Noy hit for not certifying FOI bill as urgent

MANILA, Philippines - Former Manila representative Benny Abante yesterday scored President Aquino for withdrawing his certification on the Freedom of Information (FOI) as a urgent measure that needs immediate passage by Congress.

“Disappointing, discouraging, and disheartening,” Abante said in reaction to Aquino’s recent justification for the non-certification of the FOI as urgent, saying it is not a matter of national emergency.

“The President should certify the FOI bill as urgent since battling corruption is a matter of national emergency in our country – and any means to combat graft should be considered as such,” he said.

Abante said the President’s statements “betrayed a poor understanding” of the issues involved in the FOI advocacy.

“This is not about his administration or any specific administration; what we want is to institutionalize measures that will deter and expose corruption at all levels of government. For someone who purportedly claims to be a champion of good governance, the President’s lukewarm reaction to FOI is perplexing,” he said.

Abante, the former chairman of the House committee on public information, stressed that presidential support was preferable.

He said administration allies in the House of Representatives have interpreted the President’s lack of enthusiasm for the FOI bill “as a clear sign that FOI is not a legislative priority of his administration.”

Abante was hopeful that the growing clamor for the FOI bill would encourage the President to change his mind about the proposed measure.

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, however, said there is no need for President Aquino to certify FOI as an urgent measure for its immediate passage in Congress.

Castelo said the FOI bill is one of the priorities listed by the House leadership led by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. amid the growing outcry over the Aquino administration’s failure to support the transparency and anti-corruption measure.

“There’s no need for us to wait for any marching orders or imprimatur from the President,” Castelo said.

“We should, and we will, take up the cudgels for our respective constituents and the people who want greater transparency and accountability in government,” he said.

Castelo said the lawmakers are duty-bound and under moral obligation to pass the FOI bill as soon as possible.

“We will marshal forces and consensus for this even if some sectors and individuals are blocking it,” he added.

The FOI bill remains stalled at the committee on public information currently chaired by Misamis Occidental Rep. Jorge Almonte, whom several authors said appeared to be acting upon orders from Malacañang to delay its passage until 2016 so the administration will not be covered by it.

The 24 authors have agreed among themselves to consolidate their respective versions to speed up the process, but Almonte appeared not be keen on convening the committee as often as it should. The last committee meeting was held several months back.

Parañaque City Rep. Gustavo Tambunting, another author of the bill, said the enactment of such a measure into law would go a long way in preventing and minimizing corruption.

“Without an FOI law, public officials can withhold certain documents, claiming confidentiality when all they want to do is to keep secret their wrongdoings,” Tambunting said.

Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, also a proponent of the FOI bill, earlier expressed her frustration over the slow pace of deliberations on the measure, saying “technicalities” were being raised by some opposing the measure.

Pampanga Rep. Oscar Rodriguez, chairman of the committee on good government and public accountability, said the measure is necessary for transparency in the military.

Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon earlier said Malacañang’s refusal to disclose details of the Disbursement Acceleration Program, parts of which were declared to be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, may prove to be “the single largest stumbling block” to the passage of the FOI bill.