05/15/2011 | 08:32 AM
As debates on the Reproductive Health bill heat up anew in the House of Representatives Tuesday, its principal author will seek “limits" on interpellation to head off possible attempts to needlessly prolong the proceedings.
Rep. Edcel Lagman (Albay) on Sunday noted several lawmakers, many of them against the bill, have expressed their intention to take part in the interpellation process.
“Dapat hindi paulit-ulit ang pagtatanong, at i-limit sa isang oras ang period of interpellation (per interpellator). Mahaba na rin yan (We will suggest an end to asking repeated questions, and limiting the period of interpellation to one hour per interpellator)," he said in an interview on dzBB radio.
He said he would move that if a single interpellator uses up more than one hour, a point of order would be raised.
Lagman said the period of interpellation and debate will resume Tuesday as the House of Representatives will have the privilege hour on Monday.
While Lagman admitted the bill will not likely be passed before Congress goes on a break on June 9, he said the limits will at least fast track the process and give the bill a better chance of being passed within this year.
On the other hand, he reiterated his appeal to President Benigno Aquino III to certify the bill as urgent.
Arguments vs RH bill
Meanwhile, a Catholic Church official in Laguna province insisted the Church will “never" run out of arguments against the RH bill – and proceeded to question the motives of the bill’s proponents.
San Pablo Diocesan Family & Life Ministry Director Fr. Jerry Oblepias made this claim as a response to Gabriela Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan claiming the Church is showing “a symptom of scarcity of arguments" that prompted it to declare an all-out war against the passage of the bill.
“At least the Church is motivated by genuine love and concern for the people and the poor unlike the RH Bill proponents who are certainly motivated by the love of money at ginagamit nila ang mahirap (they using the poor) for them to stay in power," he said in an article posted Sunday on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines news site.