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ARCHIVE – Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alan Peter Cayetano. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – House Speaker Alan Cayetano criticized the European Parliament on Saturday after it issued a resolution interfering in the “internal affairs of the country.”
“The Philippine House of Representatives opposes the total interference of the European Parliament in the purely internal affairs of the Philippines by dictating to the government to ‘renew the broadcast license’ of ABS-CBN and ‘drop’ the charges of Cyberlibel against Maria Ressa” Cayetano said in his statement issued on Facebook.
This after the European Parliament, in a resolution, warned that the Philippines’ trade opportunities with the European Union be revoked if it does not enforce international conventions on human rights.
According to the resolution, parliament raised the alarm over the case of the conviction of Rappler’s executive editor, Maria Ressa, on charges of cyberlibel and the denial of ABS-CBN’s request for a new license to operate.
But Cayetano insisted that the parliament criticized the Philippines before “asking questions and before determining the facts.”
He also insisted that Ressa’s conviction is not related to the violation of freedom of the press, as he followed the constitutional due process and the procedures of the Philippine judicial system.
“The sentence resulted from a criminal complaint filed by an individual who invoked his rights under the provision of the Law of the Republic no. 10175 (or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012) against Ms. Ressa and Rappler, a private online media company. This was never a press freedom issue, ”Cayetano said.
On the issue of ABS-CBN’s closure, Cayetano said House followed “fair, thorough and impartial procedures” on the matter of ABS-CBN’s franchise application.
“The resolution of the matter by the Committee had nothing to do with freedom of the press. It is what it is: a denial of a privilege granted by the State because it was considered that the applicant did not deserve the granting of a legislative license, ”said the Speaker of the House.
CFC
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