Tweaks to anti-cybercrime law can proceed despite deferment on petitions – lawmaker

Rep. Raymond Palatino. Photo taken from congress.gov.ph

MANILA, Philippines — Unfazed by the Supreme Court’s deferment of its action on petitions against the Cybercrime Prevention Act, Kabataan Partylist Representative Raymond Palatino on Tuesday said he is confident that moves to amend the new law can still be pushed by lawmakers.

Reacting to the high tribunal’s decision to discuss petitions on
Republic Act No. 10175, the partylist lawmaker said that the House of Representatives can discuss proposals to amend the law since the legislative process was separate from the discussions at the Supreme Court.

He vowed to seek “all legal remedies…to junk the draconian
provisions of the law.”

Aside from the petitions filed by various groups at the Supreme Court, Palatino along with Bayan Muna Representative Teddy Casino have filed House Bill 6631 at the House of Representatives to repeal several provisions of RA 10175.

“Once session resumes on October 8, our primary agenda will be to pass this repeal bill. We cannot let e-Martial Law be enacted,” he vowed.

Meanwhile, Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo Angara is confident  that provisions on online libel and the authority given to the justice department on the such cases were not part of the bill approved by the lower house of Congress.

“Author ako sa House pero wala yung provisions na yun (I was one of the authors at the House of Representatives but the provisions in question were not part of the bill we approved here),” he said.