Philippine Bishops: Fire The Health Secretary For Giving Out Condoms

Catholic bishops in the Philippines are calling for the firing of state workers who distributed condoms in an AIDS prevention program. Including in the sacking demand is the nation's Health Secretary.

"It's so immoral for someone in the government to be pushing the use of condoms, which we all know is not deterrent to AIDS prevention," Bishop Ramon Arguelles [LEFT], of the Lipa diocese south of Manila, said in a church statement. The Catholic Church forbids artificial birth control, including condoms. The statement, signed by two other bishops, was posted on the website of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, an organisation grouping the Southeast Asian nation's church leaders. The statement urged President Gloria Arroyo to dismiss Cabral, saying she should not be allowed to influence the nation's young. "It's worrying because it is the morality in society, especially among the youth, that is at stake," Arguelles said.

(Tipped by JMG reader Ed)