Lawmaker says RH bill ‘redundant, unnecessary’

A lawmaker opposing the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill on Wednesday said the proposed measure is “unnecessary" since it is similar and was allegedly “copied" from an existing law protecting women’s rights. Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez said during plenary debates on House Bill 4244 or the consolidated RH bill that the measure is “redundant" with Republic Act 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women enacted in 2009. “There is no need for this (RH bill) already. This is like hijacking. This is like repacking and making it your own. This even worse than plagiarism," he said during interpellations on the measure on Wednesday night. He added that some phrases and terminologies in the RH bill were “copied word-for-word" from RA 9710. Watch "RH Bill: The Grand Debate" Part 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4 Alagad party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, who was defending the measure, argued that the RH bill could not have been copied from RA 9710 since the proposed legislation has been around since the 8th Congress (1987 to 1992). He likewise said that the RH bill complements and not just repeats provisions of the Magna Carta of Women. “Ito po ay isang bill na ang trajectory niya ay nasa comprehensive human development. Pang-suporta po ito at hindi panglaban," he said. Debates on HB 4244 have already been suspended and will continue on Tuesday next week. — Andreo C. Calonzo/KBK, GMA News