CMFR/PHILIPPINES – The Supreme Court of the Philippines on 16 September 2008 affirmed the guilty verdict on a 1999 libel case filed by a customs official against a columnist, three editors, and the publisher of a local tabloid. Libel is a criminal offense punishable with jail terms in the Philippines.
The Court’s Second Division denied on [...]
Decriminalize libel
Affirmation of Tulfo, et al conviction and libel case vs Inquirer journalists highlights need to decriminalize libel
The Supreme Court’s affirmation of the quadruple convictions for libel of Remate columnist Erwin Tulfo, managing editor Susan Cambri, national editor Rey Salao, and city editor Jocelyn Barlizo, and Philip Pichay, president of Remate as well as the go signal it gave to the Vigan court to try the libel case against Philippine Daily Inquirer [...]
Kailangan at Kailan?
Rey Tamayo, Jr.
Ikaw ay ginipit nang laksang sanggano,
Pinasamang pilit ng mga berdugo.
Ang dulot ay pait sa sariling mundo,
Ligaya’y ginupit ng hidwaa’t gulo.
Tinangkang patayin ang aba mong buhay,
Isang libong pain kan’lang inilagay.
Budhi’t pagkatao’y nais maging bangkay-
At ang prinsipyo mo’y, ilibing sa hukay.
Ang mga kalaban hindi tumitigil-
Gawang kasamaan ang hangad at dahil.
Nais mang lumaban tiyak may pipigil,
Ang [...]
Pacman’s rematch in politics
Anthony Chua
After the much awaited match with boxing legend Oscar dela Hoya, plus a couple more, Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao says he’s willing to shift his career from being a pugilist to become a statesman.
The world’s current best pound-for-pound ring fighter announced his retirement on August 2009. But his handlers assure Pacquiao fans that [...]
ASSAULT ON THE PUBLIC’S RIGHT TO KNOW
The Supreme Court’s affirmation of its March 25 decision in favor of executive privilege undermines the public interest function of the press to provide information to a citizenry that has a right to it on matters of public concern. Even more dangerously it also erodes the democratic imperative of transparency in governance.
By expanding the coverage [...]
