Press Release
June 6, 2008

KIKO URGES FELLOW LAWMAKERS TO RETHINK OUR ANTIQUATED LIBEL LAW

The recent libel conviction of a veteran journalist is another instance for lawmakers to rethink our antiquated libel law, Senate Majority Leader Kiko Pangilinan today said.

There was a judicial determination that journalist Ninez Cacho-Olivarez committed. Without going into the merits and presuming regularity, the court merely based its findings on the existing libel law. But said law has remained essentially unamended for almost 80 years. Panahon na sigurong pag-aralan ang posibleng pag-amyenda ng nasabing batas,' Kiko said.

Kiko reiterates the possibility of decriminalizing libel, to remedy the doctrinal 'chilling effect' on the media whenever journalists critical to the government are arrested for or convicted of libel.

"Our current libel law is a vestige of our colonial past. Being a former mediaman myself, i know the inherent sense of duty of journalists to seek the truth. On the other hand, privacy and reputation must not be totally brushed aside as well. The legislators should sit down and discuss possible crafting of a libel law contemporaneous and reflective of the current situations," Kiko said.

'Ang kalayaan ng pamamahayag at mga karapatan ng mga indibidwal mapanatili sa tama ang kanilang pribadong buhay o reputasyon at parehong bunga ng demokrasya. We can always try our best to strike a balance so that neither will be unduly sacrificed,' Kiko ended.

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