Palace still lukewarm on FOI bill

The Palace on Thursday said it respects the plan of neophyte senator Grace Poe-Llamanzares to prioritize the controversial Freedom of Information bill but remains lukewarm on the measure.

"It's her right if she wants to push with FOI. Every senator has seen what advocacies or bills they want to submit to Congress," Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told a media briefing.

Poe, who heads the Senate committee on public information, said she plans to pass the bill without the controversial right-of-reply provision.

When asked if the Palace would support Poe – an administration ally – Lacierda said they have yet to discuss it.

"I don't wanna preempt the discussion of Sen. Grace Poe with President Aquino on that," Lacierda said.

The FOI bill, which seeks to give the public more access to government records and transactions, earned the nod of senators during the 15th Congress but failed to be passed by the House of Representatives after the measure was stalled in the plenary and was not debated on.

Pres. Aquino did not discuss the controversial measure in his fourth State of the Nation Address last Monday. (PNA)