Sotto to ‘expose’ RH backers in Wednesday speech

Rappler.com

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Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III vows to reveal the funders of the RH bill lobby in a two-part speech

ANTI-RH HOUR. Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III will deliver a two-part speech against the RH bill starting Wednesday. File photo from Senate website

MANILA, Philippines – Challenge accepted.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said he will respond to criticism from supporters of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill through a two-part speech starting Wednesday.

Sotto will deliver a so-called “turno en contra” speech to oppose the RH bill. The “turno en contra” allows lawmakers to make arguments against a bill where they can formally make their case after the debates.

“We are going to expose our position. We will expose those who are really behind this, the organizations behind it, the kind of money they are spending for it,” Sotto told reporters.

The senator added, “Kami naman ang dapat pakinggan.” (It’s our turn to be heard.)

Sotto said he will deliver the second part of his speech next week.

Sotto has drawn flak for his strong opposition to the RH bill. Last week, therapist Dr Margie Holmes wrote an open letter to Sotto chiding him for his position. Holmes’ piece was published on news website Interaksyon.

“Maybe it has more to do with your senatorial sperm, Senator Sotto? … . I mean, do [others’] sperm behave like yours? Heat-seeking missiles targeting Ms Gamboa’s eggs only when you wanted Romina, Diorella, Gian and Ciara?”

‘UN stand not position of whole UN’

In the interview, Sotto also dismissed a statement by the United Nations Population Fund calling for the passage of the RH bill. He said it was not the stand of the entire organization.

“The UN is many different bureaus and councils,” said Sotto.

The RH bill is in the period of amendments in the Senate. During this time, changes are proposed, preparing the bill for voting on second reading.

The measure faces an uphill battle in the chamber because its leaders, Sotto and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile oppose the bill. Senators Miriam Defenor Santiago and Pia Cayetano are the authors of the bill.

Enrile told reporters, “My position [on] the RH bill is personal to me. I’m not convincing anybody to join me. It’s a matter of faith, conscience and above all, it involves my notion of what is in the highest interest of the country. So that’s it but I will not impose this on my colleagues here.” 

Unlike the House, administration allies do not dominate the Senate.

Debates on the RH bill heated up again as the House of Representatives made a crucial vote to end debates on its version of the measure. The House version now proceeds to the period of amendments. 

President Benigno Aquino III has called for an end to the debates in the House. The President supports a position he calls “responsible parenthood,” which some RH supporters take to mean as synonymous to reproductive health. Sotto, however, said the RH advocates are just “practicing wishful thinking.” – Rappler.com


For more updates on the issue of the RH Bill, view our #RHBill Debate Microsite

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