Philippine proposed changes to cybercrime law criticized
Philippines' Department of Justice (DOJ) is planning to propose changes to the country's cybercrime law which will exclude controversial provisions such as online libel. However, an Internet freedom group has described the proposal as "half-baked".
The DOJ will recommend the act excludes online libel as well as the empowerment of governments to shut down Web sites suspected of violating the law, Geronimo Sy, head of the DOJ's cybercrime office said, at the 3rd regional cybercrime conference in Manila, GMA News Online reported on Friday. The proposed revisions also include the removal of provisions pertaining to child pornography and cybersquatting because these are already "punishable under other laws", Sy said.
The Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, passed by Philippines' president Benigno Aquino III in September last year, had come under fire for its vague definition of online libel, violation of personal rights, and tough legal penalties for Internet defamation. The Supreme Court last October suspended the law for 120 days while it deliberated on whether the legislation violated civil rights, but extended temporary restraining order (TRO) in February until further notice.
