Cha-cha almost hopeless, House leader admits
01/18/2010 | 04:56 PM
The House of Representatives might not push through with its plan to lay the groundwork for Charter change, Speaker Prospero Nograles said Monday before the resumption of Congress session.
At a press conference, Nograles expressed apprehension over continuing deliberations on House Concurrent Resolution No. 32, which proposes the election of delegates for a constitutional convention on Oct. 25, 2010, as he noted the Senate's inaction on the issue.
"Mukhang dedma naman sa Senado (The Senate seems to be ignoring it)," he said. "I don't want to waste time debating on something which the Senate would not act upon."
House Resolution 1109, which calls on Congress to convene into a constituent assembly to amend the 1987 Constitution, was approved by the House June last year.
Many senators, however, have rejected the resolution.
When asked whether the House will give up all efforts to amend the Charter, Nograles said he will still talk to House Majority Leader Arthur Defensor Sr. whether they still have time to discuss HCR No. 32 on the floor.
Nograles said he is not keen on conducting a special session to tackle more pending legislation.
"It might be difficult to muster a quorum when you call them back for a special session," he said, as he noted that many congressmen are already gearing up for the campaign season.
Congress resumed session after a month-long holiday break Monday afternoon. The two chambers have only nine session days to act on priority measures, which include HCR No. 32, before it adjourns again on February 5 for the election campaign period.
Bill vs cybercrime
Among the priority bills are the CyberCrime Prevention Act of 2009, which penalizes illegal access to computer systems; offenses against confidentiality, integrity, and availability of computer data and systems; illegal interception of data; and misuse of devices, among others.
The bill has been approved on second reading and is currently up for third reading. But Kabataan Rep. Raymond Palatino warned against the bill's approval, saying it may be used to stifle freedom of expression.
"The definition of 'cybercrime' in the bill is vague and its scope overly-broad that it may criminalize ordinary electronic activities of any Tom, Dick, or Harry who uses the Internet, a mobile phone, or any electronic device," Palatino said in a statement.
Palatino said lawmakers should first remedy the "breadth and vagueness" of the bill.
"What the government should do is to strengthen its IT (information technology) network, improve the IT infrastructure, and foster the development of IT in the country in order to empower institutions and individuals against malicious technological infringements," added the young lawmaker.
Freedom of Information bill
Earlier in the day, over a hundred activists representing civil society and media groups asked the House leadership to ensure the immediate enactment of the Freedom of Information bill, which addresses the lack of implementing procedures on the public's access to government data.
"The Freedom of Information Law will empower all of us to plant the seeds of strategic and irreversible governance reform in the country," said the Right to Information Right Now! Network in a statement.
The two chambers of Congress approved their separate versions of the measure last year.
The group, which rallied in front of the Batasan Pambansa, urged the House to either adopt the Senate's version of the measure or to quickly designate delegates to the bicameral conference committee.
Nograles said he will look into the issue, adding that delegates would likely be selected within the week.
Under the bill, all government agencies are required to make available to public for scrutiny, copying and reproduction all information pertaining to official acts, transactions or decisions, as well as government research data used as basis for policy development, regardless of their physical form or format in which they are contained and by whom they were made. - Johanna Camille Sisante/RSJ/KBK, GMANews.TV
At a press conference, Nograles expressed apprehension over continuing deliberations on House Concurrent Resolution No. 32, which proposes the election of delegates for a constitutional convention on Oct. 25, 2010, as he noted the Senate's inaction on the issue.
"Mukhang dedma naman sa Senado (The Senate seems to be ignoring it)," he said. "I don't want to waste time debating on something which the Senate would not act upon."
House Resolution 1109, which calls on Congress to convene into a constituent assembly to amend the 1987 Constitution, was approved by the House June last year.
Many senators, however, have rejected the resolution.
When asked whether the House will give up all efforts to amend the Charter, Nograles said he will still talk to House Majority Leader Arthur Defensor Sr. whether they still have time to discuss HCR No. 32 on the floor.
Nograles said he is not keen on conducting a special session to tackle more pending legislation.
"It might be difficult to muster a quorum when you call them back for a special session," he said, as he noted that many congressmen are already gearing up for the campaign season.
Congress resumed session after a month-long holiday break Monday afternoon. The two chambers have only nine session days to act on priority measures, which include HCR No. 32, before it adjourns again on February 5 for the election campaign period.
Bill vs cybercrime
Among the priority bills are the CyberCrime Prevention Act of 2009, which penalizes illegal access to computer systems; offenses against confidentiality, integrity, and availability of computer data and systems; illegal interception of data; and misuse of devices, among others.
The bill has been approved on second reading and is currently up for third reading. But Kabataan Rep. Raymond Palatino warned against the bill's approval, saying it may be used to stifle freedom of expression.
"The definition of 'cybercrime' in the bill is vague and its scope overly-broad that it may criminalize ordinary electronic activities of any Tom, Dick, or Harry who uses the Internet, a mobile phone, or any electronic device," Palatino said in a statement.
Palatino said lawmakers should first remedy the "breadth and vagueness" of the bill.
"What the government should do is to strengthen its IT (information technology) network, improve the IT infrastructure, and foster the development of IT in the country in order to empower institutions and individuals against malicious technological infringements," added the young lawmaker.
Freedom of Information bill
Earlier in the day, over a hundred activists representing civil society and media groups asked the House leadership to ensure the immediate enactment of the Freedom of Information bill, which addresses the lack of implementing procedures on the public's access to government data.
"The Freedom of Information Law will empower all of us to plant the seeds of strategic and irreversible governance reform in the country," said the Right to Information Right Now! Network in a statement.
The two chambers of Congress approved their separate versions of the measure last year.
The group, which rallied in front of the Batasan Pambansa, urged the House to either adopt the Senate's version of the measure or to quickly designate delegates to the bicameral conference committee.
Nograles said he will look into the issue, adding that delegates would likely be selected within the week.
Under the bill, all government agencies are required to make available to public for scrutiny, copying and reproduction all information pertaining to official acts, transactions or decisions, as well as government research data used as basis for policy development, regardless of their physical form or format in which they are contained and by whom they were made. - Johanna Camille Sisante/RSJ/KBK, GMANews.TV
