The Turning Point

by James M. Imbong, General Counsel

From the ST. THOMAS MORE LAW CENTER

A message concerning the Reproductive Health Law cases before the Supreme Court of the Philippines that are set for oral arguments on July 9, 2013.

o our Allies in Life: Our efforts to present a unified front before the Supreme Court against the RH Law (Republic Act 10354) will culminate on July 9 when our counsels present our cases before the full Court: 1) JAMES M. IMBONG, et al., 2) ALLIANCE FOR THE FAMILY FOUNDATION PHILS., INC., et al., 3) TASK FORCE FOR FAMILY AND LIFE VISAYAS, INC., et al., 4) SERVE LIFE CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, INC., et al., 5) EXPEDITO A. BUGARIN, JR., et al., 6) EDUARDO B. OLAGUER, et al., 7) PHILIPPINE ALLIANCE OF XSEMINARIANS, INC., et al., 8) RENALDO J. ECHAVEZ, M.D., et al., 9) FRANCISCO S. TATAD and MARIA FENNY C. TATAD, et al., 10) PRO-LIFE PHILS., et al., 11) MILLENIUM SAINT FOUNDATION, 12) JOHN WALTER B. JUAT, et al., 13) COUPLES FOR CHRIST FOUND., GR 204819, GR 204934, GR 204957, GR 204988, GR 205003, GR 205043, GR 205138, GR 205478, GR 205491, GR 205720, GR 206355, GR 207111, GR 207172,

petitions to strike down the RH Law. For purposes of the oral arguments on July 9, the petitions will be duly represented by the following speakers: Sen. Francisco S. Tatad, Atty. Maria Concepcion S. Noche, Atty. Luisito V. Liban, and Sen. Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. In the meantime, our other attorneys are anticipating their filing of a legal brief for their respective petitions to ensure that all other issues are fully brought before the Court and fully argued in the Record for the complete deliberations of the 15 Justices. The other attorneys are: Howard M. Calleja Bertini C. Causing Ramon Andre F. Cedro Nelson A. Clemente Earl Anthony C. Gambe Luis Ma. Gil L. Gana Jeremy I. Gatdula Cristina A. Montes Alan F. Paguia Rufino L. Policarpio III Ricardo M. Ribo Luis Francis A. Rodrigo, Jr. Marlon I. Yap

A fourteenth petition (TILLAH and KASHIM, GR 207563) was recently filed but has yet to be acted upon by the Court for purposes of the oral arguments on July 9. Nonetheless, the Supreme Court is now faced with 14

For purposes of the oral arguments on July 9, the Court has advised all parties to limit their presentations to fifty (50) minutes with a maximum of four (4) speakers per side. For this reason, the Court directed the parties to submit a list of key issues to be discussed during the arguments. In response to this directive, our counsels assessed the strength of our arguments and requested the Court to allow discussion on several main issues, particularly:
St. Thomas More Society 1

Right to life Right to health Freedom of religion Freedom of speech Academic freedom Natural law

Involuntary servitude Equal protection Local government autonomy Jurisdiction and justiciability Maintenance of the status quo

These issues were adopted by the Court (except for the natural law issue). For those issues not included in the oral arguments, the Court has advised the parties to present them in their respective post-oral argument briefs. These matters were provided by the Court in the Advisory it issued last week to all the parties. What can we do on July 9 and onwards? We all know that the RH Law was passed through a process where a majority vote determines if a law will be enacted or not. We also know that when Congress enacts a law and the President signs it, it means the President is committed to implement the law using all the powers of government and taxpayers money. But what exactly did President Aquino commit the government to do when he signed the RH Law? What did President Aquino commit taxpayers money to fund each year under the RH Law? That is what the petitions will be presenting to the Court on July 9 and beyond. The Supreme Court, being the final interpreter of the Constitution, has the duty to determine whether the RH Law is good lawgood, in the sense that it follows the Constitution as regards the constitutional duty of the State to: Protect life and health, particularly the life and health of the unborn and of women; Protect the sanctity of the family; Protect the moral-spiritual well-being of youth; Support parents in the exercise of their right to guide the moral development of their children and to raise their family based on their religious convictions; Respect religious beliefs and conscience-objections. These are the main issues to be confronted by the Court as it is called to raise the Constitution into its rightful place in our system of a republic government, being the highest law of the land, under natural law and the laws of God, which Congress cannot lightly disregard by a simple majority vote.

Our pro-life attorneys have been preparing for this legal battlea battle that is not so much ours, but Gods, as it is the God-given life and dignity of the human person that is at stake, as well as the moral foundations of the nation that promote and protect God-given life on earth. With this, we pray that we stand together spiritually as we enter this stage where the future of the nations soul will depend on the wisdom of fifteen Justices of the Supreme Court who will decide the constitutionality of the RH Law. In the end, the virtue of hope should sustain us as we are guided by Gods word in Isaiah 40:8Though the grass withers, the flower wilts, but the word of our God stands forever. We know the Truth will prevail. Until then, we will not waver in our efforts to bring our laws in unison with what God has planned for all eternity.

The ST. THOMAS MORE SOCIETY, INC., is an organization of attorneys committed to preserve the moral foundations of law and civil government. The Law Center is its legal research and litigation arm.
Do you have any questions and concerns about the RH Law which you would want to clarify? Do you know of any ongoing programs related to reproductive health in your area or community that affect your rights as parents and as Catholics? Simply share your requests and information to: stthomasmoresociety.attorneys@gmail.com

There will be a Eucharistic Celebration scheduled on July 9, 9:00 am at the Shrine of Nuestra Seora de Guia (Ermita) to be followed by a prayer vigil in front of the Supreme Court in Padre Faura. White will be the color of the day as we constantly seek the intercession of Mary, our Blessed Mother and Mediatrix of all Grace.

St. Thomas More Society