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Manila Bulletin devider devider Forum on anti-life issues starts in Cebu

Forum on anti-life issues starts in Cebu

Published Feb 3, 2018 10:00 pm
By Calvin D. Cordova Cebu City — The first of a series of forums that will discuss issues deemed as anti-life started Saturday with Buhay Partylist Rep. Lito Atienza, Cebu City North District Rep. Raul del Mar, Atty. Gloria Dalawampu, Atty. Magdalena Lepiten and Atty. Democrito Barcenas, as speakers. Some 150 participants attended the Christian Citizen’s Forum held at the Summit Circle Hotel in Fuente Osmeña in uptown Cebu City. The forum was organized by Dr. Rene Josef Bullecer, country director of Human Life International Inc. “This is an offshoot of the guidelines and the challenge of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. In their recent plenary meeting in Cebu City, the CBCP urged the public to discern, debate and reflect on current issues,” said Bullecer. Topics discussed in the forum were the bill seeking to legalize the medical use of marijuana, divorce and same-sex marriage. Bullecer said the forum was held in coordination with Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma. In a statement, Palma said that with the increase of fake news and propaganda, many have already been deceived. Many believe and have taken into consideration the things that would destroy life, family, and faith. “This forum will be our effort to open our eyes once again to the truth about these realities,” Palma said. Similar forums will be held in Tagbilaran City, Cagayan de Oro City and Iloilo City. Meanwhile, Bullecer announced that a prayer rally will be held in this city on Feb. 24 “invoking the protection of marriage and spare the country from godless, anti-church bills.” In the forum Atienza, a known pro-life advocate, vowed to oppose a bill authored by 1st District Rep. Rodolfo Albano II that seeks to legalize and regulate the medical use of marijuana. “The state of this bill is in limbo. I am sure that this bill is 99 percent dead,” said Atienza in his talk dubbed as “Medical Marijuana: High-yahaya?” “The effect of the marijuana is just to provide pain relief. It’s not a medicine. Why forced marijuana? Unless you have a plantation and make money out of it,” said Atienza. Atienza also vowed that bills considered as anti-life will be blocked in the Congress. Divorce is now being revived, abortion is now being talked about, but we will make sure these anti-life measures will not prosper, said Atienza. The proposed charter change was also discussed in the forum.
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