Lawmaker seeks changes to right-of-reply bill

MANILA, Philippines - The principal author of the Right of Reply Bill (RORB) on Thursday filed amendments to the controversial measure that has triggered uproar among media practitioners. Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella was quoted in a radio report as saying that the amendments he is proposing focus on the issues that media practitioners have been raising, including provisions on editorial discretion, penalties and implementation. Puentevella assured that the amendments that he is suggesting would not trample on press freedom as enshrined in the 1987 Philippine Constitution, reiterating that he authored the bill to give news consumers a complete picture of any issue. Under the proposed measure, all persons accused of a crime, or criticized for any lapses in behavior, shall be given the right to reply in the same space or program where the accusations were published or broadcast. Even if the Senate has already passed its version of the bill, Sen. Francis “Kiko" Pangilinan, in a statement, urges senators and media representatives to talk about the issue and discuss possibilities for a “win-win solution." “Is it too late to accommodate the concerns raised by media groups? From a procedural point of view it is not. The Senate can, if it so desires, manifest on the floor in plenary a recall of the constitution of the Senate Bicameral Committee Panel pending the outcome of the dialogue between the principal proponents of the measure and various media groups," Pangilinan said. Pangilinan stressed that the purpose of the dialogue would only be to “crystallize" the arguments for and against the RORB, so as to give the public an objective view of the measure, where all concerned parties are given a chance to be heard. “I am looking at forging a win-win solution if such is possible. Legislation, like politics, can be described as the art of the possible. Let’s look to solutions that may address the impasse and a dialogue should be the first step," said Pangilinan, who admitted to have voted for the Senate bill version’s passage in July 2008. Parañaque Rep. Eduardo Zialcita had earlier said he and his fellow lawmakers would attempt to “soften" some provision in the controversial measure. Among these changes is the extension of the period within which the reply should be published. Under the Senate version, a media outfit is given three days to publish or air the reply, while the House version only gives a one-day deadline. Changes to reduce the fines and take out closure as penalty for non-compliance would also be pushed by Zialcita. For his part, Quezon City Rep. Lorenzo “Erin" Tañada said instead of legislating a person’s right of reply, journalists should be reminded to strictly be guided by the Journalists Code of Ethics. The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP) earlier said it may elevate the issue to the Supreme Court, if the House decides to pass its version. Aside from allegedly “vague" provisions, journalists are also questioning the “sunset clause" in the RORB. Under the clause, the bill – when it becomes a law – will lapse in seven years. The specific clause has already triggered suspicions that the RORB could be used by candidates to “monopolize" the media in the months leading to the upcoming 2010 national elections. - Mark Merueñas, GMANews.TV