Lagman hits dilatory tactics of RH bill foes

Albay Representative Edcel Lagman. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The main proponent of the Reproductive Health Bill on Tuesday slammed the dilatory tactics of opponents of the measure.

In a statement, Albay Representative Edcel Lagman described the strategies employed by legislators against the RH Bill as “abusive of and offensive to the rules of the House.”

It took hours to settle the issue on whether Palawan Representative Dennis Socrates would be allowed to rise on personal and collective privilege. He was initially given five minutes but his insistence to be given 10 minutes was lost when it was put to a vote.

Cebu Representative Pablo Garcia also managed to stretch Monday’s deliberations on the individual amendments by making good on their vow to scrutinize the substitute bill line by line.

They only got to discuss up to line 2 on the second page of the 27-page substitute bill that night.

While House majority leader Neptali Gonzales II said he understands that the delays being pushed by opponents of the RH Bill were part of parliamentary play, “we owe it to the people na huwag naman masyado mag-delay.”

“If they are confident, why delay it? We might as well terminate it as soon as possible so they can kill the bill if they have the numbers,” he said.

“The rules were made for orderly procedure and should not be used as a shield or sanctuary for inordinately delaying tactics just to derail legislation, which is the patent objective of the oppositors of the RH bill,” Lagman said.

He pointed out that results of both viva voce and nominal voting on Monday night indicated the pro-RH lawmakers’ strength.

Lagman warned that the House leadership can terminate the period of individual amendments should opponents of the bill “persist on throwing monkey wrench killer amendments which have no prospect of being adopted.”