ICT Issues Concerning the Right to Reply Bill

These past few days, the country has witnessed the revival of the heated debate concerning the infamous right-to-reply bill with its impending passage as a law. Journalists all over the country have made a united stand against it claiming that the bill is an act of terrorism against them. The newsmakers' opposition to the proposed law have caused some lawmakers to take a softer line in their support of the bill.

I myself is against the bill's passage. I believe that the bill violates the Constitutional guarantee of freedom of the press and that it constitutes an unlawful taking of private property.

Aside from these legalistic arguments, I also believe that the bill is a bad ICT policy decision. Should the bill be passed as a law, it will cause clogging of media channels to the point of restricting its use by legitimate channel users such as businessmen seeking to advertise their products etc. as well as to other people in posting obituaries for their late relatives. I am not saying that people who felt that they were maligned by mediamen have no valid and legitimate right to vindicate their names. I just believe that the law is not the least restrictive means in promoting their concerns.


Raymond R. Roque
06-78143