Gov’t urged to protect right to expression following journalist Cimatu’s libel conviction

Facade of the Commission on Human Rights office. (INQUIRER.net file photo)

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Wednesday reminded the national government of its duty to uphold the freedom of expression and opinion, following the cyber libel conviction of reporter Frank Cimatu.

It also urged lawmakers to pass Senator Risa Hontiveros’ Senate Bill No. 1593, which aims to decriminalize libel. The CHR agreed with the opposition legislator that private entities have abused libel laws to deflect scrutiny over matters of public concern.

“The CHR reminds the Philippine government that as a consignee of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), it has the obligation to protect people’s rights to freedom of opinion and expression,” the CHR said in a statement.

“When these rights are compromised, especially for journalists and critics, the government also cripples one of its informal feedback mechanisms that serve to inform and improve government policies and decisions,” it added.

READ: QC court finds Baguio-based journalist Frank Cimatu guilty of cyber libel

The ICCPR is a treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly which binds member signatories to uphold the listed civil rights and freedoms, including the right to expression and opinion.

The CHR emphasized Article 19 of the ICCPR, which states that everyone has the right “to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.”

“Instead of suing for libel, the most responsible way for government officials and politicians to deal with criticism is through open discussions and the exercise of transparency,” it said.

The CHR, however, acknowledged that the libel law is still “one of society’s safeguards against disinformation.” Nevertheless, it urged discourse surrounding the proposed decriminalization of libel to focus on both freedom of expression as well as the facts and truth.

“About disinformation, the CHR suggests an approach similar to what the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights proposed: guidelines should be established so lawful efforts directed against libel would aim to correct erroneous information, instead of applying legal restrictions,” it said.

Cimatu was convicted of cyber libel by a Quezon City court over a Facebook post he made about former Department of Agriculture chief Manny Piñol. The reporter was sentenced to six months to five years in prison, and ordered to pay P300,000 in moral damages to Piñol.

RELATED STORIES

Hontiveros files bill decriminalizing libel

ACT party-list lawmaker refiles bill decriminalizing libel

KGA