Ex-senator questions Senate committtee report on RH bill

A former senator is questioning the recommendation of several Senate committees to approve the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill, saying it is insufficient in form and substance. Former Sen. Francisco "Kit" Tatad said Senate Committee Report No. 49, which recommends the approval of Senate Bill 2865 or The Reproductive Health Act of 2011, does not contain all the recommendations made by the stakeholders in the issue. "There is enough reason to say (that) the committee report does not faithfully reflect the committee proceedings and is therefore insufficient in form and in substance," Tatad said in a letter addressed to the Senate committee on rules last July 25. He explained that the report never mentioned his objection to the bill, specifically his contention that the RH measure is unconstitutional. "The committee report appears as through that constitutional objection was never made. What the committee report contains is a totally arbitrary recommendation based on the biases of those who wrote the report rather than on the facts and issues brought before the committee hearings," he said. During a committe hearing last October 2010, Tatad called the Senate's version of the RH bill unconstitutional. He cited Section 12 of Article II of the Philippine Constitution which says that the State "shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception." Based on this, he said that it is the duty of the State to protect the life of the unborn child from conception and that this shall be contradicted by a state-run program of contraception. Tatad likewise said the RH bill violates the constitutional right of couples to conduct family planning in accordance with their religious convictions. "The bill does not only attack that belief, it also seeks to further penalize those who hold such belief by making them pay with their tax money for the program that assaults their belief. This is tantamount to religous persecution, possible only in a totalitarian state," he said in his letter. 'Exercise its jurisdiction' Tatad said he is leaving it to the committee on rules to "exercise its jurisdiction" over the matter and do whatever it deems "necessary and proper." The Senate committee on rules is chaired by Senate Majority Leader Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, who has openly expressed his objection to the RH bill. Committee Report No. 49 was formulated by the Senate committees on finance, health and demography, and youth, women and family relations. The Senate committee on finance is chaired by Sen. Franklin Drilon while the panels on health and demography, and youth, women and family relations by Sen. Pia Cayetano. When the report was submitted for plenary consideration, it was signed by 21 out of 23 senators. However, 13 signed with reservations or signified their intention to interpellate or amend it. It was endorsed to the plenary last June and was sponsored by its principal author Sen.Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Monday. Salient parts of the Senate's version of the RH bill may be read here. GMA News Online is still trying to get a comment from the respective committee chairpersons as of posting time. — RSJ, GMA News