Aquino allies ‘killing freedom of information bill’
Monday, November 7, 2011
THE administration is “killing” the freedom of information (FOI) bill “softly”, a lawmaker said Monday after President Benigno Aquino III’s allies in Congress decided to give him more time to study the matter further.
Bayan Muna Representative Teddy Casino made these remarks on Monday, adding the President “is set not to approve the FOI bill and is now trying to condition the minds of the people.”
“As can be gleaned from the statements of majority of his allies, they are following Malacanang’s lead in trying to kill the bill,” he said. “The President would rather continue the practice of withholding vital information from the public.”
The FOI measure, which will allow easier access to government records, was excluded in the priority bills set by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac).
House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. earlier appealed to his colleagues to give President Aquino additional time to study the bill’s provisions so that the executive could come up with its own version. He said the House of Representatives would rather wait for the executive’s version to avoid wasting time in the committee level.
Aquino voted in favor of the FOI measure when he was still a member of the Senate in the 14th Congress.
“Congress has bended back too far on the FOI bill. The Committee on Public Information has delayed its deliberations and even watered down the bill just to accommodate President Aquino’s concerns. But now, he still does not want it approved and has even rallied his allies against it,” the party-list lawmaker added.
Eastern Samar Representative Ben Evardone, chairman of the House panel, earlier told reporters that the FOI measure is still being consolidated.
The FOI bill would need to pass the committee level before being sent to the plenary for debates, and approval in second and third reading. If it passes the Senate, the consolidated version should be ratified by both chambers.
In the 14th Congress, House members failed to ratify the FOI bill due to quorum problems.
For his part, Majority Leader Neptali “Boyet” Gonzales II said there should be “reasonable limitations” so as to avoid abuse once an FOI law is implemented.
In Malacanang, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the executive continues to conduct dialogue with stakeholders regarding the FOI bill.
He said they just had finished discussions with Senator Allan Peter Cayetano regarding the matter.
“The FOI bill, there is one presently in the House and we finished our discussions with Senator (Alan Peter) Cayetano and we’re still addressing some of the concerns and hopefully, we’ll be able to come up with something,” the Palace official said.
Asked if the bill is expected to be pushed within the year, he said, “We don’t know yet. I cannot put a period there. Undersecretary Manolo Quezon is in discussions with the stakeholders at this point.”
As the session in Congress resumes next week, Lacierda said President Aquino would expect their allies to fast-track the administration’s priority bills.
“We expect the House and the Senate leadership to act on those priority bills that we have filed before them,” he said. (Kathrina Alvarez/Jill Beltran/Sunnex)
Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2011/11/07/aquino-allies-killing-freedom-information-bill-189219
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