With SC decision on cybercrime constitutionality Karapatan: Libel provision will be used vs. protesting public

Like extrajudicial killing, enforced disappearance, illegal arrest and detention and, other human rights violations, the libel provision in the cybercrime law will most likely be used against those who criticize Pres. Aquino's anti-people policies and programs and those who expose corruption and rights violations.

If such would be the case, the lies and spins used to cover up the country's real situation should also be subject of libel for these are far more disastrous to the Filipino people.

These "prevent us from looking deeper into the roots of poverty, coming out with the right solutions and plan of action. Such lies serve as blinders and prevent the people from pursuing the real path to development."

Karapatan was among the organizations that filed a petition for a Temporary Restraining Order at the Supreme Court, saying the law "poses serious threats to the right to privacy, freedom of speech and expression, among other civil and political rights."

It also criticized the law for its "implications on the work of human rights defenders, as this further impedes on our right to articulate the facts on the human rights situation that we gather on the ground and our analyses on the situation."

On October 8, 2012, Karapatan submitted a complaint before the United Nations, through Frank La Rue, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; and Margaret Sekaggya, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.

The complaint said the Cybercrime Law constitutes several violations of international human rights conventions and declarations, including the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Declaration on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders of which the Philippines, as a signatory, has the obligation to implement.

Cristina Palabay

Karapatan secretary general 

KARAPATAN is an alliance of human rights organizations and programs, human rights desks and committees of people's organizations, and individual advocates committed to the defense and promotion of people's rights and civil liberties.  It monitors and documents cases of human rights violations, assists and defends victims and conducts education, training and campaign.