14th Congress betrays people on FOI bill – CBCP

(Updated 1:27 p.m.) The 14th Congress, which adjourned on Friday, lost the honor to bequeath Philippine democracy with a landmark act by failing to ratify the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said Sunday. The organization mourns with the Filipino people for a lost opportunity, Fr. Edu Gariguez, executive secretary of the CBCP- National Secretariat for Social Action, said. “The failure of Congress to pass the Freedom of Information bill is a shameless betrayal," Gariguez said. The House of Representatives failed to muster a quorum on its last day in session. Despite this, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said he would continue fighting for its eventual passage in the 15th Congress. Had the bill been ratified and become law, it would have allowed people to access to public records and required government agencies to make available to the public all information pertaining to official acts, transactions, and government research data. Miguel Zubiri said it was a very sad day for Filipinos and the press people. "Lahat tayo may karapatan na tingnan at suriin ang mga transactions ng gobyerno. I am so sad," he said on dzBB radio on Sunday. He said that the FOI would be one of the top priority bills for the 15th Congress, and that he and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile would continue to push for its passage. "Itinutulak po talaga namin yan. Tatapusin namin yan nang maaga," he said. Asked if the bill was not passed because of a possible cover-up to protect administration officials from investigations into alleged graft and corrupt deals, Zubiri said that it was possible. "Posible, dahil yung mga humaharang ang mga kasama din namin sa administrasyon. Ngayon wala na kayong karapatan humingi ng dokumento, dahil pinatay na yung FOI bill," he said. Enrile meanwhile said in a separate interview on dzBB radio that they had done their part, and more. "Nagawa na namin yung dapat naming gawin. We even went beyond to request our counterpart in the lower chamber, in the House of Representatives, to ratify the bicameral conference report." He pointed at the lower chamber for its non-ratification. "The only thing is that there were disagreeing positions na inayos sa bicameral committee, and a report was made, and yung report na yun niratify na ng Senate noong Pebrero, pero naging pending sa House," he said. "We cannot command them, demand from them. We only appealed to them. Na sa kanila yun," he said. Enrile said the FOI bill would remain the priority and that he would sponsor its re-filing in the 15th Congress. "That’s ours. If need be, then I would sponsor it. Who oppose that? The Senate already approved that." Negros media practitioners also condemned the bill's death. “The lack of quorum indicates the lack of interest among legislators to pass the bill. If the House can swiftly pass a law like the Expanded Value Added Tax, that is disadvantageous to the people, there is no reason why it cannot do the same for the Freedom of Information bill," Julius Mariveles, Negros Press Club president, said in an article posted Saturday on the Visayan Daily Star. He added the non-passage of the bill will only fuel suspicions that most congressmen, instead of championing and promoting the people’s right to know, are still shielding officials such as outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Public scrutiny of officials like Mrs. Arroyo would have been enhanced had the FOI bill become law, he said. Ralph Belzunce, head of Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas Negros Occidental, said the lack of interest by some congressmen in passing the bill only showed their lack of sincerity in their campaign promises to eliminate graft and corruption. House Speaker Prospero Nograles adjourned the session Friday after a roll call showed only 128 lawmakers were present while 135 would constitute a quorum. —Ma. Carmela Guanzon Lapeña/VS, GMANews.TV