Lagman: House pro-divorce vote valid

MANILA, Philippines — Absolute divorce bill principal author Rep. Edcel Lagman stood firm on the validity of the results of the voting of the bill Wednesday night, after former Senate president Tito Sotto claimed that a vote of 126 for House Bill 9349 is “lost.”

Sotto’s claim was made before the House of Representatives rectified its apparent mix-up in Wednesday’s passing on third and final reading of the absolute divorce bill, clarifying that 131 congressmen voted in its favor, and not 126 as earlier reported.

The correction came from House secretary-general Reginald Velasco, who told reporters a recount of the votes showed that the 126 was incorrect, although the 20 lawmakers who abstained still remained the same.

Sotto claimed Wednesday night via social platform X that anti-divorce House members actually won since the count in favor should have been at least 128, or a majority of the 255 quorum.

However, Lagman said the 17-vote margin among 255 congressmen made the real difference on the House’ final approval of the bill, which simply meant the nays lost.

Lagman pointed out that the 126 votes of those who voted in favor beat the 109 who were against the measure, while the 20 congressmen who abstained should not be counted in the equation because this is not a vote at all.

“I don’t think he knows how to count. It’s as if he was not Senate president,” Lagman said.

“The votes we only count here are how many congressmen who voted yes, and how many who voted no. The yes votes beat the no votes. It’s as simple as that,” Lagman expounded further.

“We don’t count, or we exclude the abstentions because it’s a no vote at all – it’s neither a yes nor a no,” he said.

Sotto is a known advocate against the passage of the divorce bill.

“Anyway, either way – small gap or big gap – it’s still victory,” the Bicolano legislator maintained.

Meanwhile, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines - Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs executive secretary Fr. Jerome Secillano said lawmakers who supported the bill legalizing divorce violated their constitutional mandate to protect marriage and the family.

“It’s not surprising anymore. The Lower House always passed it in previous Congress. We already have existing legal remedies to couple separation and yet Congress decided to add more,” he said.

“It’s a betrayal of their constitutional mandate to uphold marriage and the family,” Secillano added.

The absolute divorce bill reportedly provides the limited grounds and well-defined judicial procedures for divorce and aims to save children from the pain, stress, and agony brought about by their parents’ marital clashes or irreconcilable differences.

It also reportedly allows divorced spouses the right to marry again for another chance at marital bliss.

But the priest said it was incorrect to assume that divorce is the solution to all marital problems. “The fact remains that divorce is not the ultimate solution to problematic unions.

“In essence, divorce is anti-family, anti-marriage and anti-children,” Secillano added. – Evelyn Macairan