A Catholic Church leader has reiterated the Church’s stand against abortion amid reports of a growing number of underground abortion clinics in the country.
 
“Aborting babies should not have a place in our society, the killing of the defenseless is the most senseless and dreadful of all crimes,” said Rev.Fr. Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Permanent Committee on Public Affairs, over Radio Veritas.
 
The Philippines is one of about 23 countries where abortion is illegal and considered a criminal offense. Violators may face a jail term of up to six years.
 
Several social media posts have been circulating the past days of testimonies and reviews made by clients who supposedly had an abortion in so-called underground clinics.
 
A research done by Radio Veritas said, the clinics charge between Php 5,000 to Php 20,000 depending on the stage of the pregnancy. Students are also reportedly given a 10 percent discount. In 2013, the Guttmacher Institute said, more than 600,000 abortions were performed in the country.
 
“Those responsible for the practice of abortion should be made accountable for their crime under our laws,” Secillano said.
 
The Church leader said, there are institutions that can help troubled women especially teens with unplanned or unwanted pregnancies.
 
“Parents should simply allow their children to see the light of day and if they are not up to the task of taking care of them due perhaps to adverse circumstances, they can allow the State or other responsible institutions to take care of their children. We have different means to take good care of children ‘unwanted’ by their parents,” Secillano said.