NI NOEL ABUEL
Naghain ng resolusyon ang Makabayan bloc sa Kamara na humihiling na imbestigahan ang naging hakbang ng National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) na i-block ang ilang mga websites pati na rin ang ilang independent news media outlets dahil sa umano’y kaugnayan nito sa mga komunistang rebelde.
Sa House Resolution no. 49 nina ACT Teachers party list Rep. France Castro, Gabriela party list Rep. Arlene Brosas at Kabataan party list Rep. Raoul Manuel, hiniling nito sa House Committee on Human Rights at House Commmitte on Public Information na magkaroon ng congressional probe sa naging kautusan ni dating National Security Adviser (NSA) Hermogenes Esperon na ipasara ang mga naturang websites dahil sa hinalang konektado ito sa mga communist groups.
“We urge the incoming House leadership to urgently hear HR 49 and investigate the illegal blocking of websites of progressive organizations, independent media, and international organizations. The memorandum released by the NTC is blatantly red-tagging these progressive organization, independent media, and foreign-based organizations namely Save Our Schools Network, Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura, Pamalakaya Pilipinas, AMIHAN National Federation of Peasant Women, the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, Bulatlat.com, Arkibong Bayan, Pinoy Weekly, International League of People’s Struggles, Counter Punch, International Action Center, and Monthly Review without adequate evidence to support their claim,” paliwanag ni Castro.
Sa ilalim ng resolusyon, ipinunto ng mga mambabatas na wala umanong sapat na ebidensyang inilatag si Esperon para patunayang related ang mga websites na ito sa mga rebelde.
Binatikos din ng mga mambabatas ang maling header sa order ng NTC kung saan ay imbes na blocking of websites ang laman, ay nagka-error pa ito at ang nakalagay ay blocking of illegal online cockfighting websites.
Giit pa ng militanteng mambabatas, nasa digital martial law na ang nangyayari dahil sa patuloy na pag-atake laban sa kalayaan sa pamamahayag at malayang pananalita at ang mga pagtatangka umano ng gobyerno na patahimikin ang mga media entity.
“The NTC, NSC, and the NTF ELCAC have no legal basis to block the websites of these progressive organizations, independent media, and international organizations. Nothing, whether express or implied, in Executive Order 546, series of 1979 and Republic Act 7925 or the Public Telecommunications Policy Act—the charter and enabling laws for the NTC—empowers it or any other agency to block access to websites, moreso without a court order. There is also nothing in Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act and the Anti-Terrorism Act that clothes the ATC or NTC, with such or similar power,” sabi pa ni Castro.
“We urge the incoming House Leadership to seriously and urgently table House Resolution 49 and investigate the illegal and unconstitutional blocking of websites of independent media, progressive organizations, and international organizations,” dagdag pa nito.
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