Lawmakers urged to avoid issuing remarks against cyber law

Parañaque Representative Roilo Golez. Photo from https://congress.gov.ph

MANILA, Philippines — Petitions against the controversial Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 may have flooded the Supreme Court prompting the high tribunal to issue a temporary restraining order, but a lawmaker on Wednesday urged fellow legislators against making hasty remarks.

Paranaque Representative Roilo Golez urged other members of the House of Representatives to wait first for the SC’s decision on the contentious provisions of Republic Act No. 10175 before making their comments. He said that the Supreme Court was the appropriate forum for questions on the new law’s constitutionality.

“I am saying, wait for the Supreme Court ruling on the case,” he said, adding that he would not object to amendments meant to lower the penalty on libel.

But Kabataan Partylist Representative Raymond Palatino is intent on maintaining the level of attention the public has trained on RA 10175, urging fellow netizens not to waver just because the high court has issued a TRO.

“The attention is now on Congress; we should not stop now,” he urged.

Palatino, along with Bayan Muna Partylist Representative Teddy Casino, recently filed House Bill 6613 which seeks to repeal contentious provisions of the anti-cybercrime law.