QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte said that a law against fake news cannot be passed because it will violate freedom of expression as enshrined in the Constitution.
President Duterte said that such a law may result in censorship which will violate the freedom of speech and expression.
Section 4 Article 3 or the Bill of Rights of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states, “No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.”
The President said, “Freedom of expression would be constitutional. I am sure they cannot pass a law against fake news.”
This comment was made after Senator Antonio Trillanes IV during Wednesday’s Senate hearing on the spread of fake news suggested to set “higher” standards to avoid the proliferation of fake news through social media.
“I was listening earlier. (Trillanes said) he would craft a law to set a standard. Ahh, that’s not good. That seems to be violating the freedom of expression. It won’t be passed… It won’t be passed when it is submitted to me,” Duterte said.
“The statement of Trillanes was dangerous,” he added.
President Duterte suggested that instead of a law prohibiting fake news, higher penalties against libel and slander should be passed.