SEN GUINGONA TAPS CORDILLERA NETIZENS
ON CROWDSOURCING BILL
SOCIAL MEDIA ONE OF THE CHANNELS TO USE FOR PEOPLE'S PARTICIPATION

Senator Teofisto "TG" Guingona III on Friday tapped the internet users and media practitioners in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) for their inputs to improve his newly-filed Senate Bill No 3033, otherwise known as "The Crowdsourcing Act of 2012."

"Social media is one of the avenues that we can tap to strengthen the people's participation in crafting laws. It bridges time and distance restrictions that constraint the citizens in forwarding their opinions," Sen. Guingona said.

Members of the Cordillera Bloggers, media practitioners in CAR and other neighboring provinces, and students from the University of the Philippines-Baguio participated in the forum.

Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 was also tackled during the forum, as the law threatens to suppress the Constitutional-guaranteed freedom of speech and expression of social media users.

Senator Guingona, the lone opposition of the law when it was being deliberated on the Senate floor, said that the cybercrime law is a step towards dark ages.

However, he told the CAR social media users that to avoid confusion, the country needs a Cybercrime Prevention Act to combat internet-related crimes.

"However, this law that was passed recently contains problematic provisions. Without these confusing and vague provisions, this law is necessary. That's why it is unfortunate that the overly vague and oppressive provision on libel was inserted into the law at the last minute," he said.

Sen. Guingona is one of the Supreme Court petitioners for a temporary restraining order for RA 10175 in which the justices ordered a 120-day TRO last Tuesday.

He, however, clarified that while the rest of the law is crafted to protect the citizens, the only remedy that he sees so far is to strike the void provisions.

Sen. Guingona has filed a petition before the Supreme Court for a temporary restraining order. On Tuesday, October 9, the High Tribunal issued a TRO for the said law.