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| Acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar said President Rodrigo Duterte rejected the measure over the inclusion of social media in the measure, “without providing proper guidelines and definitions thereto.” (Photo from Inquirer) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] MANILA: President Rodrigo Duterte has vetoed the bill requiring SIM cards and social media accounts to be registered over concerns that this will “give rise to a situation of dangerous state intrusion and surveillance.” Acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar said Friday in a statement that Duterte rejected the measure over the inclusion of social media in the measure, “without providing proper guidelines and definitions thereto,”PhilStar reported.
The provision requiring social media networks to compel their users to provide their real name and phone numbers when creating accounts was inserted by lawmakers during the bicameral conference meetings on the bill and was not included in earlier versions of it. The measure also penalizes people who use fictitious identities to register for social media accounts with a fine of up to P200,000, jail time of at least six years or both. Lawmakers passed the measure in an attempt to address terrorism, text scams, bank fraud and defamation online, but internet freedom advocates said this bill will violate Filipinos’ right to privacy.
“It is incumbent upon the Office of the President to ensure that any statute is consistent with the demands of the Constitution, such as those which guarantee individual privacy and free speech,” Andanar said.
