Supreme Court flooded with appeals vs. Cybercrime Law

No less than 15 groups are moving to file a slew of petitions seeking to reverse a Supreme Court ruling that largely upheld the legality of the controversial Cybercrime Prevention Act.

Among the latest motions for reconsideration were ones filed separately on Wednesday by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), the Philippine Bar Association (PBA), Bayan Muna party-list, and the Bloggers and Netizens for Democracy (BAND).

The latest motion for reconsideration was filed Thursday afternoon by a group of lawyers and journalists led by Davao-based radio broadcaster Alexander Adonis, who had been convicted of libel in the past.

In its its February 18 ruling, the SC upheld the constitutionality of online libel “with respect to the original author of the post but unconstitutional only where it penalizes those who simply receive the post or react to it.”

Under the rules, the 15 petitioners have 15 days to file a motion for reconsideration, starting from the day they received a copy of the SC ruling.

In its petition, the NUJP insisted that the online libel provision of the law under Section 4(c)4 should be struck down as unconstitutional as it constitutes prior restraint and curtails basic rights to free speech and expression.

According to NUJP chairperson Rowena Paraan, online libel would be an “anachronism in an age when, around the world, libel has been decriminalized.”

Sourse: gmanetwork.com