Palace: Freedom of Information order ready for Duterte's signature
July 17, 2016 | 3:03pm
MANILA, Philippines -- So, what caused the delay of the executive order on freedom of information that President Rodrigo Duterte was expected to sign last week?
There were no contentious issues, according to Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, but Duterte was preoccupied with the ruling on the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) row issued by the international arbitral tribunal last Tuesday.
The Hague-based court ruled that China’s expansive territorial claims have no legal basis and that Beijing had violated Manila’s rights when it constructed artificial islands in disputed areas.
“What happened last week was we were overtaken by the event. Like, for instance, the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague. We were focused on that,” Andanar told state-run radio station dzRB yesterday.
“But this week, we will try to have it signed by the president,” he added.
Duterte said the draft EO has been reviewed by Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.
“As a matter of fact, it (EO on FOI) has been finalized,” Andanar said.
Early this month, Malacañang officials announced that Duterte would issue an EO requiring agencies under the executive branch to release information about their transactions and their projects.
The EO seeks to promote transparency and accountability in government and to encourage greater citizen participation in governance.
The working title of the draft EO is “Operationalizing in the Executive branch the people's constitutional right to information and the state policies of full public disclosure and transparency in the public service and providing guidelines thereof of the freedom of information.”
A law, however, is needed to implement FOI in all branches of government including the judiciary and legislature.
Right to information bills have been filed since the 12th Congress but they were not enacted partly due to fears that they may be used to destroy reputations. Duterte previously said that it would be up to Congress to decide whether to pass an FOI law.
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