Stifling dissent

This administration cannot countenance critical voices. It brings to mind the case of SMNI Radio and TV network (Sonshine Media Network International) where program hosts Lorraine Badoy and Jeffry “Ka Erick” Celiz asked an innocuous question about the ₱P1.8-billion travel funds of the Speaker.

What happened after that was a chilling power blitzkrieg. The talk show of Lorraine and Ka Erick, the leading figures in the successful campaign of AFP-NTF ELCAC against the CPP/NPA, was suspended and along with it the “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa” of PRRD which had been on air for nearly three decades. Not content with that PBA Rep. Migz Nograles, authored HR No. 1499 for the indefinite suspension of SMNI for alleged dissemination of false information and violations of its franchise.

The House of Romualdez is home to a coterie of Representatives of various ideological persuasions among them some dying if not dead communist factions and insatiable politicians who were the architects of the blank spaces in the General Appropriations Bill. They abhor critical tirades that unmask them before the public.

As an attempt to muzzle the freedom of, vloggers a Congressional Committee also known as Tricom, “invited” 40 known vloggers in the country to a hearing on alleged fake news. Interestingly, the invitees were all identified as anti-administration critics and none from the pro-administration. Any which way you look at it the selective invitations send an eerie message the critics have each been identified and marked. It ushers in memories of the martial law during the 1st era of the Marcos regime.

This is worrisome. The power that be is determined to block the return of Duterte’s brand of leadership. On the heels of VP Sara’s declaration that she is considering running for President in 2028, a motley group of rabid anti-Duterte characters and communists fronts staged a rally at EDSA demanding for her impeachment. The Palace which had repeatedly declared that it is against the impeachment move came out with the announcement that it will not come in the way of the House of Representatives’ (HoR) move to impeach Sara.

And now the invitation from HoR to the vloggers on the issue of fake news and purportedly to come up with a piece of legislation to address it. They have also been unjustly prejudged as POGO and Narco vloggers by Rep. Ace Barbers of QuadComm.

All 40, except one, who were invited, must have sensed the exercise is a plot to censor their opinions that instead of appearing in the congressional hearing they trooped to the Supreme Court of the Philippines to seek intervention.

There is no question fake news had surfaced with the advent of the midterm elections. In Davao City for example, the phalanx of Nograles propagandists used the blatantly fake report of Tom Tom Traffic Index and a survey results which they posted on Facebook showing Karlo Nograles with 91 percent against Rodrigo Duterte with a mere 19 percent The temerity and the acquiescence of Nograles to name OCTA Research as the survey source is unconscionable but then it’s part of freedom.

These are fake news which needed to be addressed but infringing on press freedom like what is currently obtaining in the House of Romualdez is quite disturbing.

As I write this piece breaking news were posted on the social media baring that VP Sara Duterte had been impeached by the House of Representatives and that within minutes the impeachment documents had been conveyed to the Senate.

This development gave credence to the hidden agenda behind the “Invitation” sent to vloggers which warns against being critical to this administration…or else…