Lagman dismisses ‘US lobby on RH bill’ as old yarn

MANILA, Philippines — House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman is dismissing as an “old yarn” a claim by Cebu Representative Pablo Garcia that the reproductive health bill is being bankrolled by a P20-million to P50-million lobby from Washington.

“This is a dead and fossilized tirade, which anti-RH solons like Cebu Rep. Pablo Garcia try to resurrect every time the RH bill is at the threshold of approval. Allegation is not proof. Garcia has consistently failed to prove his bare allegations,” said the main author of the bill, in a statement on Monday.

Garcia claimed in his  privilege speech that pro-RH bill advocates have been acting in a conflict of interest after allowing themselves to be manipulated by a foreign power.

Lagman reacted to Garcia’s exposé, saying the move was meant to “bait RH advocates to protracted and repetitive debates in order to further delay the passage of the RH bill, but there were no takers because the ploy of Garcia was too obvious and crude.”

Lagman charged Garcia of being “myopic” to a well-oiled lobby opposing RH, which has been funded by the “wealthy Catholic hierarchy.” He called pro-RH advocates “nationalist legislators that would not take a cent from foreign lobbyists.”

He pointed out that Garcia has consistently opposed, and often lost, progressive legislation such as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program and the abolition of the death penalty.

Lagman also defended the  Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD), which Garcia has called the de facto House committee steering the debates on the RH bill.

“For more than two decades, (PLCPD) has been a well-respected NGO both locally and internationally. Its enduring advocacy on population and development antedates the introduction of the RH bill,” said Lagman.

The RH bill is currently under debate in the session hall and House leaders expect it to be up for voting in 2012.