Foundation for Media Alternatives Denounces Attacks On Press Freedom & Free Speech

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA) condemns all attempts to suppress press freedom in the Philippines. As advocates of human rights and communication rights, FMA believes that freedom of the press and of expression are fundamental to civil liberty and must be upheld especially at a time when the very foundations of democracy are under threat.

On January 15, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revoked the registration of Rappler, an online media organization in the Philippines. The next day, a subcommittee at the House of Representatives proposed to amend Article III, Section 4 of the 1987 Constitution to specify “responsible exercise” as a qualifier for constitutionally protected speech. These two incidents come at the tail end of a series of attacks against Philippine media. In numerous occasions, President Rodrigo Duterte himself has directly threatened to block the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise. In one instance, Duterte offered to arrive at a compromise provided that ABS-CBN promotes federalism. Even the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, which has been a staunch critic of Duterte’s war on drugs, was not spared and the renewal of its broadcast franchise was left to languish in Congress after it expired. This, while the administration builds a close circle of bloggers and opinion makers, a select few favored, accredited and resourced by government agents.

Thus, the defense that the Rappler lockdown is an isolated case simply cannot stand. The government has made its message loud and clear: support our agenda or lose your right to operate.

It is time we reclaim our voices and speak back.

Mass media is often referred to as the Fourth Estate, watchdogs against tyranny and a pillar of democracy. It is a major piece in the elaborate system of checks and balances established to prevent abuse of power. Without a free press, without a public sphere that encourages difference and dissent, individual forces increase their capacity to manipulate and monopolize public opinion. Such is exactly how authoritarian regimes are born. This is why we cannot let any attempt to curtail press freedom—however small or “isolated” they may be—simply come to pass.

FMA has always been resolute in its commitment to uphold the freedom of the press, and we will continue to do so. Under international instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Republic of the Philippines is bound to protect the freedom of expression and of the press. But when the State itself emerges as a threat to these freedoms, it is up to civil society and the public to defend them.

We, at FMA, therefore call on the Filipino public to continue to stand its ground against the creeping crackdown of the free press masked as legitimate regulation of mass media ownership. This constitutes indirect media censorship masked as regulatory oversight, with a sinister objective of silencing dissent and free expression.


#StandWithRappler #DefendPressFreedom

NUJP Stands with Rappler

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Below is the official statement of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) regarding the Security and Exchange Commission's (SEC) revocation of the registration of news outfit Rappler and Rappler Holdings Corp.

"The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines is outraged at the Security and Exchange Commission's (SEC) revocation of the registration of news outfit Rappler and Rappler Holdings Corp. for supposedly violating the Constitutional prohibition against foreign ownership of media.

The SEC has apparently decided to reject Rappler's contention that its foreign investors merely placed money in the outfit but do not own it, which it issued after President Rodrigo Duerte, in his state of the nation address last year, threatened to have its ownership investigated.

It was but one of many threats Duterte has made against media critical of him and his governance, such as the Philippine Daily Inquirer and broadcast network ABS-CBN, whose franchise renewal he threatened to block.

We are sure Rappler, as it has said, is capable of mounting a legal defense against what amounts to their closure.

As it does so, the NUJP declares it full support to Rappler and all other independent media outfits that the state has threatened and may threaten to shut down.

We call on all Filipino journalists to unite and resist every and all attempts to silence us."

The NUJP National Directorate

Reference:
Atty. Jocelyn Clemente, Acting Chair
Ms. Dabet Panelo, Secretary General
NUJP hotline: 09175155991

Responsible Journalism Means Complying with the Law

Wazzup Pilipinas!

THE National Press Club of the Philippines (NPC) believes that the exercise of press freedom in particular, and the freedom of expression in general, have not been affected nor threatened with the finding of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that online news platform Rappler, Inc., violated the strict constitutional provision on 100 percent control and ownership of mass media and its decision to close down the media outfit.

“The NPC purposely delayed issuing its statement on the matter until it has read the entire decision of the SEC in order for it not to be swayed by the prevailing emotion of the moment.

“As the country’s oldest and biggest organization of active media practitioners, the NPC is conscious that making a statement on this issue demands that it first study the SEC decision,” Gutierrez said.

“And going thru the 29-page decision, the SEC finding is quite clear: that Rappler Inc., has indeed violated the law when it allowed the entry of foreign investors and also allowed, specifically, Omidyar Network Fund LLC, to have control on ‘corporate matters’ of Rappler based on its own submissions to the SEC,” said NPC president Paul M. Gutierrez.

The SEC report, he added, clearly stated what was provided for in our Constitution and related laws and which Rappler also clearly violated:

“Where mass media is concerned, no (foreign) control whatsoever may be granted. 100 percent Filipino control means zero (“0”) foreign control. ‘Control’ is any influence over corporate policy, and not limited to ownership of stock.”

“As the SEC noted, Rappler breached this constitutional limit when it allowed Omidyar to exercise control over its corporate affairs as provided for in their internal agreement, in exchange for a fund infusion of US$ 1 million dollars,” Gutierrez noted.

“Responsible journalism also means complying with the law,” Gutierrez said, adding the Club’s position is also consistent with its policy of not accepting as members, journalists and media entities of dubious legal personality.

“By way of policing our ranks and as part of our continuing reform drive, the NPC has long ago made it a policy that those applying for membership should represent not only credible, but also, legally established media entities.

“In this case, we cannot be swayed by the emotion of the moment and go along with the general sentiment that press freedom has been threatened less we be accused of inconsistency,” Gutierrez said.

He also noted that it is premature to say that freedom of the press has been curtailed as a result of the SEC’s findings against Rappler.

“In the broader Philippine media industry, Rappler is just one among the thousands of media entities in the country and whose operations have remained free,” he said.

“There are about 436 television broadcast stations, 411 AM radio stations, over 1,000 FM radio stations and more than 400 newspapers today operating freely in the country besides those now that have proliferated in social media and whose actual number no one really has any idea.

“To say that the fate of one media entity found to have run afoul with the law translates to media repression in the country is stretching the argument a bit too much,” Gutierrez said.



Paul M. Gutierrez
January 16, 2018