EVENT:
World Press Freedom Day Celebration
DATE:
May 4, 2012 (whole morning or whole afternoon)
PROGRAM:
Half-Day Simultaneous Programs in Manila,
Bulacan, Cagayan de Oro, Davao,
Cebu, Gen. Santos and Baguio
– A Total of Seven Areas Nationwide. De
La Salle University, Xavier University, Ateneo de Davao University, and University of San Carlos,
Saint Louis University have tie-ups with the US
EMBASSY. They are called American
Corners, so automatically they become venues for the forums. The other two in Bulacan and Gen. Santos do
not have American Corners but local organizers will have to get in touch with
them.
Manila De La Salle
University
Bulacan Bulacan State University
Cagayan de Oro Xavier University
Davao Ateneo de
Davao University
Cebu University of San Carlos
Baguio Saint
Louis University
Gen. Santos Notre Dame University
TITLE:
Decriminalize Libel Now:
A Forum
January 31 marked a milestone for the campaign for freedom
of expression as the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) released a
resolution declaring the country’s libel law discordant with the provision in
the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that upholds free
expression as a right.
The UNHRC, in light of a complaint filed by Davao-based
broadcaster Alexander Adonis, upheld that defamation laws "should not …
stifle freedom of expression".
UNHRC also ordered the government to provide compensation
for the wrongful detention of Adonis, who has been in jail for more than two
years now after being convicted on a libel case filed by former House Speaker
Prospero Nograles.
The government must act to prevent libel laws from being
abused by prevent such violations to happen again, and there is no other way to
do so but to review and amend our draconian libel law and push for its
decriminalization.
We wish to discuss the implications of the UNHRC resolution
and its impact on Philippine media, given that fellow journalists continue to
be vulnerable to intimidation through criminal libel. Resource persons are legal experts and
leaders from media advocacy groups such
as the PPI and the NUJP. They will be
joined by some editors and publishers as panelists from the local level. In Manila,
PPI trustees and Philippine Press Council editors will be
panelists/discussants.
We hope to re-launch the campaign to decriminalize libel in
the Philippines and launch
the initiatives as presented in the first two forums in Manila
(UP College of Law and Orchid Garden Suites.
Groundbreaking Initiative:
The Philippine Press Institute and the Philippine Press
Council held the first roundtable discussion on the issue of libel and its
proposed decriminalization on March 22, 2012 in Manila.
Even before this PPI-PPC forum, the NUJP has already
initiated a forum at the UP College
of Law to jumpstart the
discussions and sustainable advocacy on decriminalizing libel. This prompted PPI to organize one for print.
The PPI-PPC RTD gathered 20 guests representing academe,
broadcast media, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines and
the Center for International Law represented by Atty. Harry Roque. Journalists
Alexander Adonis from Davao
City and Edwin Espejo
from Gen. Santos City also shared the libel cases filed against them. The PPI
Board was represented by trustees Amado Macasaet, Vergel Santos, Al Pedroche
and Elnora Cueto.
“Every journalist should adopt this (decriminalization) as a
natural advocacy,” Roque said.
The discussion included a survey of the current
international statutes on libel, human rights and the freedom of expression
vis-à-vis the journalism climate in the Philippines.
At the end of the roundtable discussion, the following
proposed actions were identified to provide a framework moving forward the
decriminalization of libel. This was imperative in view of the national and
local elections in May 2013.
PROPOSED ACTIONS:
1. Build database
on libel suits filed against journalists.
2. Intensify
campaign for decriminalization of libel, both in national and international
levels:
Lobby with Congress and Malacañang
Build unity among news organizations
3. Educate members
of media (particularly those in broadcast) about libel – the law, related
international standards/instruments, as
well as journalism ethics.
4. Strengthen
accountability mechanisms:
In-house or internal mechanisms: ombudsman, correction and
apology
Geographical: Press Councils
Thru press organizations: PPI, NUJP, etc.
Thru monitoring groups: CMFR, academe, CSOs
5. Conduct
research on how criminal libel impacts on press freedom and free expression
rights in the country.
6. Build a network
of lawyers that will address press freedom related cases, including criminal
libel. (Similar to Media Legal Defense Inc.)
7. “Know your
rights” campaign:
Know who to contact – lawyer, NUJP hotline,
editors/publishers/station managers
Have bail money ready
Have form for posting bail ready
In some areas, find out the operation of the night courts
8. Monitor media
bills being filed in Congress. (Check Escudero bill – full decriminalization)
9. Training on
libel defense with the help of UP College
of Law
10. Use the social
media for campaigning
PARTNER/GRANTOR:
Embassy of the United States of America
ORGANIZER:
Philippine Press Institute as Project Implementer in
cooperation with NUJP-Manila and the Center for International law with Regional
Members in said areas as Partners for Local Initiatives in collaboration with
local KBP and NUJP chapter members
COUNTERPART:
Mobilization, Technical Expertise, Call for Action, Center
for International assigning a legal expert in each area (this means spending
for transportation of the expert), NUJP assigning one person too in each area
VENUE/S:
American Corners and/or Partner-Universities
SPEAKERS:
Media Leaders from the PPI, National Union of Journalists of
the Philippines (NUJP), Local Press Clubs and Press Councils and
Editors/Publishers, Legal Experts from the Center for International Law
(optional)
ATTENDEES:
PPI Members (Print), Broadcast members of the Kapisanan ng
mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP), Members of Press/Media Organizations, Some
educators and teachers of Journalism Schools, Advocacy Groups (Non-Media) such
as Civil Society Organizations and NGOs
It will be a mixed of community stakeholders attending the
forum. Since the school venue has
already a target audience, attendance should have more media practitioners.
CONTENT:
Speeches/Presentations and Open Forum/Ceremonial such as
candle-lighting, holy mass, prayer rally
Keynote in Manila: Official of the U.S. Embassy
Main Peg:
Decriminalization of Libel (cognizant to the Aquino administration's
centerpiece advocacy on fighting corruption and in the light of media
re-examining themselves). As a pressing
issue now, the advocacy campaign aims to heighten awareness on it and make
known the proposed plan of actions from the first two forums held in Manila. In relation to this, the FOI bill also has to
be an accompanying topic.
Attendant Topics/Segments (to be chosen as part of the
program): Killings of Journalists, Media
Accountability, Media Re-examining Themselves, Ethics and Civic Journalism
(Engaging the Public), Threats to Press Freedom, Freedom of Information
Even if the forum is localized in the six areas outside Manila, each program will
have libel as the main focus where all the underlying or related topics will
have to be based on. Depends on the
program schedule, all attendant topics can be accommodated. But owing to the unique media landscape in
each area, the local organizer should be able to tweaked the program to render
more relevance and local impact.
OUTPUT:
Press Releases and Written Activity Report
LOGISTICS:
Venue, Meals, Administrative Costs, Honoraria for Speakers,
‘Bulk’ Amount for the Local Programs for invitations, printing of programs,
kits if there are any, LCD projector for powerpoint presentations from
speakers, modest honoraria for speakers, photo and reportorial documentation;
other excess expenses shall be borne by the organizer as counterpart
Manila
– PPI Head Office
Bulacan – Dino Balabo, Mabuhay Newspaper
Cagayan de Oro City – Allan Mediante, BusinessWeek Mindanao
Davao City – Jess Dureza, Mindanao
Times
Cebu
City – Cherry Ann Lim,
Sun.Star Cebu
Baguio City – Jane Cadalig, Baguio
Midland Courier
Gen. Santos City – John Paul Jubelag, Mindanao
Bulletin
