Media workers, press freedom advocates, and progressive groups rally outside the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), denouncing the anti-terror law's chilling effect on media outfits such as Bulatlat and Pinoy Weekly. This photo was taken in 2023 after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered the blocking of 27 websites over unfounded allegations of "promoting terrorism".
“The important issue we need to submit here is whether the memorandum issued by the NTC should be nullified in its entirety."
Alone we cannot do it. A big part of that is because of our readers and supporters, and our reason for being – the marginalized and oppressed sectors, the ordinary Filipinos whose miseries and victories we strive to amplify in every story we produce.
The witnesses of both agencies admitted the issuance of the NTC memo and therefore, also admitted that the Philippine government implemented the censorship against 27 websites. Their testimonies did not contradict Bulatlat’s assertion that the NTC, NSC and former National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. violated our right to publish, our right to free press and our right to free expression.
The NTC memorandum blocking the 27 websites not only violates the right to publish and the right to free expression of the media outfits and organizations but also the right of their readers and subscribers to access alternative information and analyses, including those not found in other websites.
We, the undersigned, urge the NTC to reconsider its decision and call on President Marcos Jr. to rescind this illegal, unfair and unwarranted restriction on press freedom, the freedoms of expression and association, and the right to due process.
Here's the timeline of Bulatlat's fight against one form of state-sponsored censorship.
"Insisting on the blocking of our websites runs counter to the government's claims of having a vibrant democracy. We call on the Philippine government to stop violating the people's right to free expression and opinion," they said.
“We reiterate that Esperon should be held accountable for masterminding the blocking of more than a dozen websites of media outfits and progressive groups.”
"Cyber censorship has no place in a democracy.”
The hearing for the case Bulatlat filed to seek the nullification of the website blocking order starts again on June 15 under a new judge.
“It is an insult to the intelligence and independence of the presiding Judge, and the entire judicial system for that matter."
A few weeks before the start of the trial, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) asked the Quezon City trial judge handling the website blocking case to inhibit, saying that she has shown “bias and partiality” in favor of Bulatlat.
Alternative online news Bulatlat assailed the attempt of former National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. to exonerate himself over his own website blocking order by saying the current security chief should replace him as a defendant.
In an effort to highlight the attacks against press freedom in the international community, alternative media groups have submitted their complaints to experts from the United Nations on Friday, Nov. 11, in Geneva Switzerland.
In the motion, Bulatlat argued that the memorandum filed by the NTC “is a content-based prior restraint on protected expression, which is unconstitutional” and Bulatlat “suffered from grave injustice or irreparable injury” from the implementation of the website blocking.
“The ATC is neither an indispensable nor a necessary party in this case as it does not have any involvement in the issuance of the assailed Memorandum,” said Bulatlat, pointing out that parties of interest are already impleaded as defendants in the case.
The blocking of the websites occurred in the context of incessant red-tagging.
This is prior restraint against protected speech. It is downright unacceptable as it is based on Esperon's mere hearsay.
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