Tactics

The recent exchange of words between the advocates of the Reproductive Health bill and the members of Congress opposed to the measure gives us another opportunity to watch how the present set of legislators perform.

Their tactics show the extent of their expertise in legislative war. There are over 250 members of Congress and there are, therefore, more than 250 minds. Some are like “dumb driven cattle” but some “are heroes in the strife” as the poem, “Psalm of Life” tells us.

Sen. Vicente Sotto made full use of his right to speak for after all Congress is a deliberative body where speeches are a primordial right. They cannot be restrained except in some cases and in fact, they cannot be prosecuted for whatever they say inside its halls. This immunity insures a free exchange of views.

The speeches of Sotto have riled Sen. Pia Cayetano and Rep. Janette Garin, both authors of the despicable RH bill. The two women want to cut off the speeches and the Congress to move on and vote.

They forgot one thing – speeches are part of the tactics in the legislative mill and a wise legislator uses this tactic to his advantage. The two women must be concerned with the deadline that the US sponsors and financiers of the bill have imposed (they wanted it passed last November 2011), so we expect their impatience.

One of the tactics in Congress is known as filibustering – a continuing, non-stop delivery of a speech. Putting a deadline for speeches is dictatorial and tyrannical. It stymies and denies the exposition of every argument of a proposal, inane they might be.

Democracy is based on one vital character – free speech. Remove that and democracy is a farce, a phantasm that profits those who control the membership. This is the reason dictators of various kinds exert every effort to control it.

Some control it by force or by bribery as we have seen during the time of Gloria Arroyo where congressmen left Malacañang with paper bags, and recently, by Benigno Aquino III where the congressmen trooped to Malacañang. After they left the Palace, they forced the stoppage of the RH debate despite the protests of some congressmen.

The tactic did not work because the anti-RH solons demanded their right as legislators to be heard. The vote could have been made but the so-called RH bill supporters were absent and so no voting could be held.

Garin bewailed that the anti-RH solons were delaying the vote, but failed to realize that the failure of the voting was the absence of her so-called supporters.

I would not be surprised if those so-called supporters intentionally absented themselves because they did not want to vote for the bill and would have an excuse in the event they are asked by Malacañang to account for whatever was promised.

Being absent, after all is also a tactic. It is abstention without saying one is abstaining.

Rep. Roilo Golez is right – if the RH solons wanted the voting, they should have been present but they were absent and, in effect, Garin should not blame the anti for the failure of the pro.

The anti-RH congressmen have in fact sent notice that they would question the manner in which the debate was terminated. Again, that is also a tactic.

The House has failed to tackle the bill before the long holidays and will resume by August 28, but the congressmen will insist on their right to speak. I do not expect the pro-RH solons to deliver speeches since they had already received their marching orders. Of course, I can be wrong, but their actions speak louder than what they say.

The pro-RH solons are coming up with proposed amendments and PNoy has also issued instruction for these amendments. See? Who’s in charge? Is not Congress supposed to be independent from the executive? Sorry, I even asked that.

Delaying the consideration of a proposed measure is a legislative tactic used for centuries by the opposition. Filibustering and endless questioning are part of the legislative process. So, while the outcry of Garin and Cayetano is legitimate, it is pathetic. They ought to know better that questions already answered can be raised again and again ad infinitum and the legislator who knows his or her trade should have the patience to bear this all.

This delaying tactic is better than stopping the question. The cure for this tactic would be worse for our democratic law-making system.

The proponents had bewailed that the RH bill has been pending for years. Well and good, but should that not tell the solons and their foreign sponsors that this kind of law they copy from the US is not acceptable here?

Filipinos are not Americans, so that imposing an anti-culture by US educated leaders will not work.*

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