Two more petitioners to argue vs RH law

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) has allowed two new anti-reproductive health (RH) law petitioners to join in the oral arguments set on July 9.

The petitioners, Abdul Hussein Kashim and Almarim Centi Tilla, seek to stop the implementation of the controversial Republic Act 10354 in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). 

SC spokesperson Theodore Te said the high court, in its en banc session on Tuesday, July 2, also directed the government to comment within 10 days from the receipt of notice of the petition filed by Kashim and Tilla.

Te said the petition was consolidated with the 13 other earlier petitions that challenge the RH law. 

Te said that pending the submission of the comment by the respondents, Kashim and Tilla would be given 5 minutes during the July 9 oral arguments. Accordingly, Te added that the previous issuances by the court regarding the RH law oral arguments would be amended. 

Earlier, the SC made both parties to the case agree to tackle 4 issues in the RH law: These are: 

• whether the law violates the autonomy of local government and equal protection of the law;
• whether it violates right to life and health;
• whether it violates natural law and disregard inter-generational responsibility;
• whether the law violates freedom of religion, speech, and academic freedom.

Te said oral arguments on the consolidated petitions challengeing the RH law will be heard on Tuesday next week, on July 9, at 2 pm. – Rappler.com