Contreras: Senate should pass more laws, not focus on public hearings
QUEZON CITY -- A political analyst asked senators today, May 14, to focus more on passing laws rather than spending time holding public hearings.
Professor
Antonio Contreras noted in his television segment "Punto de Vista"
aired over PTV 4 that lawmakers have been frequently holding public hearings,
apparently neglecting the passage of draft laws.
"Hindi
natin inaalis ng kapangyarihan ang Kongreso para mag-conduct ng mga hearings,
importante iyan. Pero sana naman yung mga hearings nila may katuturan, may
patutunguhan. Sapagkat sila ay inihalal para pagsilbihan ang interes ng
bayan."
"Kaya
natin pinupuna ang mga hearings tulad sa 'PDEA leaks' kasi hindi malinaw kung
saan patungo. Maraming panukalang batas na aprubado na sa mababang kapulungan
pero sa Senado ay parang walang nangyayari.
One bill
that needs attention, Contreras said, is the proposed National Land Use Act.
It seeks
to set a permanent boundary between forest lands and protected areas.
"Layunin
ng batas na ito na magkaroon ng permanenteng boundary ang ating mga forest lands
and protected areas. Ang nakakalungkot dito, ito po ay direktiba mismo ng
Saligang Batas."
Under
Sec. 4, Article 12, the Constitution states that "Congress shall, as soon
as possible, delineate these boundaries.
Contreras lamented that this law has been enshrined since 1987.
"Hindi ko alam kung anong naiintindihan natin sa 'as soon as possible.'
Marami nang pagtatangka ang Kongreso na ipasa ang National Land Use Act. In
fact, ilang beses na iyang nakakalusot sa third reading pero namatay sa Senado.
Contreras
also noted the Senate's inaction on the Sustainable Forest Management Act.
"Ang
Forestry Code ng Pilipinas, noong 1975 pa, panahon pa ni amang Marcos. Ilang
beses na yan finile, taon-taon. Ilang beses na rin itong inaprubahan 3rd
reading sa House pero pagdating sa Senado namamatay."
Then,
there is the Rice Tarrification Law.
"Mayroon
tayong bagong aabangan—itong Rice Tarrification Law na pinag-uusapan sa
Mababang Kapulungan pero ang mga senador ay may agam-agam dito.
Contreras
stressed that there is nothing wrong in holding public hearings such as those
on illegal drugs, pastor Apollo Quiboloy, and Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo.
"Hindi
ko sinasabing wag magkaroon ng imbestigasyon sa PDEA leaks na iyan. Importante
lang ayusin natin, may kredibilidad ang mga witness at may patutunguhan."
"Hindi
ko sinasabing wag imbestigahan itong kay Apollo Quiboloy. Kung meron bang
public interest, ituloy natin."
"Hindi
ko rin sinasabing wag pakialaman yung citizenship nitong mayor ng Bamban.
Importante rin yan kung kinakailangan sapagkat yan ay may paglabag sa
batas."
"Ayusin naman po natin. All of you were elected there to pursue the interest of the people. Gawin po natin ang ating trabaho wag tayong nalululong sa mga hearing na papogi or baka in aid of election, in aid of destabilization." (PR)
