Media will thrive in freedom brought by forefathers — Sotto

The Philippine media will always thrive in the freedom brought by our forefathers, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Wednesday after the signing of the Sotto Law exempting broadcast and online media from revealing their sources.

"Our Constitution and our laws ensure that the right of the public to fair, accurate and reliable information will never be trampled upon, and that constitutional privileges enjoyed by members of the media industry will always be recognized and respected," Sotto said in a statement.

Republic Act 11458 expanded the coverage of RA 53, which allows print media under the 1946 law not to reveal their sources in news stories unless it compromised national security.

It was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on August 30.

The law covers any recognized or accredited publisher, owner, journalist, writer,  reporter, contributor, opinion writer, editor, columnist, manager, media practitioners involved in the writing, editing, production and dissemination of news for mass circulation, of any print, broadcast, wire service organization or electronic mass media, including cable TV and its variants.

Sotto thanked Duterte for recognizing the importance of the law.

"I am grateful to President Duterte for recognizing the importance of this measure. I have always been and will always be a strong advocate of the freedom of information and an avid guardian of the rights that our journalists justly deserve," he said.

Meanwhile, Senator Grace Poe, the former chairperson of the Senate committee on public information and mass media, hailed the signing of the law.

"This is a legislation whose time has not only come, but is well past its due," Poe on Wednesday said in a statement.

"The freedom of the press and the right of the public to know are fortified when the media is able to gather and report news unimpaired and unafraid," she added.

According to Poe, anonymous sources have played a big part in uncovering corruption, leading to the accountability of criminals. — Joahna Lei Casilao/BM, GMA News