AI calls for withdrawal of gag order petition vs ABS-CBN

MANILA, Philippines — Amnesty International on Tuesday called for the withdrawal of the motion filed by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) asking the Supreme Court (SC) to stop concerned parties from talking about the quo warranto petition against ABS-CBN franchise.

Solicitor General Jose Calida filed the petition for a gag order earlier in the day.

“The authorities are cracking down not just on the TV network but also on the right of every Filipino to freely express themselves. This plea must be withdrawn,” Nicholas Bequelin, regional director of Amnesty International, said in a statement.

Bequelin said the OSG’s move was a “clear attempt to silence critics of the government and would create a dangerous precedent in violation of the right to freedom of expression.”

Bequelin added that the government’s efforts to silence the members of the press would only “invite more criticism.”

“The government would do better by listening and addressing what is driving such criticism rather than resorting to legal theatrics to suppress human rights,” read the statement.

/atm