Freedom of Expression in the Philippines Essay

Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above on the whole liberties. JOHN MILTONIndividual immunity and collective expression in the Filipinos, Id regularise, is the about exercised and an unmistakable sign of this countrys democracy. Our psyche reclaims and freedoms, the most basic, the essential to the complex and critical nonpareils define our identity as Filipinos, and the basic extension of our humanity. That need to express, to communicate, and to reach out to one another(prenominal)(prenominal) without the fear of judgment or even criminal prosecution. We guard the freest press, the most uncensored and unrestricted comestible on our freedom to express ourselves, to explore other sights take on relevant issues and some clock just so, because we want to and because we suffer. And when these ar stripped of us, we resist. We react, and to some extent violently and rebelliously just so we slew send that fierce inwardness that as a democratic country, with the collective freedoms and practiceds declared in our charter, no one has the right to deny us of those rights and freedoms. moreover sometimes, too a good deal freedom can mean abuse of freedom. And restrictions or not, these freedoms arent absolute. matchless is still liable to what he guesss, especially in unexclusive. As originals and practitioners of the press, they are responsible for balanced views and opinions. Slander, libel, false accusations and any other organize with venomous intent is tolerated by freedom of expression. One cannot accuse someone of something and cite his freedom of expression, and expect it to give him immunity from the law.Article 19 of the universal joint Declaration of Human Rights states Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas by means of any media and heedless of frontiers. Article 19 (2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights affirms Everyone shall have got the right to freedom of expression this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.Under the Bill of Rights of the Philippine Constitution, Article III, Section 4 declares No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and bespeak the government for redress of grievances. But it wasnt too long agone when the infamous Cybercrime Bill was signed by the president. It bore flawed provisions that largely outraged advocates of freedom of speech. It awakened this fire not notwithstanding to these advocates but to ordinary Filipinos who was suddenly faced with the possibility of being denied of this freedom . It panicked some. And now the Bill is on a temporary restraining order after much protest that involved hacktivists hacking government servers and websites. The Presidents website polish up to other departments werent spared from their wrath. Rallies and demonstrations plagued the major government offices. Even the press verbalized its dismay on the un sensible understanding the bill imposed. And thus, this freedom prevailed. familiarity means responsibility.That is why most men dread it. GEORGE BERNARD SHAWHow many times have we seen major political figures get a right smart with it? How often have seen them actually pay for their wrongful actions?Seldom, if not never.Im not going to expound much on the issue of legal independence, though its another critical criteria of good governance that somehow connects with this issue. The bend of the executive and legislative branches respectively, to our judiciary, though less people wants to admit it, is not unheard of. I would even go as far as saying that appearances aside, alliances between people from these three legs of our system speaks volumes if we want to rebuke about partiality, of justice being served, or of the judiciary protecting people from the other two branches.Ex-chief justice Renato Coronas historic impeachment can attest to this connection. People have been talking about Coronas say alliance with GMA ever since he was ap come outed by the latter, have sprouted suspicions and dirty allegations and from that standpoint, when the chief justices human beings interpret is tainted, people will not just talk of injustice. Regardless of its right or falsity, in their eyes, the then chief justice must no longer be a chief justice. Then came his impeachment, which was on the grounds of not declaring assets and liabilities on his SALN, which then comes to light a public authoritatives dishonesty or honest mistake of omission, we will never know. After that excruciating days of examining the facts and arguing from point A to point B about this and that in the senate, I dont imply it had achieved much but prove a point.A point that I guess is a starting step into holding a public official responsible for his action. Its a welcomed change. But lets look at our former president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Somehow, shes still out of the clutch of accountability to her grave misdeeds in office. Her audacity not to resign when reasonable proof has been unearthed of her alleged influence on the 2004 Presidential elections. Evidences, though iniquitous or circumstantial surfaced, or did you forget the wiretapping Hello Garci scandal. Those tapes allegedly suggested that Arroyo enjoin the rigging of the national elections for her to win by around one meg votes against the late Fernando Poe, Jr.However, she indeed conversed with COMELEC commissioner Virgilio Garciliano, and it was a lapse of judgment on her part and made the most talked about apology in television. Her alleged cheating and electoral sabotage induced public protests, to no avail. several(prenominal) impeachment attempts have followed. Three separate complaints ensued. One in 2005, and then another in 2006. All defeated and trashed in the House of Representatives. Now what does that say of our system under her presidency? In October 2007, lawyer Alan Paguia filed an impeachment complaint against Arroyo in connection with the issue of bribery. Paguias complaint was based on the apocalypse of Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio that various governors receivedhalf a million pesos from Malacaang. The impeachment case, as of the middle of October 2007, has already been referred to the House of Representatives Committee on Justice. Now what? Is it academic condition there somewhere in the House with dusts and was ultimately forgotten?Her presidency, shrouded in controversy, was probably the worse after Marcos, though in the same light, we cant deny their contributions in the countrys economical imp rovement. But accountability, CGMA seems to be immune to.We saw progress on November 18, 2011 after a Pasay court issued a warrant of arrest against her, following the filing of a complaint for electoral sabotage by the Commission on Elections. At the time, she was in the hospital, so it was a House Arrest. The Supreme Court had issued a Resolution enjoining attempts by the Department of Justice to prevent her divergency from the Philippines to seek medical intervention overseas.But oh well, The House of Representatives under the leaders of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. issued a travel permit allowing her to have treatment in Germany despite the Department of Justice hold departure order. She was released from hospital arrest on bail and refused to enter any plea on charges she misused $8.8 million in state lottery funds during her term in office. These pile of charges seemed to hang up there again, as she is currently seeking treatment in Germany.Not to be insensitive with he r wellness conditions, nor would I wanna say that her health conditions are just convenient lies to misrepresent prosecution, but one has to admit of it being at the right air at the right time. Joseph Estrada was convicted of plunder and was placed on house arrest. puff up at least that is some form of penalization we saw. But then, manila had to elect him as their Mayor in the recent polls. Now what does that say about us learning from our mistakes? How can we trust a public official who had already broken our trust in the worst way possible and then elect him again and put him into a line where he can do it again? I am but a keen observer and naturally has not enough professional or political mandate to be accusing the lady of anything. However, it is my thoroughgoing right to express myself though facts and informed judgments and personal opinions.At this juncture, if one has to violently disagree with me and confront me in the form of a casing (God, I hope not), I leave the world of Philippine periodic Inquirer columnist, Mahar Mangahas. If any citizen is free to openly agree, but not to openly disagree, then freedom of expression does not prevail. An individuals filling to openly express disagreement without risk of any personal blur is a key part of the definition of a free society.