Binay vows to implement EO on Freedom of Information

UNA presidential candidate Vice President Jejomar Binay and runningmate Senator Gregorio Honasan.
INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON

Vice President Jejomar Binay on Monday vowed to issue an executive order (EO) to implement the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill.

In the presidential forum in GMA-7’s early morning program, Binay said he would implement the EO during the first 100 days of his administration.

Binay made this statement as the FOI bill has been languishing in Congress for at least 28 years since the 8th Congress.

The closest thing the FOI saw the light of day was in the 14th Congress in 2010, when it hurdled the bicameral conference and was supposed to be ratified in the House. But the lack of quorum eventually killed the FOI bill.

The passage of the FOI would have institutionalized a culture of transparency in government with its transactions.

“Sa first 100 days ko, magpapalabas ako ng executive order para ‘yong FOI natin ay magkatotoo na—para maging transparent,” Binay said.

Binay said ensuring transparency in government would be a viable solution to stamp out graft and corruption.

“Dahil sa matagal ho ang nangyayari diyan sa Kongreso ay gagawa ako ng executive order. ‘Yon ay isang magandang pamamaraan upang mabawasan o mawala ang graft and corruption,” Binay said.

Binay faces graft indictment before the Ombudsman for allegedly rigging the procurement for the design and construction of the P2.2 billion Makati City Hall Building II, deemed the country’s priciest car park building.

The Ombudsman said it would file graft, malversation and falsification of public document charges against Binay when his term ends.

He was also recommended to be charged for plunder by the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee which investigated the alleged corruption in Makati when he was mayor.

Binay has decried politics in a bid to derail his presidential bid, calling the Senate investigation a political inquisition.

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