Quorum lack stymies death penalty bill

The House majority will hold a caucus on the death penalty bill on Monday to discuss whether or not to continue with the period of interpellation, after Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Fariñas last week slammed the opponents of the measure for using the quorum as a delaying tactic.

What’s in a quorum?

Lawmakers opposing the revival of the death penalty on Sunday defended their constant checking of quorum at their plenary debates at the House of Representatives, saying not only was it part of the rules but also a way to allow undecided colleagues to “weigh things on this extraordinary measure.”

“A quorum is basic parliamentary requirement to transact business. It is the duty of the majority to ensure attendance in deliberations as new inputs and perspectives are tackled. Many legislators are still in doubt and the plenary debates are important for us to weigh things on this extraordinary measure,” opposition lawmaker Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin told the Inquirer.

Deputy Minority Floor Leader Lito Atienza said in a separate interview that Congress is “ruled by a set of rules and the calling of the roll is basic.”

Atienza said the lack of quorum meant Congress was not in session. “If we ask for a roll call, that is in accordance to the rules,” he said.

The revival of the death penalty is a priority legislative measure of President Duterte, who believes that capital punishment would curb what he claims is the country’s worsening drug problem.

House leaders initially said they wanted the bill passed by mid-March.

House Deputy Majority Leader Fredenil Castro, for his part, said he felt that the interpellation would still continue “because it is the intention of the majority to give sufficient opportunity to everybody to clarify all issues.”

However, Castro also warned that this could change if “this opportunity is clearly abused, or waived expressly or impliedly by acts or omissions… (where) the intention to procrastinate the proceeding is manifest.”

Atienza vowed that the antideath penalty lawmakers “will keep on asserting ourselves.”

“If they (majority) break the rules, they will be answerable to the people. The people will not agree to railroading the bill. The (majority) wants it at all cost,” Atienza said.

Ironically, Atienza pointed out, the Senate is even cool to the death penalty bill.

Even if the House passes the proposed measure, it would be archived if the Senate does not act on it, Atienza said.