'Ledac is Aquino's last chance to redeem self on info bill'

Monday, August 15, 2011

MANILA -- The Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) meeting Tuesday will be President Benigno Aquino III's last chance to redeem himself on the freedom of information (FOI) bill by prioritizing it and ensuring its passage into law, a progressive lawmaker said.

Bayan Muna Representative Teddy Casiño said Congress has bended back too far on the FOI bill. The House committee on Public Information has delayed its deliberations and even watered down the bill just to accommodate President Aquino's concerns yet he has failed to include the FOI bill in his priority measures, he added.

"Tomorrow is his last chance to fulfill his campaign promise," said Casino, author of the FOI bill pending at the House of Representatives.

"If the Ledac fails to include the FOI bill as a priority, then forget about the matuwid na daan (Straight path). It will confirm the suspicion of many that transparency and accountability is only being applied to the previous administration and that the President would rather continue the practice of withholding vital information from the public," Casino said.

He said the absence of an FOI law was used by the past administration to hide valuable information and documents that should have been known to the public a long time ago.

Earlier, the party-list lawmaker said the House will no longer wait for Malacanang's version of the FOI bill and will proceed with its own version of the measure. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)