Two more petitions filed vs Cybercrime Prevention Law; total stands at 15

Two other petitions against the Cybercrime Prevention Act have been filed at the Supreme Court, bringing the number of petitions contesting the controversial law to 15. The National Press Club and Philippine Internet Freedom Alliance, a group of made up of different organizations, netizens, and bloggers, on Thursday afternoon filed separate petitions against Republic Act 10175. In its 27-page petition, NPC asked the High Court to impose a temporary restraining order against the law’s implementation, and asked that the law be declared unconstitutional as it "offend[s] the fundamental speech of expression, the press, the right to due process of law and equal protection of the law and right against jeopardy of the petitioners internet users, bloggers and citizens of the Philippines." PIFA sought for a preliminary injunction, or status quo ante order, to maintain the status quo prevailing before the enactment of the controversial measure, which has been in effect since Oct. 3. “The petition at bar involves constitutional issues of transcendental importance and represent matters of paramount public interest,” the 61-page petition read. It likewise argued that “the Cybercrime Prevention Act is an undue abridgment of the freedom of speech, expression and of the press.” Other grounds for the petition included: the law as a violation of the right to privacy, and violation of the right to equal protection. PIFA noted that the Cybercrime Prevention Act will also cause further congestion in the country's courts and jail facilities. The Supreme Court en banc is set to tackle the petitions against the controversial law on Tuesday. PIFA said that it will be holding an anti-RA 10175 protest on Tuesday at Padre Faura while the High Court is conducting its en banc session. Simultaneously, the Justice Department will hold a multi-sectoral forum in consultation with the law’s stakeholders, as it has been tasked to draft the implementing rules and regulations of the law. Those who have filed petitions against the Cybercrime Prevention Law are: 1. Sen. Teofisto Guingona III 2. Journalists, bloggers, lawyers led by University of the Philippines Law professor Harry Roque; 3. Group of lawyers from the Ateneo School of Law 4. Journalists led by Alab ng Mamahayag (ALAM) 5. Kabataan party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino 6. National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera et al. 7. Technology law experts led by UP Law professor JJ Disini 8. Louis Biraogo 9. Some 250 journalists led by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines and the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility 10. A group of 18 bloggers led by famous bloggers "Tonyo Cruz" and "Professional Heckler” 11. Philippine Bar Association 12. Paul Cornelius and Ryan Andres 13. Bayan Muna. Rep. Neri Colmenares 14. National Press Club 15. Philippine Internet Freedom Alliance — BM, GMA News