Hontiveros, Pia Cayetano in testy exchange over hospital detention law

Senators Pia Cayetano (left) and Risa Hontiveros —INQUIRER FILE

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate’s special session on Wednesday saw a heated debate between Senators Pia Cayetano and Risa Hontiveros over amendments to Republic Act No. 9439, or the antihospital detention law, bringing to mind an earlier encounter between the two lawmakers last month.

Cayetano, who authored RA 9439, questioned the amendments put forward by Hontiveros under Senate Bill No. 1511.

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SB 1511 proposes that indigent patients endorsed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) be exempt from executing a promissory note, which is required so deceased or discharged patients with outstanding balance could be released.

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Upon the execution of a promissory note, the patients’ bills would be covered by the government.

“How much impact will this have on our private hospitals that no longer have promissory notes?” Cayetano asked, citing that there are areas with no public hospitals.

READ: PhilHealth urged to scrap 24-hour confinement rule

Hontiveros explained that the promissory note will be issued upon the submission of five items provided in the bill: a mortgage, a guarantee of the co-maker, a deed of assignment either from the Social Security System or the Government Service Insurance System, or a guarantee letter from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, the DSWD or Department of Health.

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The government, meanwhile, will step in and endorse a note for indigent patients.

“At least in the interim, between when the indigent patient should be discharged even if he still has a balance on the bill and when the hospital is actually compensated, these are the substitutes that are seen as promissory notes or guarantees,” said Hontiveros, chair of the committee on health.

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Cayetano, however, pointed out that the mechanisms Hontiveros mentioned were not indicated in the bill.

“Should we suspend? Because what her honor is saying is not written in the bill. So I don’t know if her honor would like me to approach and try to explain. Because I understand what her honor is trying to say. What I’m saying is, it’s not written in the bill,” Cayetano said.

After a few more exchanges, Hontiveros yielded, saying the term “guarantee note” would be used in place of “promissory note” to avoid the confusion.

‘Disaster’ for hospitals

Cayetano then brought up the expenses to cover private hospitals, asking whether private health institutions were invited during the hearing on the bill.

READ: DOH: Valenzuela private hospital liable for violating anti-detention law

“We have to find out where we will get this amount to support these private hospitals. Otherwise, this is a disaster because what will happen is, they will end up lining at Malacañang, begging not to pass this law,” Cayetano said.

Hontiveros then took exception to the use of the term “disaster.”

“Definitely, this is not going to turn out to be a disaster. The whole point of the bill, as the gentle lady herself has said, is to amend and update the original law,” she said.

Cayetano insisted on the use of the word, saying, “The small private hospitals have practically bent, kneeled down in front of us, begging us for support. So if we bear this burden, and we don’t consider the burden on them, then it’s a disaster for them.”

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian intervened, suggesting that the language be looked over once more, particularly in clarifying that indigents would be paid for through the DSWD, while non-indigents would still need promissory notes.

Hontiveros conceded and welcomed the suggestions.

Not the first

This was not the first time that Cayetano had confronted Hontiveros in plenary.

On May 20, Cayetano turned emotional when she took the floor to react to Hontiveros’ privilege speech, where the latter mentioned that the Senate cannot act as though nothing happened (“na parang walang nangyari”) following a shooting incident and the escape of Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa from authorities.

Dela Rosa is wanted by the International Criminal Court as co-perpetrator of former President Rodrigo Duterte in crimes against humanity committed during the antidrug war.

“‘It’s as if nothing happened.’ That is the statement of our honorable Senator Hontiveros,” Cayetano said, proceeding to narrate how those who were at the Senate, including staff members, when the shooting happened feared for their lives.

She lamented that her colleagues, supposedly referring to the then minority bloc that included Hontiveros, did not even bother to check on their well-being following the incident.

Last Wednesday, 13 senators elected Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate President, effectively ousting Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano’s brother, who occupied the post for 28 days.

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The Cayetano bloc snubbed the morning special session, when the body also concluded amendments and approved several bills. Pia Cayetano showed up in the afternoon session. /cb