No Ordinary Tour Guide

No Ordinary Tour Guide Saturday, 16 February 2013 08:30 Madonna T. Virola Carlos Celdran is no ordinary Manila tour guide. He’s also a pro-contraception activist who was recently sentenced to more than one year in prison for his protest. In 2010, he interrupted a church service to show his support for the Reproductive Health Bill – heavily opossed by the Catholic Church. Madonna Virola talks to Celdran about the protest after he filed his appeal to the court. “I decided to dress up as our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, he wrote the book “Noli Me Tangere” where the bad guy is a priest named “Padre Damaso” who has been a symbol of clergy abuse. So I went to the Church with the word “Damaso” above me, presented that one word to all of the bishops of the Philippines during an ecumenical meeting at the Manila Cathedral.” He also shouted ‘stop getting involved in politics’ before he was taken away by the police. “I was slapped with the crime of offending religious feelings, an archaic Spanish era law where you’re not supposed to speak up against religion. And after 2 years trial, I‘ve been found guilty and I’m sentenced to 2 months and one year in jail.” Monsignor Nestor Cerbo, rector of Manila Cathedral, said that the Church has forgiven Celdran but he should still compensate for the damage done. Carlos Celdran is a tour guide in Manila, famous for his theatrical act. He’s also an HIV/AIDS awareness activist and since 2003 has routinely distributed condoms and birth control pills to residents of squatter communities. He believes that reproductive health is the silver bullet to economic development. With the highest birth rate in South East Asia, the Philippines finally passed the Reproductive Health Bill late last year – after 13 years of trying. The bill has had the strong backing of President Benigno Aquino, but the Church says the law could corrupt moral values. Celdran said that he was not surprised by the court’s decision. But Carlos Conde, a researcher for Human Rights Watch Asia, says nobody should be sent to jail for something they’ve said. ”We’re monitoring the case and we’re behind Mr. Celdran all the way. Our effort in Human Rights Watch is to internationalize the case, to bring attention not just to this problem but also to the fact that Reproductive Health Law had been stalled in Congress for a long time. We’re very thankful that it’s been passed. It’s just bad that Mr. Celdran and the others are collateral damage in this fight. The Reproductive Health Law is important, but we also think Freedom of Expression is important.” A petition has been filed to the Supreme Court against the newly signed bill. The Catholic Church argues that the law undermines the value of marriage and increases promiscuity. Celdran’s case won’t have any impact on the law, but it acts as a warning to Filipinos. “This sends a chilling effect on the faithful not to go against the Church in things such as Reproductive Health. That perpetuates the sorry state of Reproductive Health in the Philippines and leaves people, especially the poor Filipinos, in a state of attack by the church in effect. The case and the verdict against Mr Celdran is a way by the Church to go after its critics and it’s not good.” Celdran is currently out on bail. In a Facebook post, Celdran said that he’s going to fight this until the end. “I am still very hopeful. I truly believe the Philippines is a secular and logical country. And I feel privileged that I am in a position to prove that. Also, that Filipinos would take into mind that freedom of speech and all sorts of freedom is not an end goal but it is a process, and we have constantly have to be vigilant in order to protect or freedom of speech. I hope that it sparked the discussion and interest among Filipinos of the importance to separate our spiritual beliefs from the realities of the world.”