A Babel once again

“If it had been possible to build the Tower of Babel without climbing it, it would have been permitted.”

—Franz Kafka

By Alex P. Vidal

WE have now become a Babel, or a story about a city in Shinar where the building of a tower is held in Genesis to have been halted by the confusion of tongues.

What’s happening in the Philippines is actually like a scene of noise or confusion.

While things are apparently quite in the local front, the country is on the brink of chaos once again what with so many opinions clashing whether the anti-terror bill will violate the human rights of the Filipinos, or save them from home-grown terrorists like those who authored the mayhem in Marawi City three years ago. 

It’s now up for President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to turn it into law. 

There are strong indications the proponents will have the last laugh on the furor.

Hardly had the duel of opinions on anti-terror bill simmered down in the streets and in the media fora, another wave of controversy distracted the nation from its uproarious battle against the COVID-19.

The conviction of Rappler’s Maria Ressa and Reynaldo Santos Jr. by the trial court for “cyberlibel” on June 16 has placed the Philippines in the global radar once more.

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This double whammy came in quick succession as the President was worrying where to get the next stimulus fund for the families sidelined and “impoverished” by the pandemic-initiated lockdown.

People were again divided whether the Manila court verdict was “a portent of things to come” for the freedom of the press and expression or “it should serve as a wake up call” for journalists to be more responsible and accountable when criticizing people who don’t belong in government.

Others have condemned the verdict as setting “an extraordinarily damaging precedent.”

The ruling was issued by a court in Manila, where attendance was limited due to coronavirus prevention measures. The news website Rappler, Ressa, its executive editor, and former researcher and writer  Santos Jr were accused of cyberlibel over a story that alleged links between a businessman and a top judge.

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Rappler was found to have no liability, but both Ressa and Santos were found guilty. 

The court ruled that they are entitled to post-conviction bail, and can appeal against the verdict. The convicted journalists have been ordered to pay P200,000 in moral damages and another P200,000 in exemplary damages.

Rappler and its officers and staff have faced at least 11 investigations and court cases even as press freedom advocates decry that media freedom in the Philippines has deteriorated severely under the Duterte administration.

Out of 180 countries, the Philippines now ranks 136th on the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index. 

It was reported that journalists have been targeted through judicial harassment, online campaigns waged by pro-Duterte troll armies, and violence. 

Local politicians, it warned, “can have reporters silenced with complete impunity”.

Earlier in May, ABS-CBN, was forced off air by a cease-and-desist order that press freedom advocates condemned as a brazen attempt to silence the press. 

Soon after, the new anti-terrorism act has been passed in congress that allows warrantless arrests, weeks of detention without charge and other powers that rights groups fear could be used against government critics.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)