The Secretary of the Department of Justice, Domingo Emmanuel Hernandezexpressed his opposition to Senate Bill 693, which would restrict abortion at 22 weeks of gestation, because he understands that the measure establishes a feasibility term above medical criteria and would entail an undue burden on health professionals and women .
“Medical judgment must be respected. (…) It would be placing an undue burden on that mother when, at the most, she has a medical plan. If she does not have a medical plan, it would be putting the poor women of this country in a very complicated situation.”, stressed Emanuelli Hernández in the second public hearing from the Leopoldo Figueroa room of the Capitol.
In addition, the Secretary of Justice denounced that his right to freedom of expression has been restricted on several occasions by the legislator Joanne Rodriguez Vevewho is presiding over the public hearings of the Commission on Life and Family Affairs.
“That respect runs even, from you to me. It has restricted my right of expression. I feel intimidated in the way that you are asking me. He hasn’t let me answer him. What you want is to guide my answers, but I owe it to the people of Puerto Rico and you are putting doctors in a legal problem”, repeated the lawyer at the insistence of Senator Rodríguez Veve.
In the first part of the second hearing, senators were also present. Migdalia Gonzalez Arroyo; president of the Women’s Affairs Commission; Nitza Moran Trinidad; Ana Irma Rivera Lassen; Juan Zaragoza Gomez; Maria de Lourdes Santiago; Elizabeth Rose; Jose Vargas Vidot; Marissa Jimenez.
The only co-author of the project present at the hearing is the legislator Rodríguez Veve. “In Puerto Rico, there has never been legislation to restrict abortion. It is one of the least restrictive jurisdictions in relation to abortion… and it is to this scenario that we dedicate ourselves, “Rodríguez Veve indicated, for her part, before beginning the testimony of Emanuelli Hernández.
“States cannot impose undue burdens in relation to this right (to abortion). We understand that a specific term should not be established, but should be left to the discretion of the doctor”, Emanuelli Hernández insisted in his presentation.
Rodríguez Veve, who chairs the hearings, explained at the beginning of the process that performing an abortion on the island is legal at any time. However, in practice, most abortions are performed in the first trimester and less than 1% of terminations occur after 22 weeks of gestation, according to perinatologists consulted by The new day.
While Senator Rodríguez Veve insisted on asking about the legal reference of the case of Planned Parenthood del Sudeste de Pennsylvania v. Caseyof 1992, the secretary defended that project 693 presents “unconstitutional problems” in relation to the jurisprudence in Puerto Rico.
Senator Rodríguez Veve’s question time lasted more than 40 minutes and she insisted on testifying instead of asking the deponent. Likewise, she was criticized by her classmates for using the presidency to promote her project.
During the testimonies, images of fetuses were presented on the hearing screens, which was classified as undemocratic for a discussion that is impartial and informed.
“With all due respect, senator, you ask the questions, but you have to respect my answer. I have to say what I think and not what you say”, he replied annoyed at the constant interruptions from legislator Rodríguez Veve.
The Dignity Project legislator defended that her project presumes the viability of the fetus. However, the Attorney General deferred because this legislation would place an undue burden on health professionals. “The important thing, senator, is the medical criteria,” stressed Emanuelli Hernández.
The secretary pointed out, on multiple occasions, that the project has unconstitutional problems when explaining that the jurisprudence in Puerto Rico is broader in relation to the right to privacy. He indicated that they can legislate, “but the courts are going to turn the legislation around because they must be clear criteria.”
He stressed that it is not possible to “box” all cases of fetuses as if they are viable or not because, as prenatal health experts have recognized to El Nuevo Día, the viability of a fetus is indeterminate.
“In all honesty and understanding your good intentions, we are taking the experts away from the medical faculty. We must legislate for the people. (…) It has the power to legislate, but I want you to analyze it. That, regardless of religion, what they legislate for the country must be evaluated, in terms of the country’s income and the human rights that have been protected so much”, declared the secretary.
In addition, the Secretary of Justice recognized that not all women have access to a medical plan or live in very precarious health conditions to continue with a pregnancy or receive prenatal care. “It is so important that they listen to women’s groups in Puerto Rico because the life and pain that a woman goes through is so different from what I could experience,” he stressed.
“I don’t get carried away by how many states (restrict or limit it). Also, in many states the death penalty is allowed, and here it will not be applied,” Emanuelli Hernández said when questioned by the president of the commission about the fact that in other states there are many laws to restrict abortion.
During their question time, some legislators thought that the treatment offered to the Secretary of Justice was disrespectful. “Since this is not an interpellation, I apologize for his testimony,” Rivera Lassén said.
“I think I am the person who has been in the Legislative Assembly the longest in this room. It is not my position, as a legislator, to ensure that the witnesses adjust their testimonies to what we want. This is not a court, this is a place where we try, recognizing the differences that exist between us, to promote a frank and honest dialogue. I am afraid that this is not the tone that has prevailed on the part of the chairmanship of Mrs Rodríguez Veve’s committee”, said Santiago Negrón, spokesman for the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP).
“I invite you to evaluate your participation in previews,” the senator from Proyecto Dignidad replied to Santiago Negrón.
Rivera Lassén requested an order shift to question whether the president of the commission was going to take a shift whenever she deemed it necessary. Rodríguez Veve replied that in accordance with the legislative regulations, it allows the process to be like this.
For his part, Senator Vargas Vidot also asked for another point of order, but the Legislator from Proyecto Dignidad decided to deny it. In addition, he denounced that there is no balance in the discussion since, of three days of hearings, two of them were granted to papers in favor of the project despite the fact that there are more deponents against.
“It does not follow the spirit of a public hearing, which is precisely to optimize a bill. The participation of senators should not be interrupted. The regulation, which the president also signed, stipulates that the spokespersons of the parties, of the commissions and the independent senator have 10 minutes for interrogations. So, for the moment they restrict my right (with 5 minutes)”, denounced Vargas Vidot.
During the second day, they will testify on 10 deponents against the 693 project, including the Matria Project, Health Workshop, Free Abortion, the College of Surgeons, the obstetrician-gynecologist Yari Vale Moreno, the Association of Psychologists and the former president of the Senate Eduardo Bhatia Gautier .