House passes RH Bill on final reading

House of Representatives. RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – The House of Representatives passed on third and final reading the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) Bill Monday evening.

With 133 affirmative votes and 79 negative votes, the RH bill was passed after Monday’s session. Seven lawmakers abstained.

Bishop Gabriel Reyes told reporters in an ambush interview after the voting that he observed some representatives who previously voted against the bill had changed their vote.

“Some [lawmakers] whom I know had gone to the other side,” Reyes said. Others had simply not attended, he said.

He alleged that there was pressure from Malacañang on lawmakers by threatening to hold their pork barrel if they vote against the bill.

Reyes also said that they are planning to file a case before the Supreme Court to question the bill on the grounds that it violates religious freedom.

He also said that they will continue to educate the people and urge them to reject contraceptives even if these are given free.

The RH Bill is not pro-people and undermines women’s health and marriage, Reyes maintained.

The number of lawmakers present was 199. The bill has been certified as urgent by President Benigno Aquino III.

Thursday last week, the RH Bill was passed on second reading through a close vote of 113-104 and three abstentions. The nominal voting that started Wednesday evening took several hours and lasted until 2 a.m. of the next day.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) earlier had issued a pastoral letter urging the 64 lawmakers who have not yet cast their votes on the bill to vote against it.

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, CBCP vice president, said in the letter that the RH bill would “lead to greater crimes against women” and that it “corrupts the soul.”