Fight vs libel

Batas Mauricio

I YIELD this column to Mr. Joel Maguiza Sy Egco, the president of the National Press Club: “Through the efforts of Atty. Melanio Batas Mauricio Jr., the National Press Club represented by yours truly will appear as amicus curae or as an intervenor in a separate libel case, petitioning among others to decriminalize libel based on international law and for the said libel law to be declared as utterly unconstitutional.

“As to be petitioned, the right to free speech and free press are guaranteed both by the Constitution and, considering the Constitution’s adoption of international agreements as being part of the laws of the land and since our existing libel laws are violative of the Constitution and of these international agreements, it is to be considered as `outlaws which should be slain at sight; and should not be given effect at any point in time.

“We will appeal the Supreme Court (yes! the SC) to declare the Revised Penal Code provisions on libel as Constitutionally-offensive and, therefore, should be set aside or nullified and declared without force and effect and, the international treatises or agreements entered into by the Philippines on libel and on the freedoms of the press and free speech be declared to have force and effect in the Philippines and must be complied with.

“Under Art. III of the 1987 Constitution, the rights to free press and to free speech are guaranteed in this manner: Section 4. 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.

“Art. II of the 1987 Constitution recognizes treaties and other international agreements where the Philippines is a signatory, and adopts these treaties and international agreements as part of the law of the land, thus:

“Section 2. The Philippines renounces war as an instrument of national policy, adopts the generally accepted principles of international law as part of the law of the land and adheres to the policy of peace, equality, justice, freedom, cooperation, and amity with all nations.

“Among these treaties and international agreements is Paragraph 3, Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which provides as follows:

“Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.

“The principal ground upon which we seek this ruling is that the law of libel is unconstitutional; that the right to free speech and free press are guaranteed both by the Constitution and the Constitution’s adoption of international agreements as being part of the laws of the land.

“P.S. I was charged with libel for writing a series about ‘defective’ UH-1D helicopters that were bought at a discount (kuno) by the DND. One of the seven (7) choppers ‘accepted’ by unscrupulous DND officials’ minions at the Air Force crashed only recently and almost killed nine soldiers. It happened just seven months after we exposed this anomaly. What other proof should we ask for? We’ve been had!”

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Just for the record, Christmas is an event that was foretold even before it happened, involving a kingdom that was being invaded by two bigger kingdoms. This king and his people got so afraid, prompting God to send a messenger to tell them not to be needlessly afraid because the invasion will not be carried out anyway.

The king did not readily believe the message, so the messenger dared the king to ask God for a sign that the invasion will not really happen. But the king did not ask for a sign, saying he did not want to test God. So the messenger gave a sign. He said, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, who will be called Emmanuel, which meant “God is with us”.

The messenger then declared that the son who has been born will also be called “Mighty God” and “Everlasting Father”, who will reign on King David’s throne and kingdom, with justice and righteousness forever.

Much later, an angel of God visited the virgin, and told her that she found favor with God and that, as a result, she will conceive and give birth to a son who will be called Jesus, “the Son of the Most High”, and who will be given the throne of King David where he will reign forever. The virgin, although greatly troubled, accepted her fate and said “let it be done unto me.”

The virgin was scheduled to marry her fiancée. But the man learned that she was already pregnant even before they could be married, so he planned on leaving her quietly. But, an angel of God came to him in a dream, telling him not to divorce her, and assuring him that the baby in her womb was from God and would have to be named Jesus (which meant, “he will save his people”).

Believing what was told to him, the fiancée of the virgin set aside his plan to divorce her and instead took her as his wife, although they did not have any marital relation until after Jesus was born.

When the time came for Jesus to be born, the virgin and her fiancée found it difficult to find a room among the inns in Bethlehem. That being the case, they instead went to a manger, or a structure reserved for animals, where the virgin gave birth to her son, Jesus.

At that precise moment, an angel of God appeared before shepherds living out in fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. The glory of God shone upon them, causing them to fear. But the angel said they were not to be afraid because, on that day, a Savior, the Messiah, the Lord, had been born. The angel gave the shepherds a sign: the baby would be found by them wrapped in clothes in a manger.

Suddenly, a host of angels appeared in the sky, praising God and singing, “glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace on those to whom his favor rests.” The shepherds then went to Bethlehem and found the virgin and her fiancée and the baby in the manger. This was the first Christmas ever, heralding that God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but will have everlasting life.

E-mail: batasmauricio@yahoo.com