By BEN ROSARIO
Registering a vote of 134 in the affirmative, 57 in the negative, with two abstentions, the House of Representatives made legislative history Monday night by passing on third and final reading House Bill 7303 or the Absolute Divorce bill.
The legislative proposal instituting divorce in the country won bipartisan support although approval was credited by many to the intense backing of Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez,
Weak resistance coming from the Catholic church was also considered a reason for the seeming feeble opposition against the measure.
The Catholic church has been one of the staunchest oppositors of the bill.
Congressmen passed HB 7303 notwithstanding an early Malacañang declaration stating President Duterte’s objection to the bill.
Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Buhay Partylist Rep. Lito Atienza, a firm oppositor of the measure, said approval of the measure will only be an exercise in futility following Duterte’s pronouncements against the measure.
“We strongly agree with the President that divorce would be very detrimental to mothers and children,” Atienza. “We welcome and fully appreciate President Duterte’s stand against the divorce law. The President has saved the Filipino family with his strong position against divorce,” he added.
Authors and principal sponsors of the recently-passed divorce bill are prepared to convince Duterte that the measure contains sufficient provisions that would address concerns on the welfare of children of couples breaking up their marriage, Speaker Alvarez disclosed yesterday.