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No to Divorce!!!
Get well soon Nanay Angelita Santiago-Lopez
House pro-divorce vote valid
By Nidz Godino
"I don't think he knows how to count…as if he was not Senate president," Rep. Edcel Lagman stood firm on validity of results of voting of bill, after former Senate president Tito Sotto claimed that vote of 126 for House Bill 9349 is "lost."
Sotto's claim was made before House of Representatives rectified its apparent mix-up in passing on third and final reading of absolute divorce bill, clarifying that 131 congressmen voted in its favor, and not 126 as earlier reported.
Correction came from House secretary-general Reginald Velasco, who told reporters recount of votes showed that 126 was incorrect, although 20 lawmakers who abstained still remained the same.
Sotto claimed via social platform X that anti-divorce House members actually won since count in favor should have been at least 128, or majority of 255 quorum.
However, Lagman said 17-vote margin among 255 congressmen made real difference on House' final approval of bill, simply meant nays lost.
Lagman pointed out that 126 votes of those who voted in favor beat 109 who were against measure, while 20 congressmen who abstained should not be counted in equation because this is not vote at all.
"Votes we only count here are how many congressmen who voted yes, and how many who voted no… yes votes beat no votes… simple as that, we don't count, or we exclude abstentions because it's no vote at all, neither yes nor no, " Lagman expounded further.
Sotto is known advocate against passage of divorce bill.
"Anyway, either way small gap or big gap it's still victory," Bicolano legislator maintained.
Meanwhile, Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines - Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs executive secretary Fr. Jerome Secillano said lawmakers who supported bill legalizing divorce violated their constitutional mandate to protect marriage and family.
"It's not surprising anymore... Lower House always passed it in previous Congress…we already have existing legal remedies to couple separation and yet Congress decided to add more, betrayal of their constitutional mandate to uphold marriage and family, " he said.
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Absolute divorce bill reportedly provides limited grounds and well-defined judicial procedures for divorce and aims to save children from pain, stress, and agony brought about by their parents' marital clashes or irreconcilable differences.
It also reportedly allows divorced spouses right to marry again for another chance at marital bliss.
But priest said it was incorrect to assume that divorce is solution to all marital problems. "Fact remains that divorce is not ultimate solution to problematic unions…in essence, divorce is anti-family, anti-marriage and anti-children," Secillano added.
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