MANILA - House Speaker Prospero Nograles insisted that the non-ratification of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill was not scripted after the House of Representatives failed to muster a quorum Friday.
The FOI bill allows ordinary citizens to gain access to information, records and documents held by government, and emphasizes government's obligation to publish information in its keeping.
In the last session of the 14th Congress, Nograles ruled that the House could not take up the FOI bill anymore after Camiguin Representative Pedro Romualdo questioned the lack of quorum.
Only 128 lawmakers out of 268 were present in Friday's session. At least 135 members are needed for the session to begin.
However, Citizens Battle Against Corruption (Cibac) party-list representative Joel Villanueva said the roll call during the session Friday was scripted after the reading of the names were not read in the same manner as it should have been.
Villanueva added that during the roll call, the reading went from Cojuangco to Golez, then back to Colmenares. "That means this was scripted. Some higher officials do not want this law passed."
Based on his head count, Villanueva said 142 members were present in the session hall.
In response to this, Nograles told Sun.Star in a text message: "What scripted are you talking about? Hello? It was in open public transparent session plenary. That's a very unfair accusation,"
The Speaker even said that he is the "most frustrated person" out there after the House failed to ratify the bill.
"It would never have seen the light of day had I not been its main shepherd. The speaker's power is to approve what can be part of the session's agenda. But of course the militant media would never recognize this fact," he added.
Nograles said he thought there were already enough heads to start the session and that he would have waited a little longer if he knew there was lack of quorum.
Akbayan Representative Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel invoked Section 74 of the House rules, which allows lawmakers present to compel other members to attend and secure a quorum.
Nograles, however, refused to consider Hontiveros-Baraquel's argument.
rThe outgoing Davao City congressman, meantime, said various groups and colleagues should stop accusing him of reneging on his promise to expedite the ratification of the FOI bill's bicameral committee report.
"Why are they like that? As far I am concerned, I did my best to convince congressmen to show up for the session. I called them up, did some text brigades, and I even asked the help of media to make this bill an urgent measure to tackle," he said.
Proponents of the bill including Villanueva and Manila Representative Bienvenido Abante scored Nograles for the early adjournment of the session, which also failed to pass pending bills such as the Philippine Immigration Act, Anti-Racial Discrimination Act and the Special Education Act of 2008.
"I just don't know with them (critics). If I don't find this bill necessary then it would not be listed in the calendar of business today (Friday). The session rules are clear and we cannot take up legislative matters without a quorum. I'm really sorry," Nograles said.
Meanwhile, the Speaker advised the Freedom if Information bill's advocates to re-file it on July 26 or in the start of the 15th Congress if they want early passage. (Kathrina Alvarez/Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)