Media tells PBBM: ‘Decriminalize libel’

By Rhaydz B. Barcia

AS President Marcos Jr. delivered his third State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 22, various media groups across the country urged him to prioritize legislative measures to decriminalize libel and enact the Freedom of Information Law.

The convenors of the 1st Philippine Media Safety Summit called on the President to take concrete steps to support a critical press, emphasizing that it “best serves national interest.”

In their statement, the convenors noted the President’s April remarks: “The principal role of the press is not to applaud those who govern but to hold us accountable, while also giving praise to those who deserve it. Along with that stance is our collective goal of protecting the welfare and lives of journalists.”

“Now is the time for Mr. Marcos to keep his promise and include efforts to ensure a ‘truly free and safe environment for all journalists’ in his SONA legislative priority,” the group added.

The convenors also urged the President to take a clear stance against red-tagging, following the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in May, which declared red-tagging a threat to people’s life, liberty, and security.

The High Court stated, “Red-tagging, vilification, labeling, and guilt by association threaten a person’s right to life, liberty, or security, which may justify the issuance of a writ of Amparo.”

Additionally, the group advocated for the removal of a provision in the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2022 that designates journalists as potential witnesses in drug cases.

“As long as this provision remains, journalists risk being cited for contempt or facing arrest warrants for failing to appear in court as witnesses in drug cases,” the statement said.

At an April forum hosted by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP), President Marcos emphasized that “national interest is better served by a press that is critical rather than a press that is cooperative.”

Several measures have been filed in Congress to decriminalize libel, which has been used as a “weapon” against journalists and used to shield public officials from criticism and defamatory statements.

While the previous administration issued an executive order on FOI, the measure only applies to departments and offices under the Executive Branch.

The group stressed that a legislated FOI, supported by various business organizations and chambers of commerce, would promote transparency in government transactions regardless of who is in Malacañang.