CCPC reiterates support for bills

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Citizens-Press Council (CCPC) has reiterated its support for bills that benefit the media industry.

Some of these bills were already passed in the House of Representatives in previous Congresses but failed to move further in the Senate.

These include the bill that limits the venue of libel and other complaints to the principal office of the newspaper or broadcast station, and the bill that expands to broadcast and Internet journalists the privilege of not disclosing their source of information unless demanded by the security of the state.

These were re-filed in the 16th Congress as House Bill 363 and House Bill 362, respectively, by Rep. Raul del Mar (Cebu City, north district).

The 16th Congress formally opened last Monday ahead of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III's mid-term State of the Nation Address.

During its 31st quarterly en banc meeting last July 18 at MBF Cebu Press Center, the CCPC passed a resolution calling for the passage of these bills, as well as the “Freedom of Information Act of 2013,” re-filed by Del Mar as House Bill 26.

The council also expressed support for bills in the previous Congress that sought to remove the presumption of malice in any discussion about official conduct or conduct of public figures, remove the jail term as a penalty for libel, reduce the prescriptive period for libel to six months from one year,  and remove from the publisher, editor or business manager liability for material that didn't pass through him or get his approval.

The CCPC is a non-stock, non-profit organization that helps to protect press freedom, enhance the sense of accountability of journalists, and shape public opinion on media issues. (FREEMAN)