Kabataan Party-list Rep. Mong Palatino today raised the alarm on how the Right of Reply Bill would not only affect stifle freedom but could lead to Internet censorship and affect freedom of speech and expression of bloggers, texters, and even iPod users.
In his interpellation of the Right of Reply Bill, Palatino got sponsor Cong. Bienvenido Abante to admit that HB 3306 would also cover websites, emails, Internet social networking sites and other electronic devices in its scope.
Section 1 of HB 3306 (Right of Reply) states, “All persons natural or judicial who are accused directly or indirectly of committing, having committed, or are criticized by innuendo, suggestion or rumor for any lapse in behavior in public or private life shall have the right to reply to charges or criticisms published in newspapers, magazines, newsletters or publications circulated commercially or for free, or aired or broadcast over radio, television, websites or through any electronic device.”
“The bill, therefore, would not only affect media outfits and journalists but also all website owners, website masters, email account holders and other netizens who are not necessarily media practitioners,” Palatino said.
He added, “This would affect the more than five million bloggers and millions more of Internet users in the country. My fear is that when this bill comes to law, it will be used to regulate the content of the Internet. When we are checking our emails, when we open our Friendster or Facebook accounts, we are checking our websites. Does this mean that we will be compelled to moderate, modify or edit our personal websites? Is this not Internet censorship and suppression of freedom of speech and expression?”
The banner headline of the Philippine Daily Inquirer today caught me off-guard. “GMA: No to Tuition Hike.” What a spin that was! 
law student, national democracy activist, film school graduate, photography hobbyist