FOI backers hope scam will boost bill’s chances

Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat: Pass the bill. PHOTO FROM CONGRESS.GOV.PH

MANILA, Philippines—Supporters of the freedom of information (FOI) bill intend to harness the public outrage over the misuse of pork barrel funds in order to convince lawmakers to finally pass the measure.

The unfolding pork barrel scam, which has moved an archbishop and the chief public auditor to tears, has incensed the citizenry and given rise to calls to scrap the Priority Development Assistance Fund, or pork barrel, of members of Congress.

Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat, one of those pushing for an FOI law, said Sunday the people’s demands for reforms could bolster the move to pass the bill, since it was apparent the lack of transparency and accountability gave rise to the abuse and misuse of the public funds in the billions of pesos.

“Because there is a strong clamor for reforms in the PDAF, this could be the springboard for a public clamor for the FOI bill, something that Malacañang desired before it would certify the bill [as urgent],” Baguilat said.

“We can say that with an FOI law, we will be able to prevent scams because the citizens have a mechanism for fighting corruption.”

He said allies of Malacañang caught up in the controversy should push for an FOI law to show that they are sincere in their efforts to clear their names and that they are not afraid of the truth.

Nepomuceno Malaluan of the Right to Know, Right Now! Coalition said the scandal could contribute to heightening public demand for an FOI law.

But he also believed this could have an adverse effect on Congress, since some lawmakers may all the more try to block the bill to cover up their roles in the fund misuse.

“Based on our assessment, there will be a lot of roadblocks against the bill, not only because of this issue, but because of they learned from the past. They have become more and more effective at blocking it,” he said.

He noted that both the 14th and 15th Congress used delaying tactics to block the measure’s passage. The FOI bill was passed on third and final reading in previous Senates but was always shot down in the House of Representatives.

The FOI bill would make government transactions and processes more open and transparent to the public to facilitate good governance.

A version of the bill filed by the Right to Know, Right Now! Coalition, through a petition for an indirect initiative, states that there should be a legal presumption in favor of access to information, and that government agencies would have the burden of proving that the information requested was exempt from disclosure.