ROXAS: BAN ON ACCESS TO BLOTTERS A VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION
FREE INFORMATION ACT SHOULD BE PASSED NOW

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas on Friday denounced as an assault on the constitutional freedom of the press and the people's right to public information a Philippine National Police memorandum circular restraining media and public access to police blotters.

Roxas, author of Senate Bill No. 109 or the proposed Free Information Act, insisted journalists and civilians should not be barred from reviewing police blotters, especially as these form part of the evidences in a case.

"May karapatan ang bawat isa sa atin na makita ang laman ng mga blotter sa bawat himpilan ng pulisya ng ating bansa. Mukha na namang sinusubukan nilang magtago ng mga bagay sa publiko. (We all have the right to look at police blotters in any station nationwide. It looks like they're attempting to hide things from the public)," he said.

"Kung walang transparency, wala nang pagkakataong rebyuhin ang laman ng mga blotter, o kaya'y mas puwedeng manipulahin ang mga ito. Dahil dito, baka dumami ang mga kaso na ang desisyon ay mula sa mali o manipuladong ebidensiya. (If there's no transparency, there's no chance to review the contents of blotters, or there's added risk that these are manipulated. Because of these, we risk having more decisions on cases which are based on wrong or manipulated evidence)," he said.

"That is why instead of protecting both the victims and the accused, this new policy of non-transparency will just result into more injustices," he stressed.

He added that allowing civilians and reporters to see the police records will not jeopardize national security or public order and safety.

"Wala namang banta sa pambansang seguridad o kaayusan ng bayan kung makikita ng mga reporter ang nakalagay sa blotter. Maaari pa nga silang makatulong kung sakaling may dagdag impormasyon sila ukol sa mga kasong naka-record sa mga blotter. (Our national security and public order will not be threatened if reporters are allowed to see the police blotters. In fact, they can even help the police if they have additional information pertinent to the cases recorded in the blotters)," he said.

The Ilonggo senator said it is the duty of the PNP to inform the public of their official acts and processes to ensure transparency and accountability.

Roxas filed the proposed Free Information Act at the start of the 14th Congress. While a similar bill has been passed by the House of Representatives, Roxas' bill is still pending in committee.

SB 109 seeks to require government offices to answer all queries for information within two days, under pain of stiff penalties, unless sufficient justification is given. An office may only refuse to provide information when this would jeopardize the privacy of individuals, national security, public order, foreign diplomatic and economic relations, and trade secrets of private entities.