AFTER holding our breath that Congress will add bite to transparency systems in our governance, we're back to where we left off. Nada. Nothing. Square one. Year Zilch.
What could have been a historical moment with the passage of the Freedom of Information bill became-well, history. The landmark bill, had it been enacted, would have given Juan and María de la Cruz access to information kept in government offices. All it needed was House ratification to become a law.
Congratulations to José Carlos Lacson, third district; Jeffrey Ferrer, fourth district; Genaro Alvarez, sixth district, and Monico Puentevella, Bacolod. You did our province proud simply by being present in Congress last Friday.
However, Speaker Prospero Nograles had to adjourn the last session after only 128 lawmakers showed up. At least 135 members are needed for a quorum. No shows among our Negrense representatives were Julio Ledesma IV, first district, Alfredo Marañon III, and Ignacio Arroyo Jr., fifth district.
Makes we wonder what interests they represented with their absences. I'm sure not the interests of their constituents as well as the nation. What benefits can citizens get when they can't find out how government officials spent taxpayers' money?
What were these people thinking? Do they have skeletons in their closets that they have to make themselves scarce instead of making themselves heard, counted and accountable on the landmark bill? The conspicuous large number of no-shows is way too much to think of as coincidental. I smell a conspiracy of rats from all over the country.
I expected Iggy Arroyo to block the vote. The good news was I was wrong, he didn't block the bill. The bad news, he was absent.
But Iggy is just running to form, following and hiding the tracks of his sister-in-law, Gloria M. Arroyo over many dubious government deals. With his absence, Iggy boosted her "executive privilege" policy of putting the nation in the dark, very much what Ceneco is doing with its unannounced brownouts.
And where the heck did Jules Ledesma hole up? His honeymoon with his wife Assunta Rossi has been long over years ago. What dark secrets is he trying to hide?
Congressman Marañon was a huge disappointment. I was expecting more from him. I'm beginning to think there might be some truth to the stories of dubious pork barrel funds that some Sagaynons told me in my Facebook Inbox.
During my elementary and high school years, we have to submit excuse letters written by our parents to the teachers each time we were absent from class.
Well, then, to put the Negrenses mind at ease, can these absentee representatives explain their absences last Friday?
I'm sure they'll get good press coverage on their excuses or explanations. Help their constituents get rid of conspiracy theories. Debunk what Negros Press Club president Julius Mariveles said.
Otherwise, I'll think there's merit to what Julius said-that "the lack of quorum indicates the lack of interest among legislators to pass the bill. If the House can swiftly pass a law like the Expanded Value Added Tax that is disadvantageous to the people, there is no reason why it cannot do the same for the freedom of information bill."
The bill's non-passage will only fuel suspicion that most congressmen, instead of championing and promoting the people's right to know, are still shielding officials, chief among them President Arroyo, from public scrutiny that could be enhanced by the information act, Julius added. Ouch!
Your move, gentlemen absentees. Explain yourselves. Disabuse us of any of our ill-conceived nations. Tell us what you were thinking that Friday.
Otherwise, your absence and your continuing silence can mean only thing. The kindest word I can think of is: kabalan. And the unkindest words are all unprintables. Please email comments to bqsanc@yahoo.com