Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines (AHN) – Catholic bishops are warning the government of possible civil disobedience after turning aside accusations they would deny Philippine President Benigno Aquino III the sacrament of communion because of the president’s push for artificial birth control in the country.

Msgr. Juanito Figura, secretary general of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said the conference could call on the faithful to perform acts of civil disobedience if the Aquino administration continued to insist on pursuing the artificial contraception program. The use of contraceptives goes against the teachings of the Catholic church.

CBCP Media Director Msgr. Pedro Quitorio noted the bishops had successfully mounted a civil disobedience campaign against former President Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 because of election fraud. Marcos was eventually ousted when Filipinos held the first People Power revolution.

However, there are doubts if Filipinos would heed the CBCP’s call for civil disobedience over artificial contraception, because studies have shown that Filipino Catholics are divided on the issue. While 85 percent of the country’s estimated 95 million headcount have been baptized as Roman Catholics, a significant number of them do not follow the church’s teaching on contraceptives because of the runaway population growth rate of the country.

Instead of providing Filipinos free contraceptives, CBCP Commission on Family Life Head Fr. Melvin Castro urged the Aquino administration to make available jobs and education. Castro told attendees of a pro-life prayer rally at Quiapo Church in Manila on Saturday that the reason the government is pushing for contraceptives is it is eyeing a $434 million grant from the Millennium Challenge Corp.

About 100 students from Catholic schools and church-based organizations attended the prayer rally. Ironically, in front of the Quiapo church are herbal vendors who include among their wares natural abortion agents.

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