Palace expects Congress to shelve Right of Reply Bill

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang said yesterday it expects the unpopular Right of Reply Bill (RORB) to be shelved by Congress for lack of time.

The RORB, strongly opposed by news organizations for being unconstitutional, is currently under plenary debate at the House of Representatives and has passed third reading in the Senate.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said there was no need for the Palace to reiterate its strong misgivings over the RORB.

He issued the statement as various international organizations warned of the continuing “climate of impunity” in the Philippines as seen by numerous killings of journalists.

Malacañang earlier cautioned lawmakers against reviving the unpopular measure, saying it could infringe on press freedom guaranteed by the Constitution.

He said he believes President Arroyo, who herself has been subject of numerous negative media reports, would not allow any measure that would curtail press freedom.

The Malacañang Press Corps has joined other media organizations in opposing the RORB.

‘Act on bills’

Rep. Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada and cause-oriented groups urged the Senate to immediately act on bills providing an enabling law to the right of citizens to be informed on matters of public concern.

In a press briefing at the Blue Wave complex in Pasay City, Tañada (4th District, Quezon) said “the lack of an enabling law which would provide for substantive and procedural details has resulted in the inability of citizens to access information, including contracts entered into by government, details of national and local budgets and similar documents.”

He also pointed out that the lack of access to information results in the erosion of transparency in governance.

The Women’s Legal Bureau also expressed its solidarity with the “Campaign on the Right to Access Information,” based on their recognition of this right as crucial to the exercise and enjoyment of other rights.”

“We join the Access to Information Network in calling for the immediate passage of the Freedom of Information Act. While the enjoyment of this right is not guaranteed by its passage, an enabling law of our constitutional right to information provides an institutional instrument by which we can access justice and hold states to account for their obligations as duty bearers,” Mae Buenaventura, WLB’s executive director, said.

The youth group TEAM RP expressed belief that for their sector to be catalysts of change and active participants in nation-building, they should be entitled to access information crucial to them.

Penalize abusive broadcasters

A senior member of the House of Representatives wants abusive broadcasters and lenient station managers penalized – once the right of reply bill is passed – if they allow or tolerate the use of foul language on the airwaves.

“I will insert a provision regarding blocktime broadcasters who use foul language, because station managers of television and radio stations seldom impose penalty,” Cebu City Rep. Antonio Cuenco told reporters in the weekly Ayes and Nays forum in Quezon City.

The Lakas stalwart, who was a local broadcaster before he joined politics, observed that the House version (House Bill 3306) of the right of reply bill is “very light and moderate” compared to the Senate version. “The penalties are almost toothless.”

“I’m going to recommend a penalty or fine not exceeding P25,000 to station managers who will allow or tolerate the use of foul, obscene and dirty language,” he said.

Cuenco, a lawyer by profession, also lamented that the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters sa Pilipinas has its own code of ethics, but that it’s “hardly implemented.” – Paolo Romero, Rhodina Villanueva, Delon Porcalla