Freedom Of Information Act STALLED In Senate - WHY???

For: All Honorable SENATORS of the Republic of the Philippines



Truth, Accountability, and Reform are the core issues of public governance. Reforms can be effected only if those responsible for specific anomalies are made accountable for their acts. Accountability is based on the truth about such public transactions. The truth can only be established with complete transparency about the complete details of those public transactions. Thus, House Bill 3732 - Freedom Of Information Act (FOI) must be passed.



It is a SHAME to ALL those elected from 1987, from the 8th Congress to the 13th Congress, who FAILED to pass the enabling law for citizens' rights on access to information 20 years after the 1987 Constitution was enacted. ALL those Representatives and Senators are responsible and accountable for all the anomalies in public transactions because of their FAILURE to pass the enabling law that could have deterred the syndicated plunder of public funds from the Barangay Level and all the way to the highest offices of the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines. ALL those Representatives and Senators from the 8th Congress to the 13th Congress should NEVER be allowed by the Filipino People to be granted the privilege to serve in any public office in the more than 42,000 barangays spread over the 7,107 islands of the Philippine Archipelago. The names of all those Senators and Representatives shall be published, inside and outside of cyberspace, for the Filipino electorate NEVER to take a second look on those names every election campaign for casting their ballots!


The incumbent Senators and Representatives of the 14th Congress can save themselves from being included in that list. Rest assured that your names will be marked forever in accordance with whether or not you will ensure the passage of FOI in the shortest period from today.


The House of Representatives submitted House Bill No. 3732 last MAY 2008. Since then, the Senate Committee on Public Information, chaired by Sen. Ramon 'Bong' Revilla, has yet to conduct the FIRST hearing! FOUR (4) MONTHS have passed WITHOUT any action from the SENATE of the 14th CONGRESS???


How can such gross incompetence be tolerated among yourselves, who are supposed to be the Honorable Senators of the Philippine Republic? Does it reflect the same gross incompetence that anyone of you will inflict on the Filipino People should we grant you the privilege to serve as the President of the Philippines?


FOUR (4) MONTHS of DELAY on the FOI, and yet ALL of you are all over the place for photo opps and press releases about your "accomplishments"! NONE of whatever you claim as "accomplishments" can ever count at all WITHOUT this enabling law that we have been waiting to be passed since 1987.



Just for the DELAY of FOUR (4) MONTHS since MAY 2008, Ramong "Bong" Revilla does NOT deserve to be allowed to complete his remaining term as senator. His FAILURE to ACT with DISPATCH and HASTE also REFLECTS on the entire SENATE, because ALL of the OTHERS have TOLERATED that DELAY!



The cost for the failure of the 14th Congress to pass the Freedom Of Information Act ASAP shall be the political ambitions of each and every member starting MAY 2010. We shall get back at each and every one of you every election time for the rest of your physical lives.





For: All Citizens of the Philippine Republic


Remember the names of the following surviving Senators of the 14th Congress:


Edgardo J. Angara
Benigno S. Aquino III
Joker P. Arroyo
Rodolfo "Pong" G. Biazon
Alan Peter S. Cayetano
Pia S. Cayetano
Juan Ponce Enrile
Francis "Chiz" G. Escudero
Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
Richard "Dick" Gordon
Gregorio "Gringo" B. Honasan II
Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson
Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid
Loren B. Legarda
Jamby Madrigal
Francis "Kiko" N. Pangilinan
Aquilino "Nene" Q. Pimentel, Jr.
Ramong "Bong" Revilla
Mar A. Roxas
Miriam Defensor Santiago
Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV
Manuel "Manny" B. Villar
Juan Miguel F. Zubiri



These Senators talk about their "accomplishments" and "what should be done" while they fail to act on the passage of House Bill No. 3732 - Freedom Of Information Act (FOI).


We should all remember that at this point they are individually and collectively accountable for the UNREASONABLE DELAY in the passage of the enabling law for our citizens' rights on access to public information 20 years after the 1987 Constitution was enacted.