Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua felt compelled to explain his "yes" vote to the proposed Absolute Divorce Law on Thursday, May 30, over a week after the measure was approved on third and final reading by the House of Representatives.
Lone Manila solon who backed divorce bill airs side as voting controversy rages
May 30, 2024 02:29 AM
At a glance
Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua (Facebook)
Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua felt compelled to explain his "yes" vote to the proposed Absolute Divorce Law on Thursday, May 30, over a week after the measure was approved on third and final reading by the House of Representatives.
"I voted my conscience. I firmly believe voting on the divorce bill should not be based on religion," Chua said in a statement.
"We should be inclusive when making decisions especially about governance because governance is not about religion. Governance is about what is right and just for everyone," said the congressman.
"We should give our people choices. Lack of choices is another form of poverty. Happiness is a right everyone should enjoy," stressed Chua.
Chua acknowledged that, among Manila's six congressmen, he only was the only one who voted in favor of House Bill (HB) No.9349 during plenary session last May 22.
ALSO READ:
The bill was announced as approved on third and final reading following the nominal vote result of 126-109-20 (yes-no-abstain).
The affirmative or yes votes were later corrected to 131, after some House members contended that HB No.9349's failure to get a majority vote (126 against 129) meant that it failed to pass third reading.
The voting controversy aside, Chua says his respect for society’s laws "require that I respect and enforce the civil rights and due process inherently deserved by every citizen, including spouses and their children trapped and held hostage in marriages that have collapsed beyond repair and threaten death or serious injury to them".