MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) The House of Representatives has taken a step back on the "right of reply" bill after leaders of the lower chamber agreed to throw back the controversial measure to the committee on public information.

During the Ayes and Nays Forum on Wednesday, Majority Floor Leader Arthur Defensor (Iloilo) said the authors of the bill, led by Speaker Prospero Nograles, were asked to review and amend the bill, which had reached second reading in the House plenary.

The authors were asked to conduct the review at the committee level to consider changes proposed by media groups.

Defensor said the House would then hold a survey or a majority caucus to decide on the fate of the bill.

He said the House would only put the bill to a plenary vote upon getting majority support for the revised version. Otherwise, he said, the measure should be dropped altogether.

Defensor said there was no rush to approve the bill.

"We have the luxury of time as far as this bill is concerned," he told reporters, adding that the measure has gained a "notorious" character because of claims by media organizations that it curtailed freedom of expression.

Defensor said the bill would not be taken up within the week before Congress goes on break on March 6.

Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo said the right of reply bill merely reflected the lawmakers’ distrust in media.

He objected to it "because of its unconstitutional nature because it runs counter to the bill of rights."

Ocampo said there were existing mechanisms for the right of reply.

National Press Club Director Joel Egco said the media would be ready to contest the bill up to the Surpreme Court.

Joe Torres, spokesman for the National Center for People's Media, said the measure shows the "jurassic and obsolete mentality" of legislators.

It shows that the lawmakers do not trust the media, he added.

The right of reply bill has been passed at the House committee level and was due for debates at the plenary. In the Senate, it has been passed on third reading.

The measure gives the so-called aggrieved party a right of reply in the publication or broadcast media where the story appeared.