Press Release
September 16, 2008

ROXAS PUSHES TRANSPARENCY IN CONGRESSIONAL INSERTIONS

Senator Mar Roxas is seeking an end to controversies surrounding the national budget, by mandating the full disclosure of any and all Congressional insertions and amendments.

"Ang sagot sa kontrobersya na nangyayari ngayon ay ang buksan lagi ang proseso at ang libro ng gobyerno pagdating sa budget. We are dealing with the people's hard-earned tax money here. The people deserve to know how their money is being handled by their representatives in Congress," said Roxas as he filed the proposed Congressional Insertions Transparency Act of 2008.

"Dapat malaman natin kung sino ang nagsisinungaling, o kung sino ang kumakalikot sa pambansang budget para sa pansariling interes. Bigyan natin ng kapangyarihan ang taumbayan na maghusga kung ang ginagawa ba ng mga ibinoto nilang mambabatas ay para sa ikabubuti nila," he stressed.

The proposed law would cover all amendments introduced in committee hearings or in plenary sessions of the House and Senate, as well as in bicameral discussions. Every proposed insertion would be stated in writing to either the Senate finance committee chairman or the House appropriations committee chairman. Within 20 days of the enactment of the annual budget, all insertions must be published in two newspapers of national circulation and posted in the House and Senate websites.

"Requiring full disclosure of insertions will also prevent Malacañang from placing the blame on Congress for any anomalies, and may even dissuade the placing of unjustified lump sums in the budget," he added.

Furthermore, any insertions considered to be beneficial to the proponent directly or indirectly shall be deemed void, being considered a self-serving appropriation or one that is in conflict of interest, and this would not bar the filing of charges against the legislator for the violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Any insertion of this type exceeding P50 million may subject the proponent to the charge of plunder.

In addition, any insertions that result in double or multiple entries would also be deemed void, with the proponent also being subject to charges of graft and corruption and plunder, unless it was found that such double or multiple entries were made inadvertently.

Roxas had earlier filed Senate Bill 109, the proposed Free Information Act, which seeks the disclosure of all information relevant to the public interest.

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