Saturday, August 19, 2006
PPI joins Cebu Press Council on 2 bills
The Philippine Press Institute (PPI) has joined the Cebu Citizens-Press Council (CCPC) in calling on the Senate to approve two bills aimed to protect media practitioners, especially those in the countryside, from harassment and oppression.
The two bills, initiated by Cebu media and sponsored by Rep. Raul V. del Mar, were earlier approved on third and final reading in the House and already transmitted to the Senate. They are:
* House Bill 4835, amending the Sotto Law (which grants journalists the right not to reveal their sources except when security of the state requires it) to apply also to journalists of broadcast stations, wire news agencies, and the Internet; and
* House Bill 77, limiting the venue on criminal and civil libel to the principal office of business of the community newspaper or broadcast station.
Anomaly, harassment
The Sotto Law amendatory bill will correct the anomaly of broadcasters not being protected by the law while the bill on venue will stop the harassment of community journalists by being dragged to answer libel cases in courts far away from their place of work.
The PPI board of trustees in its July 28 meeting and induction of officers in Cagayan de Oro City agreed to join CCPC in prodding the senators to vote for the bill.
PPP trustee Juan L. Mercado said the board talked with Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, guest speaker and inducting officer, who promised to support the bills.
This week, PPI sent letters from PPI president Jake Macasaet to the senators. From Cebu, CCPC members signed individual letters for the senators. The senators already received the letters.
Senate action
Pachico A. Seares, acting CCPC executive director, said PPI and CCPC hope for Senate action on the two bills before it adjourns for Christmas and yearend holidays.
Otherwise, the bills go back to square one, Congressman del Mar, the bills’ principal sponor in the House, had made that clear.
Earlier, last June 28, at the quarterly en banc meeting of the 15-member CCPC, the Press Council voted to ask the senators to support the two bills, citing the protection of journalists as a major CCPC concern.
CCPC pools the efforts of the private sector and media to help make the Cebu press free and responsible. It includes representatives from the five Cebu newspapers, KBP, academe, business, and other sectors.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 19, 2006 issue)
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