4 October 2006
IFEX MEMBERS DECRY LIBEL ACTIONS AGAINST JOURNALISTS
Hundreds of free expression advocates and more than 25 local and international organisations, including seven IFEX members, have signed a petition calling on congressional representatives in the Philippines to abolish a libel law they say is being used to shield powerful figures from public scrutiny.
Coordinated by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), the petition comes in response to libel cases filed by the husband of President Gloria Arroyo against 43 reporters, columnists, editors and publishers of various publications.
Jose Miguel Arroyo has claimed his critics have maliciously and falsely accused him of corruption, reports the "South China Morning Post". The claims include vote-buying for President Arroyo's 2004 poll victory, money laundering, demanding illegal gambling payoffs and influence peddling.
Under the country's laws, libel is a criminal offence. Anyone convicted can be sentenced to jail for up to six years and fined.
The IFEX members who signed NUJ's petition include IFJ, the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, the Hong Kong Journalists Association, the Southeast Asian Press Alliance, Pakistan Press Foundation, the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders.
Visit these links:
- NUJ Petition: http://www.pcij.org/blog/?p=1210#more-1210
- SEAPA: http://www.seapabkk.org/newdesign/newsdetail.php?No=526
- Asia Media News: http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article-southeastasia.asp?parentid=51219
- ARTICLE 19 Study on Free Expression and the Media in the Philippines: http://www.article19.org/pdfs/publications/philippines-baseline-study.pdf
- Text of Phillipines' Penal Code: http://www.chanrobles.com/revisedpenalcodeofthephilippines.htm
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