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Tulfo wants to decriminalize libel for 'certain groups', excluding 'fake journos'

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Jauhn Etienne Villaruel, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Sen. Raffy Tulfo. Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/11/28/tulfo.jpg"/><figcaption>Sen. Raffy Tulfo. <em>Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Sen. Raffy Tulfo on Monday said &quot;extortionists&quot; who pretend to be journalists should still be prosecuted for libel as he insisted for its decriminalization, but only &quot;for certain groups.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/blogs/opinions/10/12/21/it-is-time-for-the-philippines-to-decriminalize-libel">It is time for the Philippines to decriminalize libel</a></li></ul><p>During the Senate committee on Public Information and Mass Media hearing on the proliferation of fake news, Tulfo recalled that decriminalizing libel was one of his campaign promises. <br/> <br/>&quot;Iyan ay naging campaign promise ko... I for one naging problema ko na yan, hindi ko ma-expose yung mga gusto kong ma-expose dahil sa pag-file sa akin ng libel so nagkakaroon ako ng takot,&quot; said Tulfo, a former broadcaster and anchor of a public service show.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/10/22/walden-bello-cyber-libel-must-be-decriminalized">Walden Bello says cyber libel must be decriminalized</a></li></ul><p>But upon further study by his office, they came to the conclusion that libel should still be pursued against some individuals. </p><p>Tulfo particularly identified &quot;block-timers&quot; and content creators engaged in &quot;attack and collect&quot; scheme.</p><p>&quot;Halimbawa isang Juan dela Cruz na loko-loko mag-o-open ng channel na ginawa para mag-attack and collect... And then magpapanggap na journalist walang ginawa maghapon magdamag tumira nang tumira ng politiko hanggang yung politiko mag-give up magbibigay ng pera sa kanya,&quot; Tulfo said.</p><p>&quot;Those people should be exempted sa decriminalizing libel, dapat sila kasuhan,&quot; he added.</p><p>Tulfo said &quot;traditional&quot; and &quot;legitimate&quot; journalists should not face libel cases.</p><p>&quot;Yung mga traditional media, yung mga totoong journalist, yun dapat hindi masampahan, ma-decriminalize ang libel because of them,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Ang sa akin dapat ma-differentiate. Sa mga true journalist wala akong problema, doon kasi may accountability... Pag don sa nagpapanggap na journalist sa social media, walang nag-che-check sa kanila they can say what they want to say,&quot; Tulfo added.</p><p>However, University of the Philippines journalism professor Danilo Arao warned against creating such distinction.</p><p>&quot;Sa ibang bansa walang distinction kung ikaw ba ay periodista o ordinaryong mamamayan... Pag may distinction nade-defeat po yung purpose ng citizen journalism na dapat natin niyayakap at pinopromote,&quot; Arao told the panel.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eAqqGfbgRFU?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Sen. Raffy Tulfo recalled that decriminalizing libel was one of his campaign promises. 

Tulfo wants to decriminalize libel for 'certain groups', excluding 'fake journos'

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Tulfo wants to decriminalize libel for 'certain groups', excluding 'fake journos'

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 28, 2022 02:17 PM PHT

Read More:

Senate

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Raffy Tulfo

libel

cyberlibel

journalist

press freedom

decriminalize libel

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