Viewpoints
Abortion
By +Oscar V. Cruz, JCD
“THE State …shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception.” (Phil. Constitution: Section 12). Thus reads the categorical State Policy on the protection of the “life” of the “unborn” from the moment of “conception.” The more salient observations that can be drawn from the above cited constitutional provision are the following: That in the order of nature, the essential sequence is conception that brings forth life which in turn ushers forth the unborn – all as one composite reality. That without life, there is nothing really worth to talk about, nothing truly important to bother with. That the intrinsic right of the unborn is premised on the fact that it is only there from that someone is born.
It is from the moment of conception that human life begins – this is the reality of human existence, this is the policy stand of the Republic of the Philippines. There are however different and contrasting theories about the onset of human life. There are those say who say that human life begins one, two or three months after conception. There are others who in turn teach that human life starts when the womb of the mother already shows the formation of the basic parts of the human body therein. And there are those who are even of the belief that human life begins at the birth itself of a child – neither before nor after.
The problem with the above theories can be thus summed up: As to those who make reference to but the matter of months legally assumed as composed of thirty days as the onset of human life, what happens if the actual months have more or less than 30 days? As to those who subscribe to the stance that human life begins with the appearance of basic parts of the human body, what happens when there an in-born defect in the physiological constitution of an unborn? And as to those who are of the belief that human life begins with nothing less than actual birth, then what is there before? Conclusion: The Philippine Constitution has it all right by categorically stating that human life begins at the moment of conception – and should be then dutifully protected.
But why is it that nothing less than the State itself that vows to protect the life of the unborn from conception? Following are the more basic answers to the question: First of all, the State is of the people, established by the people and intended for the people. Then, there is the plain reality and simple truth that every constituent member of the people come from nowhere else than the unborn. Lastly, the unborn is the weakest member of the people and wherefore has the right to the protection of the State as its strongest ally.
This brings to fore the categorical contradiction of the above constitutional provision by abortion. What is abortion? How is abortion perpetrated? Why is abortion wrong?
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