RH advocate Carlos Celdran seeks Pope Francis help

MANILA, Philippines – Reproductive Health law advocate Carlos Celdran is seeking the help of Pope Francis to inspire Philippine Catholic bishops to live out the pontiff’s message of “forgiveness, reason, and tolerance” when he visits the country from January 15-19.

Celdran, who made the plea in a post on his Facebook page, suffered another legal blow as the Court of Appeals (CA) rejected his appeal to overturn a lower court’s verdict convicting him for the offense of “offending religious feelings.”

A Manila court earlier found Celdran guilty of violating Article 133 of the Revised Penal Code for interrupting a mass at the Manila Cathedral in 2010 by holding up a placard with the word “Damaso” on it – in reference to the villainous priest in Jose Rizal’s famous novel Noli Me Tangere. (Q&A Celdran: I’m Catholic until it is taken away from me)

It was then the start of the lobby for the approval of a Reproductive Health law, which provides universal access to reproductive health care services and information. The Catholic Church opposed the measure and lobbied against it, but Congress eventually passed the law in 2012. 

The outspoken advocate posted a message to Pope Francis shortly after hearing the news about the CA decision.

Celdran also took the opportunity to take a swipe at the apparent speed in which it took judicial bodies to resolve his case. 

The 23-page decision of the Court of Appeals dated December 12, 2014, which affirmed the decision of the Manila Regional Trial Court, considered the venue of Celdran’s protest. Associate Justice Carmelita Salandanan penned the decision. 

In their concurring decisions, Associate Justices Japar Dimaampao and Elihu Ybañez said the appellate court does not agree with Celdran’s argument that Article 133 shields religion from criticism. 

“Article 133 of the Revised Penal Code does not penalize criticisms or any form of speech. It imposes a penal sanction on anyone who performs acts notoriously offensive to the feelings of the faithful done inside a place devoted to religious worship or during the celebration of any religious ceremony. The petitioner cannot give any additional meaning to the clear and plain language of the law,” the decision said.  

Celdran faces a prison term of not less than two months and 21 days and not more than one year, one month and 11 days.

In another statement issued hours after his first Facebook post, Celdran said the case will be elevated to the Supreme Court. 

– Rappler.com