SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – The Reproductive Health (RH) bill scored a major victory Monday, when the House of Representatives voted to terminate the period of interpellations and debate. It means the controversial bill now has a chance to pass in the current 15th Congress.
But the real battle is just about to begin, as lawmakers who oppose the RH bill have vowed to inject the so-called “killer amendments,” provisions that will dilute or mangle the proposed measure to the point that it becomes unacceptable or even unrecognizable even to its proponents.
“They (RH bill advocates) have won the battle but they will lose the war,” Garcia added,” one of the RH bill’s fiercest critics, Cebu Rep Pablo P Garcia, told Rappler.
“There will still be period of amendments and many will introduce the so-called killer amendments that will kill the bill,” he added.
Optimistic
On Monday, RH bill principal author Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman was enthusiastic when he said, “We are at the threshold of victory.” He is hoping to get the House of Representatives to pass the measure within the month.
“The termination of the interminable and repetitive debates would be a positive sign that within the month of August, we will have this bill passed in the House of Representatives,” he added.
Former Health Secretary Alberto Romualdez told Rappler the vote on Monday sends a clear signal to the Catholic Church, which vigorously opposes the bill.
“I consider this a historic momment. Our Congress demonstrated that it is truly a democratic instutition. Contrary to what many conservative Catholics belive, what Catholic bishops want, they do not necesarily get. Democracy is democracy whether or not you are a Catholic,” Romualdez added.
‘Killer amendments’?
Terminating the period of interpellation and debates means the RH bill will now proceed to the period of amendments, the more difficult stage of the legislative process.
This is where the House plenary makes line-by-line changes to the provisions of House Bill 4244 until they come up with a version that majority of the House members will agree to pass.
Garcia said he is also confident that in the final voting, the RH bill will be junked. “The bill will still be submitted for approval or disapproval. I have a gut feeling it will be disapproved,” he said.
Garcia himself voted to terminate the period of debates. He was among those who attended the caucus that President Benigno Aquino III called in Malacañang hours before the House vote on RH bill. In that caucus, President Aquino appealed to the lawmakers to end the debate.
Lagman conceded that the battle continues. But he believes they have the votes to prevail.
“We cannot possibly dicount that some of the oppositors of the bill may propose killer amendments, which will really destroy the essence of the measure. But we are confident that once it is subjected to a vote by plenary, the killer amendments will not proposer,” Lagman said. – Rapper.com
For more updates on the issue of the RH Bill, view our #RHBill Debate Microsite.
Read on for other views on the RH Bill debate:
| Yes to RH Bill | No to RH Bill |
More in #RHBill Debate:
- Nobel Prize winner contradicts CBCP
- Fact Sheet: House Bill 4244 on Reproductive Health
- UN weighs in on RH Bill
- WHO on RH bill: No politics, just facts
- RH bill backers hit bishops’ ‘science’
- Catholics clash over controversial RH bill
- Poverty, scarcity and the rule of the Catholic Church
- Minority solons withdraw support for RH bill
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