Press Release
October 3, 2012

Transcript of Senator TG Guingona Press Briefing

STG: It's not that they refused to issue the TRO, ang sinabi lang nila that they need more time to study the petitions, which is fair enough. It's such a vital issue that affects all the rights of the citizens today, tama lang that it'd given proper attention and proper study.

Q: is it too late?

STG: It's never too late to declare a law unconstitutional or provisions of the law unconstitutional. Never too late.

Q: Although now, that it's already there, do you suggest that it should just be amended ?

STG: If you amend it, it will take time. It has to pass congress, it has to pass the senate then it has to pass the bicam. The important part now is what route is the fastest way and we believed that the Supreme Court is the fastest way because the rights of the citizens ,of individuals are affected and therefore the sooner we have , the laws with pertinent provisions of the laws declared unconstitutional the better. The better for all of us, the better for all the citizens of this country.

Q: Sen. Escuderro filed amending law to repeal the section 4 yesterday, do you think it's better or push for decriminalization of libel?

STG: I support the decriminalization of libel. In fact, I support the efforts of my colleague sa senado to decriminalize libel. Three senators filed, Senator Chiz, Senator Honasan and Senator Estrada. I will support them in their quest for decriminalizing libel.

Q: Hindi na kailangan i-repeal ang cyber libel?

STG: There are so many provisions that are unconstitutional. Una yung hindi pantay-pantay na pagtrato ng mga akusado sa libel. Bakit pag naglibel ka na hindi ka gumamit ng computer mas mababa a ng penalty mo pero kapag gumamit ka ng computer eh mas mataas ang penalty mo? Hindi tama iyon, unconstitutional yun. That violates the equal protection clause. Pangalawa, puwede kang maprosecute sa ilalim ng Penal code at puwede kang maprosecute sa ilalim ng Cybercrime Law. Unconstitutional iyon sapagkat double jeopardy iyon. Pangatlo, yung provision na sinasabi na Department of Justice Secretary ay puwede mag block ng internet data. That goes against the provision of the constitution on search and seizures. Ang sinasabi ng konstitusyon, ang dapat magdetermine ng search and seizure warrant ay ang huwes. Dito ginawa ang DOJ Secretary. Pangalawa ang basihan ay probable cause sabi ng konstitusyon, dito prima facie lang, kung sa tingin nila labag sa batas eh puwede na nilang i-block. Labag po talaga ito sa konsitusyon at napaka bigat ng mga provision na ito. Walang tigil ang debateng ito until the ultimate referee steps in and says, "stop, yes, this law is unconstitutional." And the only one who can say with finality is the Supreme Court.

Q: On hacking government website as the basis of the cybercrime law. Kaya ipinatupad ito dahil sa mga hacked websites.

STG: Well, if it is happening now, yes, maybe but I also condemned the hacking . Yan hacking parang pumasok ka sa isang bahay ng tao ng walang pahintulot. Mali iyon at dapat talaga maregulate iyon at dapat talaga mabigyan ng batas iyon para maprotectahan naman ang mga innocent citizens who have websites, even their facebooks.

Q: Mamomonitor kaya ng government ang mga lumalabag sa batas na ito?

STG: Function of technology na lang iyon eh. Depende on how many resources the government will put in. Puwede kung sa puwede. It's just a matter of technology and resources when it comes to implementation. Pero ang pinaka importante dito ay yung karapatan ng taong bayan na magpahayag ng sariling damdamin ay hindi dapat pigilan at sa tingin namin na itong batas na ito ay natatakot ang mga citizen/netizens na magpahayag ng sariling damdamin. I would like to appeal to all the netizens out there, we are also going to file after the law is declared unconstitutional, we will file amendatory provisions. We will file corrective provisions but we will do it through crowd sourcing and I appeal to all the netizens in the Philippines , there are new ways of crafting laws. When we come up with the amendments of the cybercrime, we will do it through crowd sourcing. We will put up a website post amendments and ask everybody who has an idea positive or negative to give their comments. We will crow source amendments to the cybercrime.

Q: Do you think that the law was not carefully studied?

STG: Obviously, there was no proper consultation. In one forum which we had, it was very group from the groups of netizens , sinasabi nila na hindi sila nakonsulta at bigla na lang lumitaw ito. Kaya ang bagong pamamaraan, subukan natin itong crowd sourcing sapagakt doon lang sa internet na everybody whether he is in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte or Polomoloc South Cotabato can participate meaningfully in the crafting of the Law.

Q: E-libel clause sprung from Senator Sotto being cyber bullied daw. Is it a form of cyber bullying, na nag express ka lang ng opinion saabihin nan a mali ka.

STG: That's why what we are doing now is, the basic principle is to decriminalized libel. We are for responsible blogging, responsible use of the internet but not this way where you infringe upon the rights of the citizens.

Q: Nagtuturuan kung saan naisingit yung libel sa cybercrime.

STG: Ayoko na magcomment diyan sapagkat ika nga that's water under the bridge . Andito na tayo sa Korte Suprema at mas importante ditto ang mga probisyon na talagang klarong lumalabag sa karapatan ng mga mamayan. We must concentrate on the constitutional provisions.

Q; Unang araw ngayon ng implementasyon ng batas na ito. Sabi nila kapag nagretweet, like or nagshare ka aya puwede ka na kasuhan.

STG: It's not clear what form. It's open to interpretation and if it is open for interpretation then it's open to abuse. Mayroon ngang nagsabi na magcomment na hehehe, doesthat mean you agree? Sabin g iba oa mo naman . Galing na tayo sa Martial Law noong araw at natikman na natin yung ganyan. Konting pagkakamiali ng taong bayan ay makukulong ka. Dapat hindi natin bigyna ng kasangkapan ang estado na in the future might be used. The governments do not have the interest of the people at all.

Q: Puwede bang i-clarify na lang sa IRR?

STG: No. The law itself has provisions that are unconstitutional and they cannot be corrected by IRR. They should first be declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court and then we can make amendments.

Q: Sabin Ni Sec De Lima puwede daw sa IRR.

STG: No, I don't agree. You cannot correct unconstitutional provisions and make them constitutional through IRR. Through amendments or the court declaring it unconstitutional.

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