‘Responsible journalism means complying with the law’ – NPC

THE National Press Club (NPC) on Wednesday sided with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the revocation of the - pler, saying there was no threat to the exercise of press freedom and freedom of expression.

In a statement, the NPC agreed with the - mission (SEC) that online news platform provision on 100-percent control and ownership of mass media.

“The NPC purposely delayed issuing its statement on the matter until it has read the entire decision of the SEC in order for it not to

be swayed by the prevailing emotion of the moment,” said NPC President Paul Gutierrez.

- gest organization of active media practitioners, the NPC is conscious that making a statement on this is SEC decision,” Gutierrez said. “And going through the 29-page decision, the law when it allowed the entry of foreign investors and also allowed, LLC, to have control on ‘corporate submissions to the SEC.”

this constitutional limit when it allowed Omidyar to exercise control over its corporate affairs as provided for in their internal agreement, in exchange for a fund infusion of US$ 1 million dollars,” Gutierrez noted.

‘Dubious legal personality’

- nalism also means complying with the law.”

consistent with its policy of not accepting as members, journalists and media entities of dubious legal personality.

“By way of policing our ranks and as part of our continuing reform drive, the NPC has long ago made it a policy that those applying for membership should represent not only credible, but also, legally established media entities,” he said.

“In this case, we cannot be swayed by the emotion of the moment and go along with the general sentiment that press freedom has been threatened less we be accused of inconsistency,” Gutierrez said.

Premature

It was premature to say that freedom of the press has been curtailed as a result of the SEC findings

“In the broader Philippine media the thousands of media entities in the country and whose operations have remained free,” he said.

stations, over 1,000 FM radio sta - pers today operating freely in the country, besides those that now have proliferated in social media and whose actual number no one really has any idea,” he said.

“To say that the fate of one media entity found to have run afoul with the law translates to media repression in the country is stretching the argument a bit too much,” Gutierrez said.