then feeling helpless when they were harassed by a lawsuit? Is this really the 21st century? Would such delegates experience a similar sort of “fatwa” around the wide Catholic world?

We used to be serious, if not proud, in matters relating to international conferences. That’s why the Philippine International Convention Center was built, through the efforts, like it or not, of Mrs. Imelda R. Marcos. From that time on, whenever possible, we have invited foreign and local delegations to hold their conventions, conferences, meetings, by the Manila Bay. The “City of Man” became an international venue. Aside from the Asian Development Bank, international and regional offices, public and private, have ventured into our shores. And since President Ferdinand Marcos opened formal diplomatic relations with more Arab states and with the socialist countries of Asia and Europe, additional diplomatic and consular offices have relocated in Manila.

It is said that there was even a time when Imelda Marcos was contemplating to invite the UN General Assembly to hold a session in Manila. She was reportedly reminded that a formidable lobby, not of state members, but of the New York association of hotels and restaurants, would oppose her proposal. Now it takes only the lobby of a seemingly religious fringe to slowly stop the flow of delegates and tourists to this “only Catholic nation in Asia” whose one shining distinction is: The only country on earth without population control and divorce.

—NELSON D. LAVIÑA,

retired ambassador,

[email protected]