The fate of the proposed Freedom of Information (FOI) bill at the House of Representatives was left hanging in the balance Tuesday as deliberations on the contentious bill at a House panel went beyond 4 p.m. when plenary sessions began and lawmakers were required to be at the plenary hall.
The proposed bill was already set to be voted upon after a motion to approve the said bill was moved and seconded at the House Committee on Public Information.But opponents of the bill called the attention of panel members on the time limit, eventually leading to the adjournment of the discussions.
Deputy Speaker Lorenzo “Erin†Tañada, who earlier said that the bill was at a make or break situation, was greatly disappointed at the turn of events and said that today’s non-approval of the FOI bill at the House Committee on Public Information greatly reduced the chances of the proposed measure of being enacted into law in this 15th Congress.
He blamed the infrequent hearings being conducted by the committee, which is chaired by Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, as the culprit behind the setbacks encountered by the proposed transparency bill.
“Today’s deliberations and other misunderstandings would have been avoided had the Committee on Public Information conducted more hearings on the FOI bill. As it was, the last hearing was last March and before that was last February, 2011,†Tañada said.
“It was as if the opponents have contrived to delay the proceedings by employing parliamentary tactics,†the Quezon lawmaker and main FOI bill proponent lamented.
After prolonged deliberations that were highlighted by several pointed and heated debates, Akbayan Partylist Rep. Walden Bello moved for the approval of the proposed measure, a move that was immediately seconded by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez.
Nueva Ecija Rep. Rodolfo Antonino registered his objection after which he called the committee’s attention on the time limit triggering another round of debates.
In the end, Evardone ruled for the adjournment of the hearings to the chagrin and disappointment of the bill’s proponents.
The next hearing was set for Nov. 27.
Bello said that opponents of the bill, particularly Antonino who had wanted a “right of reply†provision inserted to the proposed bill, employed dilatory tactics to the hilt in order to kill the proposed measure. - PNA
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