Blocking of 'CPP-linked' sites not against free speech but disinformation —Lorenzana

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Thursday said the government's move to block over 20 websites allegedly linked to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) is not against free speech but against disinformation.

"I am in agreement with Secretary [Hermogenes] Esperon," Lorenzana said,  referring to President Rodrigo Duterte's security adviser who requested the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to block the sites.

"We are not against free speech. In fact, we encourage and protect it. It is disinformation against the government that we are against," Lorenzana said.

With the blocking of the websites, Lorenzana said he believes youth recruitment to the communist organization would be reduced, if not prevented.

"They (youth) are so gullible and susceptible to propaganda and disinformation," he said.

For its part, the Department of the Interior and Local Government stood by the action taken by the NSC and NTC.

DILG Undersecretary and NTF-ELCAC spokesperson Jonathan Malaya cited Section of Republic Act (RA) No. 11479 or the “Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 as  legal basis for the restrictions.

Section 2 of RA 11479 provides that "it is declared a policy of the State to protect life, liberty, and property from terrorism, to condemn terrorism as inimical and dangerous to the national security of the country and to the welfare of the people, and to make terrorism a crime against the Filipino people, against humanity, and against The Law of Nations."

Malaya said the law defines "terrorism" as a crime. Further, he stressed the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) created under the aforementioned law declared the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and their central committee members as terrorists and terrorist organizations.

"In light of the declaration of policy of RA 11479, the resolution of the ATC, and in order to implement the same, restricting or blocking the websites of the declared terrorist organizations and their members are in accordance with law," Malaya said in a statement.

"It cannot be denied that the propaganda contained in the terrorist websites are being used to advance the illegal cause of the terrorists, in this case, the CPP-NPA-NDF, which is to overthrow the government through violent means and destroy our democratic way of life," he added.

The DILG official said the affected websites may argue the decision as a curtailment of their freedom of speech but warned it might fail because the Supreme Court previously ruled that it is not absolute.

The blocking of the sites, which included independent news sites Bulatlat and Pinoy Weekly, was criticized by various organizations including Human Rights Watch.

Altermidya Network, of which Bulatlat and Pinoy Weekly are members, called on the NTC to reverse the order, which it described as "a brazen violation of media freedom and the public's right to information."

The CPP on Thursday said only seven out of the over 20 websites ordered blocked are affiliated with the party. —Joviland Rita and Sundy Locus/KBK/RSJ, GMA News