Aquino won’t rush approval of FOI bill–Coloma

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang will not rush the approval of the Freedom of Information bill amid advocates asking that it be certified as urgent.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma on Tuesday reiterated President Benigno Aquino III’s stand to avoid imposing on an independent branch of government.

“Makailang beses na ring naitanong yan…ilang beses na ring natugunan…[The President] is very circumspect with the use of presidential power. Kaya’t ititimbang po muna kung kailangan bang gamitin iyon,” Coloma said during a Palace press briefing.

(That has been asked many times…and responded to many times also…The President is very circumspect with the use of presidential power. That is why we have to weigh first if it is really necessary.)

The statement came a day after the Senate passed its version of the FOI bill on third and final reading. Critics meanwhile complained that the counterpart bill in the House of Representatives has yet to be approved at the committee level.

“Hindi naman siya (the President) gumamit ng pamimilit o pamumuwersa, at kahit mga kaalyado ng administrasyon ay hinayaang bumoto ayon sa kanilang konsensya at ayon sa panawagan ng kanilang mga constituent,” Coloma explained.

(The president does not use coercion or force and even the allies of the administration are free to vote based on their conscience and the stand of their constituents.)

The spokesperson said the same was done during the congressional deliberations of the reproductive health bill.

“Nais ko ring ipunto na even without the enactment by Congress of an FOI Bill, isina-kongkreto na ng ating pamahalaan ang maraming prinsipyo na nagtataguyad sa openness, transparency, full disclosure, at accountability of public officials,” he said.

(I also want to point out that even without the enactment of an FOI bill by Congress, the government has already concretized many principles that uphold openness, transparency, full disclosure, and accountability of public officials.)

However, Coloma said they support the passage of the bill to institutionalize such reforms.