Digging deep into the flood control mess comes at a price

Digging deep into the ongoing flood corruption scandal comes at a price — literally, and for journalists, a hefty one.

- By RICHMOND MERCURIO

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said that it has been made aware of the concerns raised by some media practitioners regarding the fees collected for accessing annual financial statements and general information sheets of corporations, in relation to the ongoing probe against companies involved in anomalous flood control projects.

Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno said earlier this month that government agencies should make access to important documents related to investigative reports free of charge.

If that is not possible, he said agencies should instead impose a lower fee to access these documents, noting the vital role journalists play in uncovering anomalies and promoting accountability.

Diokno made the statement after learning from journalists about the cost of accessing records from the SEC.

At a recent Senate hearing, We-Solve Foundation president Kenneth Abante revealed that some journalists spent P30,000 to obtain files from the SEC regarding companies owned by former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, who has been implicated in the alleged irregularities in flood control projects.

In a statement to The STAR, the SEC said that it is fully committed to supporting efforts to tackle corruption in both the public and private sectors.