Obstructionist Solons Hit for Using Dirty Tactics Against RH Bill

Posted Tue, 03/15/2011
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Pro-RH advocates of the Reproductive Health Advocacy Network (RHAN), the nation’s largest network of organizations and individuals working for the passage of the reproductive health law, staged a protest against "obstructionist" legislators at the gate of the House of Representatives last Tuesday, March 15.

Dr. Junice L.D. Melgar, the secretary-general of RHAN said, "Anti-RH legislators should put up intelligent arguments against the bill, not foolish schemes to obstruct the process. If they keep up with these silly stunts, the public will realize they don’t have any substantive arguments and will likely lose should the RH Bill be put to a vote now. They say they oppose the RH Bill on moral grounds, yet they have no qualms about using farcical and dirty tricks to circumvent the debates and voting. This is very un-statesmanlike!"

The 1-hour protest action at the gate featured large caricatures of legislators standing guard over roadblocks they have set up against the RH bill, and a bishop watching over the scene. Protesters carried placards which said "Kayo ay mambabatas, hindi mambabara!" ("You are lawmakers, not law-blockers!") and "Kung wala nang maikatwiran, ituloy na ang botohan!” ("If you have run out of arguments, let’s have the voting now!”). Protesting women attempted to breach the roadblock, and dramatized the deadly consequences of delays in the approval of the RH bill. The obstructionist legislators were shown laughing, playing and dancing while women suffered.

Ms. Lina Bacalando, resident of Brgy. Tonsuya in Malabon and one of the leaders of RHAN said, "Eleven women, most of them poor, are dying each day from maternal complications. Yet, these lawmakers are having fun delaying the plenary debates. They don’t seem to care that they are playing with our lives. If they have nothing more to say, they should submit the RH Bill to a vote. All we’re asking for is the chance to have an RH law!"

High resolution images:

Obstructionist legislators with bishop 1 (3.2 MB)

Obstructionist legislators with bishop 2 (2.1 MB)

Obstructionist legislators with bishop 3 (2.3 MB)