Raffy Tulfo wants libel decriminalized only for traditional media, not vloggers

Decriminalizing libel for media practitioners should not include "pseudo journalists" who have no accountability and extort money from individuals by attacking them in their vlog channels, Senator Raffy Tulfo said Monday.

"Doon sa decriminalizing libel, 'yan po ay naging campaign promise ko and I will walk the talk. Kaya lang pinag-aaralan ngayon ng aking [legislative] group dahil paano naman po 'yung mga walang accountability? 'Yung mga taong 'ah gusto ko lang maging media' and then magbubukas po siya  ng channel sa internet, banat siya nang banat, lahat ng kasinungalingan titira siya, 'yun dapat ma-exclude," Tulfo said at a Senate hearing on the proliferation of "fake news."

Tulfo, who said he was a journalist for 20 years, said decriminalizing libel should only apply to traditional media because they are accountable for what they report.

"Meron po silang mga editors na sinasala 'yung mga lumalabas na articles po or videos unlike po sinasabi ko isang Juan dela Cruz na loko loko mag-oopen po siya ng channel niya at 'yung channel niya io-open niya para mag-attack and collect," the senator said.

"Marami po diyan nangyari ngayon, diyan sa social media...magbubukas ng channel and then magpapanggap na siya'y isang journalist. Walang ginawa maghapon, magdamag tumira nang tumira ng mga politiko hanggang ang mga politiko na tinitira niya ay gumive up dahil ayaw niyang magpapatuloy ang masakit na kasinulingan, magbibigay ng pera sa kanya o kung kanino man...Sana sila dapat ay kasama kasuhan pa rin," he added.

Vera Files president Ellen Tordesillas pointed out that a journalist adheres to the core values of journalism. She added that posting online will not make one a journalist.

Still, Tulfo asked how will the "pseudo journalists" be held accountable for what they post or broadcast.

"Yung mga pseudo journalist ang ibig kong sabihin na hindi dapat sila masama sa saklaw na decriminalizing libel...dahil sa kanilang pagiging padalos-dalos or sinadya nila talagang sumulat ng isang article para manakit ng kapwa at worse, 'yung iba sa kanila hindi lang para manakit ng kapwa kundi para pagkaperahan 'yung kanilang pagpopost, pagba-vlog, at pagpapanggap bilang isang journalist," he said.

University of the Philippines Journalism Department Associate Professor Danilo Arao welcomed Tulfo's support for the decriminalization of libel but he pointed out that limiting this to legitimate journalists might weaken citizen journalism which he said should be empowered.

Arao explained that there is no distinction between an ordinary citizen and a journalist when it comes to the "gravity of the offense of libel."

"Ang kailangang tandaan din po kasi kapag mayroon tayong distinction between ordinary people and professional journalists, nade-defeat po ang purpose ng citizen journalism na dapat nating niyayakap at pino-promote para po sa kabutihan ng tao," he said.

"Kaya po sa usapin ng parusa, parang katulad din 'yan ng citizen journalist at professional journalist na same standards should apply and the same levels of accountability should be ensured so that we can maintain the profession at a higher level," he added.

He also emphasized that decriminalizing libel does not mean abolishing the law on this.

"Hindi tayo nananawagan ng abolition ng libel. Ibig sabihin, nandyan pa 'yan pero kakasuhan ang peryodista, vlogger o sinomang ordinaryong tao ng civil suit. So mawawala na 'yung criminal component kaya hindi na makukulong. The worst thing that can happen ay papatawan siya ng multa at ang multang ito ay depende sa itatakda ng korte," Arao said.

Tulfo opposed Arao's view, saying the extortionists will be "as free as bird" if they will not face criminal penalties.

"Totoo nga 'yon na mayroong tinatawag tayong civil liability. Puwede silang mademanda. Eh paano kapag wala silang pambayad? Sila ba ay makukulong?" the senator asked.

"Siyempre hahanapin 'yung kanilang mga properties. Extortionist nga siya. Wala siyang pera. So tira siya nang tira hanggang sa dumating sa Supreme Court. Sasabihin ng Supreme Court, magbayad ka ng P1 million, e wala siyang P1 million pambigay kasi extortionist nga lang siya. So what's gonna happen? He's free as a bird," he added.

Arao tried to further explain the accountability that will be retained even if libel will be decriminalized. However, he was cut by Tulfo several times.

Senator Robin Padilla, who presided over the hearing, ended the exchange between the two as Tulfo continued to oppose Arao's stand on the decriminalization of libel.

Fake news

In the same hearing, Padilla slammed the alleged fake information claiming that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. was in another country during the onslaught of Typhoon Paeng.

The lawmaker said this might disrupt the government's peace talks with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

"Wala ba kayong hakbang don sa fake news kasi lagi kong inaabangan kung anong sasabihin ng Office of the Press Secretary kasi kasama ko si Presidente, andun kami sa Cotabato nung panahon na yon na ang tsini-tsimis e nasaan ang pangulo. Eh sana tinanong niyo ako kasi kasama ko," Padilla said when asked about OPS' actions in addressing fake news that might damage the reputation of Marcos.

"Wala po ba kayong hakbang don katulad ng sinabi ng NBI eh para sa akin national issue yon," he went on.

OPS Undersecretary Rowena Reformina said their office is "very careful" in crafting their press statements but Padilla turned to the National Bureau of Investigation to seek answers on how they will address the alleged fake news against the president.

"Ma'am, anong pwede nating gawin? Sino ang pwedeng magreklamo don kasi para sa akin national threat 'yung ganon e tinatanong mo kung nasaan ang presidente," the senator said.

Angela Marie de Gracia-Cruz, the officer-in-charge director of the Department of Justice Office of Cybercrime, enumerated several laws that could be filed against peddlers of false information.

She said there is an existing legal framework that can address misinformation and disinformation.

De Gracia-Cruz likewise indicated that there are sufficient tools to investigate these cases based on the statements of the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation.

At this point, Padilla mentioned possible effects of #NasaanAngPangulo on the negotiations of the government with the BARMM and tagged this as a "Very delicate" issue.

"Ang kumalat doon sa amin sa lugar namin na wala si presidente, si presidente nasa abroad. 'Yun ang pinakalat e. 'Yun ang makikita mo lahat sa social media. Nasaan ang pangulo," he said.

"Malaking epekto ito, ma'am, kasi meron tayong pending na nag-uusap pa ang Republic of the Philippines at ang BARMM. Hindi pa tapos ang issue na 'yan. Hanggang ngayon nag-uusap pa yan. Patuloy pa rin ang pag-uusap ng dalawang partido na 'to," he added.

He continued, saying: "Pag hinaluan mo ng ganoong fake news na sinasabi mong wala ang presidente sa oras na andaming namamatay doon at lubog ang BARMM, aba e malaking epekto yan national issue yan, national interest yan."

Padilla then asked why there has been no legal actions against those who spread this false information.

"Bakit walang aksyong legal galing sa ating gobyerno doon sa nagpakalat ng balita na yon samantalang ang balita na yon naapektuhan lahat ng nasa BARMM dahil ang akala nila pinabayaan sila ng pangulo ng Pilipinas," he said.

De Gracia-Cruz did not directly answer Padilla but said that anyone can file a case as this offense can qualify under Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code.

"The offense under Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code is not a private crime. So anyone can institute a criminal case or institute an investigation against the person who peddled the false news against the president," the DOJ official said.

Responding to De Gracia-Cruz, Padilla asked: "Pwede bang NBI kaagad or PNP kaagad or Office of the Press secretary? Hindi kailangan ng private complainant? Kahit ako? Kasi ginugulo nila ang peace talk."

The DOJ official answered in the affirmative.—AOL, GMA Integrated News