Garin on mic scuffle over DOH budget hearing: ‘It was an unfortunate incident’

The tension that rose over a microphone scuffle during the plenary deliberations of the Department of Health (DOH) budget was an 'unfortunate incident' that begs for understanding from the public, according to House Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin.

"Emotional outbursts typically occur when passions run high during clashes of views between opposing legislators, especially when they are deliberating on the general appropriations bill under time pressure," said Garin in a press statement.

She issued the statement following a rash of the public on social media, whose views may cause unintentional damage to the integrity of the lawmaking process.

“Liwanagin lang natin na yung viral video tungkol sa proseso ng debate ay hindi bastusan sa pagitan ng mga nagtatalong miyembro ng Kamara kundi mainitang paggiit ng ideya at mungkahi ng bawat panig habang hinahabol na maipasa sa mga huling oras ng pinakahuling gabi ng session ang panukalang batas para sa ating pambansang budget,” she said.

The Iloilo representative stated that she has become emotional because she wants to improve public health care and not cut the DOH budget.

“Tatlong araw nang pabalik-balik ang taga-DOH para maisaayos ang budget para sa kanilang mga programang maibigay ang maayos na serbisyo sa Filipino… kaya nang makita kong inagaw ng isang kongresista ang mikropono para sa kanyang paulit-ulit na pagtangkang mabalam ang proseso ay agaran kong sinuportahan ang mosyon ng minority na tapusin ang balitaktakan sa plenaryo,” Garin explained.

During the final night of House plenary deliberation of the DOH budget on Wednesday, Agri party-list Representative Wilbert Lee tried to interrupt Senior Deputy Minority Leader Paul Daza and grabbed the microphone while the latter was moving to terminate the deliberations on the DOH budget.

This prompted Garin to move to terminate the plenary deliberations abruptly.

DOH's proposed budget was initially deliberated last Monday, September 23, but Lee requested to have the discussions postponed due to some of his concerns.

The House leadership explained that there needed to be more time for Lee's requests as it was the last day of the session, and the House needed to pass the budget bill before the break, considering that all the requests of Lee to DOH have been considered.

“Ang problema lang doon, ‘yung iba niyang hinihingi ay hindi kayang agad-agad…May mga proseso ‘yan, may mga papeles, may mga board resolutions na hindi kayang i-present within that day,” Garin added.

She then noted that she already discussed the issue with Lee, who agreed that what happened was purely work-related and nothing personal, "and all is well that ends well." — BAP, GMA Integrated News