Bishop Pabillo commends Senate for moving FOI bill a step forward

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo. INQUIRER file photo

A Catholic bishop on Sunday praised the Senate for moving the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill a step forward, and urged the House of Representatives to do the same.

Manila Auxuliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo noted that the Senate committee on public information had sponsored a committee report consolidating the FOI bill.

“This is commendable [because] it means that the issue of the FOI bill has improved in the Senate,” Pabillo said at the general assembly of the Kilusang 99% Movement held at the Catholic Bishops’  Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) compound in Intramuros, Manila, on Thursday.

“I hope that the House of Representatives will also initiate the approval of the FOI bill,” said Pabillo, also the chair of the Catholic Bishops’ National Secretariat for Social Action (Nassa).

“We are challenging the House to do their part. If we really want transparency, approve the FOI bill,” said the prelate.

Last week, the Senate committee on public information headed by Senator Gregorio Honasan submitted the FOI bill to the plenary for deliberations.

The prelate said he strongly believed the FOI bill would aid in resolving the lack of transparency among government officials such as in the case of Renato Corona who was ousted from his post as Chief Justice for misdeclaring his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth.

Pabillo lamented how the FOI bill failed to advance during the 14th Congress due to “lack of interest” among its members.

At the assembly, Pabillo and the movement called on Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to  “stand on the side of the people” and include the passage of the measure in Congress. Jocelyn R. Uy