News Roundup 13 December 2022
Dec 13, 2022 • 4 min Read
To defend press freedom, Hontiveros seeks decriminalization of libel | PHILSTAR.COM – Sen. Risa Hontiveros has filed a bill seeking the decriminalization of libel as she argued that the country’s libel laws have been used and abused to clamp down on the freedom of the press. Senate Bill No. 1593, which Hontiveros filed last week, seeks to repeal portions of the Revised Penal Code on libel and the provision on cyber libel in the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. “Our libel laws have been weaponized to stifle very basic fundamental rights. These laws have been used to constantly attack many of our freedoms, but particularly the freedom of the press. We need to decriminalize libel if we are to truly defend press freedom,” Hontiveros said in a statement. While Hontiveros’ proposal seeks to remove the criminal aspect of libel, it still allows people to institute actions for damages. The opposition senator said cyber libel has been weaponized to silence journalists, whom she said were only doing their jobs. “If we don’t correct this, libel will continue to be used to kill our freedom,” she said. Hontiveros announced that she filed the bill on the day that Baguio-based journalist and Rappler contributor Frank Cimatu was convicted of cyber libel by a Quezon City court over a 2017 Facebook post. In 2012, the United Nations Committee on Human Rights declared that the continued criminalization of libel in the Philippines violated the country’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Journalists in the country have long called to decriminalize libel, along with the graver cyber libel offense stipulated in the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Lagman to Romualdez: Don’t rush Maharlika fund discussions | INQUIRER.NET – Discussions about the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) should not be rushed as lawmakers can use the holiday season to consult their constituents, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said on Monday. In a letter to House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez — copies of which were shared by Lagman’s office — the Albay lawmaker said that the bill containing the MIF should not be fast-tracked. Lagman said this after the proponents of the bill said through Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo that they were removing the P125 billion Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) allocation and the P50 billion from the Social Security System (SSS) that were originally part of the pooled MIF fund. “With the Maharlika bill still in progress to accommodate perfecting amendments and the ascertainment of substitute contributors in lieu of GSIS and SSS still pending, may I earnestly reiterate my earlier call that the Maharlika bill must not be fast-tracked,” he said in the letter. “Moreover, the long Christmas break from 17 December 2022 to 22 January 2023 will afford the Members of the House sufficient time to consult with their constituents on the pros and cons of the proposed measure,” he added. Lagman was referring to the schedule of the 19th Congress, under which lawmakers would take a break after the session would adjourn on December 16 for the holiday season. The session is scheduled to resume on Jan. 23, 2023.
Registration for SIM starts Dec. 27 as NTC releases rules | INQUIRER.NET – The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on Monday issued the implementing rules and regulations on Republic Act No. 11934 or the SIM Registration Act. The rules, which take effect on Dec. 27, require all mobile subscribers to enroll their SIM cards within 180 days or six months from the effectivity of the law or face the automatic deactivation of their cards. These may be reactivated but only within a period of five days from deactivation. New SIM cards will be sold in “deactivated mode” by the said date. A subscriber will register his or her card through a secure platform or website to be provided by the concerned telecommunications company. Telcos issued their statements on Monday saying they are prepared to roll out their registration portals in the coming weeks. Individual users must provide their full name, date of birth, sex, address, and valid government ID or similar documents with a photo, while business users must provide their business name, business address, and the full name of an authorized signatory. Foreigners must provide personal data as well as passport information and their address.
