House suspends debates on FOI bill

MANILA, Philippines - With only six session days left, the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill has yet to be read on the floor for plenary debates in the House of Representatives.

The sponsorship of the FOI bill was scheduled on Tuesday but a parliamentary move by Davao del Sur Rep. Marc Douglas Cagas on an unrelated matter forced the House leadership to suspend sessions.

The debates on the US navy warship stranded on Tubbataha Reef and privileges speeches ate up most of the time yesterday.

After almost three hours, session again was suspended, much to the dismay of the FOI bill authors.

The sponsorship was supposed to start the plenary debates, the process of amendments, and possibly, the bill’s passage on second and third reading.