#HumanRights #FreedomOfExpression.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines Baguio – Benguet Chapter (NUJP Baguio Benguet) thanks UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Irene Khan on addressing the threats of libel and red tagging.

Ms. Khan was in Baguio City, January 26, for a dialog with civil society groups, city officials, and the media. We are grateful for the time given to us to air our concerns.

NUJP Baguio-Benguet is one with Khan in her statement that the State is mandated to protect the people.

We welcome her statement that red tagging and libel compromise not only freedom of expression but also security and the right to life.

We also welcome Khan’s views on the abolition of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC) and the lack of grit of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS) to protect the media.

We agree with Ms. Khan that “freedom of expression is about debate, is about dissent, it is about criticism and therefore on the other side, the duty bearers, the State, has to show tolerance, there are things that it will not like that are being said, but the whole concept of freedom of expression is to be able to say what you want even if it offends the other side. The government should encourage a greater culture of tolerance.”

We anticipate the action of the Philippine government on Khan’s comments on the

• Anti-Terror Act
• Cybercrime Prevention Act
• The plight of Frenchie Mae Cumpio

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