“The questioned law has a particularly chilling effect on online journalism. These days, not only will a journalist’s work be published using traditional media, but it will be made available on the internet.” – media groups
“By extending the reach of the antediluvian libel law into cyberspace, the Supreme Court has suddenly made a once infinite venue for expression into an arena of fear, a hunting ground for the petty and vindictive, the criminal and autocratic.” — NUJP
At a time when criticism of government iniquity is of utmost necessity, the Aquino administration flouts our fundamental rights by pushing for the constitutionality of online libel under Republic Act No. 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. The Supreme Court rightfully removed a few of the patently unconstitutional and repressive aspects of RA…
By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat perspective The Supreme Court once again came out with a Solomonic decision: it declared certain provisions of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 as unconstitutional but upheld some as constitutional. The decisions of the Supreme Court are, at best, Solomonic because it is not immune to the political environment it operates…
“The criminal nature of libel in this country makes it the perfect tool of harassment (short of murder, which has also taken out so many Filipino journalists).”
Ni RICHARD GAPPI Bulatlat.com Lapis sa papel, binali; humiwa sa dila’t labi. FOI* ang hinihingi; Cybercrime Law ang sinukli. *FOI – Freedom of Information
“Libel in itself has been abused for so many years to harass and malign journalists. What’s stopping cunning individuals from exploiting the new online libel provision? I see none.” – Kabataan Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon
By RONALYN V. OLEA Bulatlat.com MANILA – Media organizations filed the ninth petition to the Supreme Court seeking to declare the Cybercrime Law unconstitutional, Oct. 3. Media groups National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) and Philippine Press Institute (PPI), along with 20 media outfits, including Bulatlat.com,…
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
Protests are mounting against the cybercrime law because of its provisions including libel in its list of crimes, giving undue authority to the government to exercise censorship, close down websites, and collect data through the internet without passing through due process in court, and increasing the penalties for cybercrime one degree higher than what is provided for in the Revised Penal Code for crimes of similar nature.