Palace: Gov’t suppressing press freedom is nothing but ‘fake news’

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque (File photo by JOAN BONDOC / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Malacañang branded as “fake news” allegations that the decision of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) to revoke the license of news website Rappler was a suppression of press freedom.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque issued this statement on Friday after three United Nation rapporteurs expressed alarm over the government’s alleged efforts to shut down Rappler.

In a January 11 decision, the SEC ordered the revocation of Rappler Inc.’s certificate of incorporation for reportedly violating the restriction on foreign ownership of local media.

“That’s a decision of the SEC which is manned by Aquino appointees. It’s a money-making scheme which SEC said violated the Constitution. Allegation that it’s about press freedom is fake news,” Roque said in statement.

“It’s about avarice for money that violates the Constitution and the laws of the land,” he added.

In a joint statement, UN special rapporteurs Agnes Callamard, special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; David Kaye, special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; and Michel Forst, special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, said there was no basis under human rights law to block Rappler and other independent media outfits from reporting.

But Roque said the government was not moving to shutdown media entities in the Philippines.

“Let me know if any of the journalist of Rappler have been prevented from reporting or if they have been censored,” he said.

“[I] will give them credence if they can show which outfit has been shut down, who has been prohibited to report, when there was either censorship or prior restraint,” he added. /jpv

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