Media groups reject proposed 'Magna Carta for Journalists'

Thanks but no thanks. This was the response of various media groups Tuesday, to the “utterly misleading” Magna Carta for Journalists, a House bill filed requiring journalists to pass an exam before they can be accredited as members of the press. “As we have said before and will continue to say unequivocally, we oppose any and all attempt to subject journalism to any form of accreditation or licensing for the simple reason that, while it is true that journalism is a profession within the media industry, it is first and foremost part of the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of speech and of expression,” the National Union of journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) said in a statement posted on their Facebook page. Brothers Rufus and Maximo Rodriguez jointly filed House Bill 2550, the Magna Carta for Journalists. The NUJP, a guild committed to protect the interests of Filipino working journalists, referenced an earlier bill filed by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada that was also met with much criticism. “We do not wish to denigrate the undoubtedly good intentions of the brothers Rodriguez but perhaps they missed reading the news a few months back when media organizations turned down a similar bill filed by Senator Jinggoy Estrada,” the statement added, noting that it would be like trying to determine who can and cannot speak out freely. The NUJP also called the bill “illogical,” saying it a provision that allows “non-accredited media” to be allowed to practice the profession does not make sense. “Accreditation exams are commonly understood as mechanisms to determine whether one is qualified to practice a regulated profession, and yet HB 2550 says the 'non-accredited,' presumably those who either fail to pass or do not take the exam, can still work for media outfits, which makes the whole accreditation idea superfluous,” the statement said. Instead, the NUJP called on the Rodriguez brothers to support a “better” charter, one filed by former journalist and now Laguna Rep. Sol Aragones which seeks to promote freedom of information by ensuring that all requests made by media outfits and journalists of government agencies are acted upon promptly. Suspicions For its part, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), an international affiliate of the NUJP, agreed that the proposed measure was nonsensical. “This bill appears to be a scurrilous attempt to introduce licensing of journalists.The bill aims to set up several categories of journalist, to treat them differently and has the potential to punish any that don’t meet a set of criteria imposed from the outside,” it said in a statement. The IFJ also called on the Philippine government to pass the languishing Freedom of Information Bill, to give journalists and citizens ease of access to public documents. “If politicians in the Philippines truly want to emulate the Magna Carta then they should focus more on the public’s right to know by passing the long-delayed Freedom of Information Bill and other measures that allow media keep their communities informed,” it said. Meanwhile the National Press Club also expressed “suspicions” over another proposed bill by the Rodriguez brothers. Reps. Rodriguez filed House Bill 2562, amending parts of the Revised Penal Code to remove the provision of imprisonment and to increase the fines for libel from the present P6,000 to P30,000, but NPC said the measure is deceptive. “The NPC eyes with suspicion the true merits and intention of House Bill 2562. While on the surface it looks ‘good’ for proposing to 'decriminalize' libel and substitute fines in lieu of imprisonment under the present law (Art. 353 of the RPC), even a quick perusal of HB 2562 would show that it restricts press freedom by expanding the acts of media subject to fine/penalty as it now covers, among others ‘...facts connected with the private life of another and offensive to the honor, virtue and reputation of said person,’” NPC President Benny Antiporda said in his official Facebook account. “This provision alone is so wide, encompassing that it would enough to intimidate the media. In the main, the NPC believes that HB 2562, as presently worded, runs counter to Art. 3, Sec. 4 of the 1987 constitution,” Atiporda added. — DVM, GMA News