A torrent of criticisms

The right of reply bill, passed swiftly in the Senate and still to be deliberated in the House of Representatives, unleashed a torrent of criticisms. Here are few:

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  Insidious censorship by Amando Doronila

  
  


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  Stark irony by Juan L. Mercado

  
  


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  Not enough study went into reply bill by Neal Cruz

  
  


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  Open Door to Media lynching by Amando Doronila

  
  


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  Dictating to the Media--Editorial of the Inquirer
  



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  Right to edit--Editorial of the Inquirer

  
  


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  Malice aforethought by Luis Teodoro

  
  


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  Right to reply: legislative blackmail by Amando Doronila

  
  


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  Right of reply bill is totally wrong by Neal Cruz

  
  

With huge stumbling blocks thrown its way, it's likely that the next headline will be: RIGHT OF REPLY BILL SHELVED.

Right of Reply: Affront to democracy

In theory, legislators pass laws in the interest of the public. Unfortunately, that is not the motive behind the right of reply bills, which practicing journalists fiercely opposed because a right-of-reply law would violate their constitutionally protected freedom of the press. But the havoc that a right-of-reply law would wreak would be more fatal to ordinary citizens who rely for information on the press or what is sweepingly called media.

Arroyo vs. Arroyo

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is poised to veto the Right of Reply Bill--a bill whose principal sponsor is Senator Aquilino Pimentel. The bill seeks to give those criticized by the media an equal opportunity to hear their side by way of reply. And in the words of Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella, who is also pushing for another version of Right of Reply Bill in the Lower House, the objective is "to level the playing field in journalism."

The purported vetoing of the bill by Ms. Arroyo is a reckless political maneuver, precisely aimed at gaining "brownie points from the media." By vetoing the bill, Mrs. Arroyo would appear as though she is a champion of the press. Thus, she'll be spared from the critical eye of the media.

But no, says Senator Joker Arroyo. “Even if the President sides with the media on this, she will still be attacked by the media,” Mr. Arroyo was quoted as saying.