House-approved divorce bill transmitted to Senate, says Lagman

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MANILA, Philippines — The absolute divorce bill, which the House of Representatives passed on the third and final reading last May 22, has been transmitted to the Senate, Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman said on Wednesday.

In a statement, Lagman said House Bill No. 9349 “was finally transmitted to the Senate as contained in a letter dated June 10, 2024, from House Secretary General Reginald S. Velasco to Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero.”

According to the lawmaker, the transmittal was in compliance with his request. Lagman is the principal author of the divorce bill.

READ: Divorce and annulment in the Philippines: An explainer

“This means that the transmittal to the Senate will not wait for the plenary action of the House when the sessions start on July 22, 2024, as previously announced by Velasco,” Lagman said.

READ: 50% OKs divorce for ‘irreconcilably separated’ couples – SWS

Earlier, Lagman revealed that the Office of the Secretary General deferred the measure’s transmittal to the upper chamber.

READ: Why the Philippines needs divorce, according to Cebu lawyers

“The purported reason for the delay is that there is a need to report for the plenary’s action the corrected affirmative votes from 126 to 131,” Lagman said in a letter released to the media on May 29.

“I beg to disagree. There is no need to wait. Whether the affirmative margin was 126 against 109, as initially reported by the staff of the Office of the Secretary General, or 131 to 109, as subsequently corrected on the same day, the irreversible fact is that the affirmative votes got the majority of those who voted with the presence of a quorum and without the abstentions being counted,” he then asserted.

The lawmaker pointed out that even though there are adjustments in the affirmative votes but none in the negative, then the ultimate result of voting will not be altered.