Philippines, February 14, 2011, 5:00 PM
Senator Manny Villa has filed a bill in the Senate pushing to penalize those who try to defame others through the use of electronic media, such as Facebook and Twitter.
He filed Senate Bill 2668, that moves to amend Article 335 of the Revised Penal Code by including libel committed through “electronic media such as but not limited to the Internet.” He said laws are silent on libel through electronic media.
The senate and house committee on justice hearing on the corruption of AFP’s UN P300-million fund mess that triggered former AFP chief Angelo T. Reyes to commit suicide by gunshot wound on his left breast might have something to do with Sen. Villar’s move to have the electronic bill filed.
Senator Panfilo Lacson and other senators believed that Villar’s is guilty of involvement in the P200-million budget insertion on which the entries “President Carlos Garcia Avenue Extension” and “C-5 Road Extension” refers to the same road according to Lacson.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile confirmed that Villar had asked him to insert P200 million for the C-5 project, the request he said according to Villar was only meant to ensure the speedy completion of the project.
Villar’s explanatory note reads: “The tremendous potential of the Internet has proved to be unimaginable for the Philippines
He wants the immediate criminalization of e-libel and harsher penalty for fear of his impending re-investigation in the senate once Sen. Lacson appears. Under the leadership of former Chief Justice Reynato Puno, the Supreme Court, earlier directed courts to instead impose a monetary fine on the guilty rather than the often imposed imprisonment.
Senator Villar stressed this has introduced the so-called electronic libel or e-libel. Article 335 of the Revised Penal Code provides that anyone found guilty of libel could face imprisonment of up to 6 years.
