House leader: LP lawmakers may face disciplinary action over vote on RH bill

December 16, 2012 8:36am

Possible disciplinary actions await members of the ruling Liberal Party in the House of Representatives if they do not toe President Benigno Aquino III's line supporting the Reproductive Health bill on Monday's voting, a House leader hinted Sunday.

House majority leader and Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales II said Aquino, who certified the RH bill as urgent, is a high official of the LP, which has 92 members in the House of Representatives.

"The party has taken a stand. Mahirap naman (It will be difficult if) you go against it," he said in an interview on dzBB radio, when asked if LP members who do not toe the administration line may be "disciplined."

Gonzales noted that 23 to 26 of the 92 House members from LP oppose the RH bill.

When asked if these 20-plus LP members would change their position on Monday, he said, "palagay ko magkakaroon (I think they would have a change of position)."

But anti-RH bill congressman Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said they expect to overhaul the nine-vote [113 vs 104] difference last week when some 60 members who were not present at the second reading attend Monday's session.

"We expect to overcome the difference ... The battleground is the 60-plus who did not come to the voting," Rodriguez said in a separate interview on dzBB.

Members of the House of Representatives are expected to vote on the controversial bill, which will be taken up on third reading Monday.

Last Friday, President Aquino certified the bill as urgent after seeing the House of Representatives approve it on second reading with a vote of 113 to 104.

Clear message

Gonzales said Aquino's certifying the bill as urgent is a "clear message" to the LP members that Aquino is supporting the bill.

"Hindi na tulad dati sasabihin walang malinaw na sinabi ng presidente. The certification by the president, aside from the procedural advantage it gives, it sends a political message, seryoso ang presidente dito," he said.

As far as the LP is concerned, it's about time na sumoporta tayo sa position ng partido, he added.

Asked what the LP will do to members who still vote against the RH bill, Gonzales said, "haharapin namin sa tamang panahon," he said. — LBG, GMA News