No to Reply Bill

“No to Reply Bill!” This is the collective stand of various media organizations, newspapers, radio and television stations in Central Luzon. Starting this week, all media outfits and groups will come up with their own streamers, tarpaulins, and information materials to express a common cause to defend press freedom.

In a meeting at the Cioccolo Restaurant in Angeles City last Friday, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Pampanga Chapter, Pampanga Press Club, Angeles City Press and Radio Club, Central Luzon Media Association, Channel 36, ABS CBN Pampanga, Punto, Businessweek, The Voice, Society of Pampanga Columnists, DWRW and DWGV FM and AM,  and UNTV signed a collective  manifesto adopted from NUJP stating their opposition on House Bill 3306 and Senate Bill 2150, two versions of the Right to Reply Bill.

The first paragraph of the manifesto states: “The Right of Reply Bill is an ill-conceived piece of legislation that violates two of the most cherished freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, those of the press and of expression.” 

The issue on the bill’s intent to impose prior restraint to the media is very revolting because it abridges the freedom of expression and of the press. 

And just like other media organizations around the country, the Pampanga media and nearby provinces will not let this pass. Even if this will not be approved because of its weak stance in the House of Representatives, every journalist and every Filipino who enjoys his civilian rights for that matter has the responsibility to speak against this Bill and its intent and purpose to kill the most sacred right we have in this country. A country known to embrace democracy but is run by some officials who are afraid of the power of the true voice of people.

I would rather see a country that has a media that at times abuses its power rather than to have one that has a media that is censored and controlled by the privileged few.

To Kill the Watchdog

“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.”

This is provided for under Section 4, Article III or the Bill of Rights of the 1987 Philippine Constitution. The English dictionary meanwhile defines “abridging” as to “shorten, edit, condense, reduce, abbreviate, or cut.”

To reduce the freedom of the press and the freedom of speech is unconstitutional. Senate Bill 2150 or the Right of Reply Bill is literally that. It reduces the freedom of the press because it seeks to impose limitations on the process of journalism work.

In a country that is plague by corruption, clipping the muscle of the press is tantamount to tolerating scams and more illegal activities.

It was reported that the Senate already passed the bill on third reading. The bill provides the news subjects right to air their side over the same media outfit that has published or aired the news.

Senate Bill 2150 provides that violators will be penalized with P10,000 for initial offense, P20,000 for 2nd offense and P30,000 and imprisonment of not more than 30 days for the third offense.

The bill requires the reply of a news subject to have equal space and length of airtime as the original news. The bill also states that reply must be aired or printed not more than 24 hours after the publication or broadcast of the original article or broadcast.

Thus, taking into context the intent and rationale of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Senate Bill 2150 is truly unconstitutional because it is directly negating the very purpose of the fourth estate -- that is to be the watchdog of the government.

And to kill the watchdog is very dangerous. It could cause eventual breakdown and moral decay.