House passes whistle-blower bill

Teodoro Casiño, principal author of the whistle-blower bill. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The House of Representatives has passed on third and final reading a bill that would ensure that those who dare to blow the lid off anomalies in government wouldn’t be left twisting in the wind.

Before adjourning for its month-long break, the House approved the Whistle-blower Protection, Security and Benefits Act which seeks to provide physical security and monetary rewards to those who expose graft and corruption in government.

The House also passed other measures, such as a bill criminalizing enforced or involuntary disappearances, one providing compensation for victims of human rights violations during martial law, and a bill providing more benefits to centenarians. Priority measures of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) were approved as well.

Bayan Muna party-list Representative Teodoro Casiño, principal author of the whistle-blower bill, said he hoped the impending passage of the measure would encourage more court employees to speak out against anomalies in the judiciary, an apparent reference to the impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona which a majority of the congressmen backed.

“When passed into law, the Whistle-blowers Act will allow Supreme Court employees and even justices, along with other upright individuals, to expose corruption and wrongdoing in their offices,” Casiño said in a statement. Leila B. Salaverria