Elusive FOI

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

Despite the series of corruption charges hounding high government officials, proponents for approval of the Freedom of Information Bill may have to wait until late next year--  if ever.

Deliberations by the House of Representatives on the FOI bill have taken a back seat to pave the way for the passage of the priority administration measures but its approval will be likely done late next year, Ifugao Rep. Teodoro Baguilat, Jr. said.

According to Baguilat, versions of the FOI bill have been consolidated but these have yet to be refined in the committee level of the House which will be submitted for plenary debates. But then, the administration’s priority on the passage of the Bangsa Moro bill, economic charter change and anti-political dynasty bill have moved back timetable for the passage of the important legislation.

“The FOI bill proponents are willing to give way for the passage of the key administration measures but the bill will likely be passed in Congress later next year,” Baguilat said.

He said the House committee on public information will complete the final committee report on the FOI bill before the end of the year and will be ready for plenary debates, revisions and amendments right after the House acts upon three priority administration measures, particularly the Bangsa Moro bill, economic charter change bill and the anti-political dynasty bill now being deliberated by House committees.

Baguilat, one of  prime movers of the FOI bill in the House, said contentious issues which are still being ironed out in the committee level include its provisions on national security and privileged communications of the President which are not supposed to be absolute.

“Most of the FOI bill authors understand that there should be exemptions but such exemptions should not be used to cover up a crime or any wrong doing,” Baguilat said.

However, he added sectors who are not satisfied by the use of privileged communication can still question the provision in court and it will be up to the court to decide whether or not the information is highly confidential or it must be divulged to the public.

On the issue of right to reply, Baguilat noted such provision was not included in the version of the FOI bill which was filed in the present Congress considering that a separate bill was filed by advocates of the right to replay in relation to the said matter.

He said most authors of the new version of the FOI were advocates of the right to reply in the previous Congress but it was made clear that the FOI bill does not only cover the media but all government transactions.

Baguilat said the FOI bill concerns the constitutional right of the citizens to free access to information while the right to reply is confined purely on media reporting dictating and invoking editorial policies.

The lawmaker said authors of the right to reply realized their sponsorship to the FOI bill will not be affected during the committee and plenary deliberations as it was made clear to them that the said matters are two different issues which must be separately discussed.

He called on FOI advocates not to lose hope relative to the passage of the bill as Congress will act on it after all priority administration measures which are now pending shall have been acted upon in the coming months.