Congresswoman calls RH urgency claim 'a big lie'

MANILA, Philippines - Pangasinan Rep. Kimi  Cojuangco alleged on Twitter on Thursday that Congress had been misleading Reproductive Health (RH) bill advocates in saying the controversial measure will be taken up before plenary sessions close this November.

Cojuangco said in several social media posts that Majority Floor Leader Neptali Gonzales II revealed to her "the truth" that the RH bill will be delayed contrary to reports of it being an urgent measure.

I pleaded w/ him to please tell me the truth. Well, this is what he told me "wala na yan;forget the RHBILL. If ever baka 16th congress na lang

— kimi cojuangco (@kimicojuangco) November 22, 2012

The lawmaker also claimed that Gonzales, who is in charge of plenary agenda, tried to deceive RH bill authors, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman who vowed to tackle the bill once the 2013 budget is approved.

"Why are you leading Manong Edcel along? Why are you saying something different in front of Speaker Belmonte? I can't accept this! So this is what enraged me and I kept this to myself for a few days," Cojuangco added, referring to her conversation with Gonzales.

Within a two-hour duration, Cojuangco confessed that she preferred to reveal the information rather than become a lawmaker involved in such "blatant politicking."

"I can't live with myself if I just become one of the many that will just accept things as they are. If this means that I should not be member of the (House), okay lang sa'kin. I would rather not be a representative than be there and be part of a big LIE!" Cojuanco tweeted.

The RH bill has not moved in the House of Representatives since August 6, when congressmen voted to close floor debates and start the period of amendments.

At the Senate, the RH bill was taken up during Monday's session but the proposed measure's opposition presented a long list of modifications, blocking the proponents' intention to end the period of amendments and pass it on second reading.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte had said that they have yet to hear from President Aquino on whether the RH bill will be certified as urgent.

'Lack of conviction'

Lawmakers, who are publicly against the RH bill, were recently blamed for delaying debates in Congress on the controversial measure's amendments while Gonzales maintained that he supports the disputed measure.

Gonzales, representative of the lone district of Mandaluyong, answered Cojuangco's tweets on Wednesday accusing him of deliberately holding up the bill and giving in to Catholic bishops adamantly against the proposed measure.

“I don’t know what she had for breakfast today. In fairness to all the Catholic priests, monsignors, and bishops in Mandaluyong, they never tried to influence me,” Gonzales told reporters on Wednesday.

The House leader, who said the RH could not be taken up because of the lack of quorum caused by absentee congressmen, advised Cojuangco to "keep her mouth shut" for the sake of the pro-RH camp.

Cojuangco immediately struck back on Twitter in response to Gonzales.

"(Majority Floor Leader), what I had for breakfast? I had a realization that maybe you just don't want to take up the RH bill. We all know you get what you want. You are the man," Cojuangco posted.

Former Senator Francisco Tatad said in a congress in Cebu on Monday that the bill's delay is caused by the "lack of conviction" among pro-RH lawmakers and not due to alleged delaying tactics of anti-RH camp.

"Faced with uncertainty in the coming May 2013 elections, none of them are prepared to die for the RH bill; they would rather spend their time on the campaign trail than sit in the House waiting for orders," Tatad said.