Palace not censoring media amid alarm by UN experts

January 26, 2018

Malacanang denied on Friday  it is censoring media following the order of the Securities and Exchange Commission to revoke the license of online news website Rappler, which is critical to the Duterte administration.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque was reacting to the statement of the three United Nations experts who expressed serious alarm over the government's move to revoke Rappler's registration.

He said the decision to revoke Rappler's license was done by SEC, which is manned by the appointees of former President Benigno Aquino III.

But Roque said Rappler is engaged in "money-making scheme which SEC said violated the Constitution."

"Allegation that it's about press freedom is fake news. It's about avarice for money that violates the Constitution and the laws of the land," he said.

"Let me know if any of the journalist of Rappler (has) been prevented from reporting or if they've been censored," he added.

In a statement, the UN human rights experts said the Philippine government must halt moves to shut down Rappler.

The UN experts include David Kaye, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Agnes Callamard, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; and Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.

"We are gravely concerned that the government is moving to revoke Rappler’s licence,” said the three Special Rapporteurs in a joint statement.

"We are especially concerned that this move against Rappler comes at a time of rising rhetoric against independent voices in the country,” they said.

The rapporteurs also hit SEC, saying its move was "at odds with its past approach to foreign support of local or national media, given that philanthropic contributions do not amount to foreign ownership."

They urged the Duterte administration "to return to its path of protection and promotion of independent media, especially those covering issues in the public interest.” Celerina Monte/DMS