Tutol ang Commission on Human Rights (CHR) sa “decriminalization” ng abortion dahil na rin pagbatikos ni Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.
“CHR considers paramount the right to life. The Commission similarly adheres to the 1987 Philippine Constitution specifically, to equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception, and is therefore, against abortion, save for extreme circumstances,” saad ng CHR sa ipinadalang sulat kay Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri noong Miyerkules, November 15, 2023.
Magugunita na ipinagpaliban ni Sen. Jinggoy Estrada ang deliberasyon sa pondo ng CHR sa susunod na taon matapos magpahayag ng kanyang pagkadismaya si Cayetano sa naging pahayag ni CHR Executive Director Atty. Jacqueline Ann de Guia.
Sinabi diumano ni de Guia na sumusuporta ang CHR sa “decriminalization” ng abortion sa bansa.
Paalala ni Cayetano na base sa 1987 Constitution, obligasyon ng gobyerno na protektahan ang buhay ng ina maging ng hindi pa naisisilang na anak at hindi dapat ito salunghatin ng CHR.
“Our Constitution is quite unique kasi sinabi na ‘life starts at conception’… Meaning [to say], the executive director of a very sensitive commission is giving her own opinion which is contrary to the Philippine Constitution. How come there is no outrage from the commission that there is such a statement?,” sabi ni Cayetano.
Bukod kay Estrada, sinuportahan din nina Zubiri at Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri ang posisyon ni Cayetano.