Media party rejects cybercrime law.

Media organizations in the nation rejected the newly passed legislation on cybercrime, as some provisions posted threats for the freedom of expression enshrine inside the constitution.

The Center for Media and Responsibility (CMFR) plus the National Union of Journalist of the Philippines (NUJP) released separate assertions lamented that what more tragic is which the law incorporated libel of the actual Revised Penal Code (RPC), which right based groups plus the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) are already asking the Philippines government to decriminalized libel in the country for the past years.

“The inclusion of libel one of many crimes that may be committed with the use of computers poses a threat besides against the media and additional communicators but anyone in everyone who has access to a computer and the Internet, ” the actual NUJP said.

“Libel as a criminal offense continues to be used by past administrations and also local officials today to harass in addition to intimidate journalists. The outstanding example of it is use against journalists was the actual filing by Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo regarding 11 libel suits against 46 journalists during the disputed presidency of his partner Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. And yet Congress has with the decades ignored the demand from journalists and human rights groups with the decriminalization of libel, ” the actual CMFR said.

The passage of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 mirrored the congress and executive branches of the government of its rejection for the UHRC 2011 declaration, which urged the Philippine government amend the actual country’s libel law.

The CMFR said the assertion has described the “Philippine libel law is excessive because it penalizes violators with imprisonment, not like the human rights protocols to that the Philippines is a signatory, and so must at least be reviewed towards decriminalizing libel. ”

“Either which, or the authors of the actual bills, and Mr. Aquino him or her self, are unfamiliar with both the actual UNHRC declaration, as well as with the actual long-standing demand to decriminalize libel in order to put an end to the use of the libel legislation to intimidate and silence journalists. Apparently there is certainly little hope that libel will certainly ever be decriminalized, RA 10175 having essentially further strengthened it by widening its application, ” the party said.

The NUJP through it is national president Nestor P. Burgos, L. said the law was crafted “to say minimal, sneaky and betrays this administration’s commitment to transparency and freedom regarding expression – nil. ”

The government has earlier passed two laws — the information Privacy Act (Republic Act 10173) past August, and the Cybercrime Reduction Act (RA 10175) this Sept, which media organizations see as threat thus to their professions.

The government is supposed to release the Cybercrime implementing rules 3 months from September 12 when the actual president signed the bill straight into law.
“[The passage of the 2 laws] suggests how restrictive instead of expansive is the mindset of the country’s legislators, and of Mr. Aquino himself in terms of enshrining in the law people principles—accountability and transparency, press liberty and free expression, etc. —to which he's got repeatedly declared he is committed, ” the CMFR said.

Netizens, a term for internet surfers, have also reacted negatively around the law.

“No to e-Martial legislation, ” one online user described the 2 laws.

Journalist Julie S. Alipala, via her Facebook account, warned citizens around the law.

“Be careful of everything you post. You may end in place in jail for expressing your anger, disgust, frustration, disbelief and in some cases jokes. Cybercrime agents are now monitoring your account, ” your woman posted.

While other expressed it is dismay, other online users also agreed using the law, saying that all freedoms have great responsibility.

“Not a issue. Online media and bloggers really should have the same responsibilities as professional tri-media journalists to become factual in reporting, ” Jaime L. A. Rivera, who is active on writing inside the online dictionary called Wikepedia.

The NUJP said the 2 laws showed the government have, particularly the present administration, on its efforts inside the attempt of curtailing transparency.

“Compare the haste with which this measure plus the Data Privacy Act became legislation, compared to Congress’ lethargy on the bill that President Benigno Aquino III has repeatedly declared important yet never lifted a finger that can help shepherd through the legislative mill – the Freedom of Information Act – and it becomes all too apparent that it president never meant anything he said regarding our rights and our freedoms, ” the actual group said.

The CMFR warned which the cybercrime law could “signal the opening of the floodgates of Internet regulation that can affect Filipino netizens, given the restrictive mindset of the country’s leaders. ”

“It is really a distinct possibility to which journalists in addition to bloggers, ordinary citizen and anyone dedicated to free expression through whatever moderate, should be alert, and must be ready to combat, ” it added.

The NUJP said they will be ready defend the freedom of conversation.

“We are certain bloggers, netizens and all those who value freedom of appearance share these sentiments, whatever the actual Cybercrime Prevention Act says. So we say, bring it in, ” it said.