Cebu Citizens-Press Council

Statement on Freedom of Information bill
March 12, 2014

In saying he won’t certify the FOI bill as urgent, President Aquino is saying that he leaves it to the House members to decide whether to pass the long-delayed measure and the people to urge the lawmakers to act on it.

He used his clout to have the House impeach then Supreme Court chief justice Renato Corona and pass the RH bill, but he won’t lift a finger to have the FOI bill passed.

He committed in the 2010 campaign to have the FOI bill passed. And yet he has not used any of his influence for that purpose.

To say that he already fulfilled the commitment “in actual government service and he is one with the people in support of the bill” can only be seen as double talk.

We hope the president will be candid on the issue of transparency that the FOI bill seeks to promote.

PACHICO A. SEARES
Executive Director
Cebu Citizens-Press Council