Jamby files bill to repeal crime of sedition

Sen. Jamby Madrigal wants the crime of sedition to be stricken from the statute books.

Describing sedition as an "archaic" offense, Madrigal has filed a bill seeking to repeal a provision of the Revised Penal Code punishing persons found guilty of sedition.

"It is now time to repeal this archaic provision of our penal law," she said. "No longer should the Filipino allow this crime to intimidate or threaten them. Let us uphold the right of the Filipino to freedom of expression."

Speaking to reporters at the News Desk Café in Quezon City yesterday, Madrigal said sedition as a crime no longer exists in many countries around the world.

"In our nation’s history, the crime of sedition has been used against eminent nationalist leaders like Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Aurelio Tolentino, Macario Sakay, Isabelo delos Reyes, Amado Hernandez, Benigno Aquino Jr., and even Diosdado Macapagal for having published a book titled ‘Democracy in the Philippines’ during the early period of martial law in the country," she said.

Madrigal said that her bill, which will amend the Revised Penal Code, would be known as the "Freedom of Expression Act."

"The crime of sedition is an offense of the mind," she said. "It occurs in the mind of the government and, as in the case of Mrs. Gloria Arroyo, it is being used as a weapon to deny, rather than to protect, the people’s rights, particularly on freedom of expression."

Madrigal said the law punishing sedition violates the people’s freedom of expression as enshrined in the Bill of Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

"It is also being employed now by Mrs. Arroyo to justify the use of massive state resources against an individual or group who are at odds with her," she said.

Militant and anti-administration groups welcomed Madrigal’s move, calling it a timely and positive action.

Wilson Fortaleza, of the labor group Sanlakas, said the crime of sedition is apparently being used by the Arroyo administration to repress its critics.

"I remember one time, when we were holding a rally and we had a poster of GMA à la Medusa, the police told us that they would be charging us with sedition because of our poster," he said.

"But the police said they would not charge us because of the picture of GMA but because of the words below it which stated: ‘On Nov. 30, kumilos na!’" he said.

That incident, among many others, showed that the "parameter for sedition became unclear... that it becomes a crime in the mind of the administration," Fortaleza said.

Other groups supporting the move of Madrigal are women’s group GABRIELA, Kilusan Para sa Pambansang Demokrasya (KPD), and Bayan Muna. — Katherine Adraneda