Photo by Lidija Sabados, International Freedom of Expression Exchange.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines condemns the assault on Roberto “Bobby” Labalan, a member of our national directorate, by Joseph Yap III, a contractor who also happens to be a brother of Mayor Jocelyn Yap-Lelis of Prieto-Diaz, Sorsogon.
According to Labalan, who edits “Sorsogon Now” and also heads the Sorsogon Media Forum, he was chatting to colleagues Sunday morning at a Sorsogon City coffee shop frequented by journalists, government officials and other newsmakers when Yap walked up, asked, “Nano kay tinira mo ko sa dyaryo (Why did you hit me in the paper)?” then punched him, grazing him on the left cheek.
Yap continued to throw punches but Labalan parried these until onlookers pulled away the attacker.
Among those who witnessed the incident was Sorsogon Governor Raul Lee.
According to Labalan, what apparently earned him Yap’s ire was an article published in “Sorsogon Now” involving alleged irregularities in a project implemented by the contractor in the town of which his sister is mayor.
The article in question, which ran on August 7, carried Yap’s side of the story.
This incident is yet one more example of how impunity perpetuates itself in this country, courtesy of a system of governance that relies on political expediency and family ties.
Apparently Yap is one of those who feel kinship to persons of authority entitles him to that same authority and the power to use – or abuse – it as he sees fit.
Coupled with government apathy, this is why journalists around the country and most especially in the provinces continue to be harassed, threatened, assaulted and killed with hardly anyone called to account. And while we’re at it, this, too, is why corruption continues to flourish.
We demand that authorities in Sorsogon province ensure the safety of Labalan and assist him as he pursues a complaint he intends to file against Yap. We also demand that they investigate Yap thoroughly in light of the fact that this is the second time he has assaulted a journalist – the first being the late Mark Mella – and reports he might have been armed when he assaulted our director.
The attack on Labalan came just more than a week after two motorcycle-riding men went to the house in Zamboanga City of Philippine Daily Inquirer reporter Julie Alipala, also a member of the NUJP national directorate, seemingly with intent to threaten or harm her.
We deplore these and similar acts and call on the authorities to ensure the safety of media workers, conduct a thorough investigation and arrest those found liable for any crime.
Reference:
Nestor Burgos
Chairperson
SAY NO!! to the Cybercrime Libel Penalty Provision of RA 10175…pls sign an online petition
Dear Friends,
kindly CLICK:
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/say-no-to-cybercrime-libel-penalty.html
then, pls SIGN a PETITION to Show Support to those seeking to overturn the Libel Penalty provision of RA 10175
Thank you,
Maria Elizabeth Embry
Antioch, California
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/say-no-to-cybercrime-libel-penalty.html
SAY NO!! to Cybercrime Libel Penalty
Petition published by Maria Elizabeth Embry on Sep 30, 2012
Target: Philippine Pres Benigno Aquino III, Senate, House of Representatives, Supreme Court
Region: GLOBAL
Petition Background (Preamble):
On Sep 12, 2012 after it was passed both by the Senate and by the House of Representatives, President Benigno Aquino III, signed into law the highly-controversial Republic Act No. 10175, (also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012), Source:http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2012/ra_10175_2012.html
Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a statement criticising this newly enacted RA 10175, which, they say, “drastically increases punishments for criminal libel and gives authorities excessive and unchecked powers to shut down websites and monitor online information”. Source:http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2012/09/30/filipino-netizens-reject-cybercrime-act/
Brad Adams of HRW said that, anybody using popular social networks or who publishes online is now at risk of a long prison term should a reader — including government officials — bring a libel charge…the law was having a chilling effect in the Philippines, which has one of the world’s highest per capita rates of Facebook and Twitter users. Source:http://globalbalita.com/2012/09/29/outrage-over-philippine-cybercrime-law/
Additionally, the United Nations’ (UN) Committee on Human Rights has already called the attention of the Philippine government to its outdated libel laws that was written 80 years ago. According to the UN, it curtails freedom of speech and puts it in violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights for which the Philippines is a signatory. The UN calls for its amendment or repeal. Instead of heeding the call of the United Nations, our legislators further extended the reach of our libel laws to include cyberspace. Talk about one step forward, two steps back! Source:http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/375403/you-just-lost-your-freedom-of-speech
Our online petition is to show support for the initiatives filed in the Supreme Court by several individuals questioning the constitutionality of RA 10175
PETITION
We, the undersigned declare our support for the following initiatives that seek to overturn the “cyber libel” criminal provision of Republic Act 10175:
1) The Restraining Order filed by ELLEN TORDESILLAS, ATTY. HARRY ROQUE, ALEXANDER ADONIS and others urging the Supreme Court to declare Sections 4 (c) [4], 5, 6, 7 and 19 of the RA 10175, unconstitutional and a violation of the Bill of Rights which states that “No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances”…that Section 6 of R. A 10175 violates the equal protection clause, of the constitution since it arbitrarily increases the penalty imposed on “cyber libel” punishable with from six months and one day to 12 years as compared to the penalty for ordinary libel which is punishable with six months and one day to four years. Source:http://www.malaya.com.ph/index.php/opinion/14205-an-appeal-to-the-sc-to-stop-cybercrime-law UP law professor Harry Roque said, the Philippines was one of a shrinking number of countries where defamation remained a crime punishable by prison…it goes against the trend in many advanced democracies such as the United States and Britain where defamation is now punished with fines rather than imprisonment. Source:http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/world/14981510/outrage-over-philippine-cybercrime-law/
2) The Restraining Order filed by SENATOR GUINGONA who told the Supreme Court that, “Without a clear definition of the crime of libel and the persons liable, virtually any person can now be charged with a crime — even if you just re-tweet or comment on an online update or blog post,” Source:http://globalbalita.com/2012/09/29/outrage-over-philippine-cybercrime-law/
3) The Supreme Court Petition docketed GR#203306 filed by ATTY. BERTINI CATALUNA CAUSING and others who told the Supreme Court that, their petition is transcendental because the subject matters—libel online, “unsolicited advertisement” and the sweeping provision upgrading the penalties for crimes under Revised Penal Code and special penal laws committed by the use of internet—will affect the lives of the Filipinos, young and old, minor and adults, journalists or otherwise, professionals and non-professionals, schoolchildren and out-of-school youths, overseas Filipino and those at home, natural and juridical persons, software developers or just plain hobbyists, the generation of today and of the future. Source: e-mail received on Wed 9/26/12 from Atty Berteni Causing
We, the undersigned join the following in voicing their sentiments about RA# 10175:
1) The call on fellow OFWs by MIGRANTE, an international migrants’ rights group to register their strong opposition against RA #10175. Regional coordinator JOHN LEONARD MONTERONA said that, since many OFWs are fond users of various social networking sites as a medium to air their legitimate grievances against the government or any of its agencies and officials, it is not farfetched that some of the OFWs will be unfairly or maliciously charge of cybercrime law violations. Source:http://beforeitsnews.com/middle-east/2012/09/ofws-too-are-target-of-cybercrime-law-junk-the-cybercrime-law-2444524.html
2) REP. RAYMOND PALATINO said that, “The main concern should be the protection of internet users. Legislation should maintain the openness or the free, public character of the internet. There must be transparency and law enforcers must be accountable for their actions. Source:http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/09/15/12/solon-raises-fears-over-anti-cybercrime-law
3) PROFESSOR LUIS TEODORO, who serves as deputy director of the Centre for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) said, the new law actually strengthens an 82-year-old libel law that has been described by the United Nations Human Rights Council as “draconian” and “excessive”. “At a time when the global trend is to decriminalise libel, the new cybercrime law is very regressive and takes us several steps backward,” Teodoro told IPS. Source:http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2012/09/30/filipino-netizens-reject-cybercrime-act/
4) The National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) said that, the enactment of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 betrayed President Aquino’s commitment to transparency and freedom of expression. Source:http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2012/09/30/filipino-netizens-reject-cybercrime-act/
5) RAISSA ROBLES said that, “this section on libel has grave implications for freedom of speech on the Internet. People who post on Facebook, Twitter and write comments in news websites can be sued for libel in much more insidious ways than those in the traditional news media.” Source:http://www.asianjournal.com/editorial/5-editorial/17333-freedom-of-cyber-expression.html
6) Noemi Dado said that, “teenagers unwarily retweeting or re-posting libellous material on social media could bear the full force of the law…Not everyone is an expert on what constitutes libel. Imagine a mother like me, or teenagers and kids who love to rant. It really hits our freedoms …law sent the wrong signal in a country that overthrew the military-backed Ferdinand Marcos dictatorship just 26 years ago”. Source:http://www.asianjournal.com/editorial/5-editorial/17333-freedom-of-cyber-expression.html
VOX POPULI, VOX DEI
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE…RA# 10175 takes effect Oct 3, 2012!!
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/say-no-to-cybercrime-libel-penalty.html
Posted by Maria Elizabeth Embry | October 2, 2012, 12:20 AM