Lacson wants stiffer penalties for libel online

CEBU, Philippines - Liberal Party senatorial bet Alex Lacson is pushing for stiffer penalties against those who write libelous or malicious articles using the Internet by expanding the coverage of Philippine libel laws. 

 Lacson also challenged the local blogging community to find ways and means to police their ranks and prevent irresponsible material from clogging the Internet.

 Lacson made the call after emails and blogs reported or uploaded a fake psychiatric record of Liberal Party standard bearer Benigno Noynoy Aquino III.

A lawyer by profession, Lacson said that Aquino is just the latest victim of online pranksters and irresponsible bloggers who simply upload any material regardless of their veracity. Lacson noted that the law is silent on the exact penalty or punishment imposed on the uploading or distribution online of fake documents.

“Our criminal laws were written way before the onset of the Internet and did not anticipate the technological advances that make easy the passing along and copying of fake documents or information. We need to strengthen this aspect, especially since the Internet also makes it easy for perpetrators to cover their tracks,” Lacson said.

Lacson also urged the Filipino blogging community to organize and establish a mechanism for self-regulation. While Lacson recognized the right of every Filipino to express his/her views, particularly on public figures such as candidates for president, he believed that there was no excuse for outright lies and document forgery.

“People have the right to use the Internet as a medium for self-expression but if in the exercise of this right, somebody’s reputation is affected, then, government also has the obligation to define and limit the exercise of such rights. If you have rights, then you must also know your responsibilities,” he said.

Lacson said the penalty against online pranksters and those who write malicious articles in the Internet should be higher than those who publish or broadcast the malicious material, given that anything written online is immediately archived and easily accessed, thus creating the potential for the most harm.

“The effect of online libel is more severe than articles printed or broadcasts made, since the viral nature of the Internet multiplies the effect a thousand-fold,” Lacson said.

Lacson also urged those who uploaded the document to issue an apology, erase the libelous blog from the Internet, and disclose the source of the spurious material.