Solons slam social media inclusion under Anti-Terror Act

Lawmakers on Tuesday criticized the proposal to include social media regulation under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

To insert provisions in social media regulation into the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) “would be a contradiction to the intention of the framers of the law,” Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon said in a statement.

There is no provision in the law which provides for the authority to regulate social media, precisely because it is not the intention of the legislators to cross the line of protecting freedom of expression and right to privacy.

On Monday, newly installed Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay cited the need for provisions in the law’s IRR to allow regulation of social media use to monitor terrorist activities.

But Biazon, vice chairman of the Committee on National Defense and Security, said there is no provision in the law that allows regulation of social media use because its framers want to protect the rights enshrined in the constitution.

“There is no provision in the law which provides for the authority to regulate social media, precisely because it is not the intention of the legislators to cross the line of protecting freedom of expression and right to privacy.”

“The idea of regulating social media was already discussed in the many technical working group meetings and committee hearings and the proposals to include them in the law were not considered.”

Bayan Muna partylist Rep. Ferdinand Gaite said allowing social media regulation is tantamount to imposing martial law in cyber space.

He claimed the proposal aims to target online activism as he noted that ban on street protests prompted the public to use social media to air their grievances.

“Gapay’s proposal to expand further the already vague and absurdly expansive provisions of the terror law through this IRR provision would cast a fine meshed net against democratic dissent. No one would be safe from state terror and abuse if this gets through,” Gaite said.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF EASTERN SAMAR POLICE THE police and the military in Eastern Samar have been on high alert since December last year after an NPA attack killed five persons, including a cop.