Senators back bill decriminalizing libel

Senators expressed support yesterday for the passage of a law decriminalizing libel following the attempt of Manila policemen to arrest a female business reporter covering Malacañang the other day.

Senate President Manuel Villar joined his colleagues Senators Franklin Drilon, Jinggoy Estrada, Ramon Magsaysay Jr. and Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. in condemning what they described as moves to curtail freedom of the press.

Villar said he would push for the decriminalization of libel, adding that the government should respect press freedom under a democracy.

"Malaya ang ating press, at guaranteed yan," Villar said. "Hindi naman puedeng absolute na walang responsibility."

Villar agreed with Drilon that the filing of libel cases against members of the media is used as a tool for political harassment.

"Yung pag criticize ay matagal nang nangyari yan. Lahat naman ng opisyal ng pamahalaan ay subjected diyan. Pag pumasok ka sa pulitika, dapat handa ka sa mga ganyang bagay. Hindi ka puedeng balat sibuyas sa pulitika," Villar said.

The strong reaction from lawmakers came after Manila policemen attempted last Monday to serve a warrant of arrest on Business Mirror reporter Mia Gonzalez, one of 43 journalists facing libel charges filed by First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, right inside Malacañang Palace.

Drilon recalled that when he was secretary of justice during the term of President Aquino, he "always resolved the doubt in favor of allowing the media to have latitude in the exercise of their profession."

"I am not in favor of bringing media to the courts (with) libel charges everyday… In my 20 years of service, I never brought a single media person to court notwithstanding the sometimes unfair criticism that I received," Drilon said.

Pimentel advised working journalists to mount a sustained lobby with Congress for the bill decriminalizing libel to secure its approval in the face of the Palace’s apparent indifference to the measure.

The measure remains pending in the office of Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Information.

"The problem that I see is that some members of the press want only to decriminalize libel but not the part that says the public should have the right to responsible reporting," Pimentel said.