By Roy Lagarde
If freedom of expression and dissent is curtailed, human rights will follow suit, a Catholic archbishop has warned.
Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan said press freedom encourages debates and discussions to increase government’s accountability and protect the rights of the people.
“When freedom of speech or criticism is suppressed, tyranny abounds, liberty dissolves, our country is weakened and human rights are threatened,” Villegas said.
The former head of the Philippine bishops’ conference made the statement Wednesday after the government ordered the country’s largest broadcasting network to halt operations.
Aside from being a legal issue, he said that the matter also involves “moral and spiritual” aspects that need attention.
According to him, press freedom is a key mechanism of a functioning and healthy democracy.
“The government should be willing to listen to feedback and criticisms and opposing views to improve governance,” Villegas said.
“Let us not shutdown anyone who has a different perspective than ours,” he added.
The archbishop also expressed concern to the thousands of workers who will be affected by the network’s shutdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.
ABS-CBN signed off after its evening news broadcast on Tuesday, leaving the jobs of 11,000 news and production personnel in jeopardy.
The move followed after the National Telecommunications Commission issued a cease-and-desist order after ABS-CBN’s broadcast franchise expired on May 4.
It also comes after Congress sat on a decision to renew the station’s license.
“With the widespread poverty and job losses due to the pandemic, do we still need to increase poverty and unemployment?” said Villegas.
In several occasions, President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly threatened to close down the network for its critical coverage of the government’s bloody drug war that claimed thousands of lives.
Before the closure order, government’s top lawyer, Solicitor-General Jose Calida, warned NTC against allowing the station to operate temporarily.
For Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, the NTC order was “treachery of the highest order”.
Bishops Ruperto Santos of Balanga and Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos also expressed alarm over the shutdown of the network, which has been a major news source on the pandemic.
“It is untimely and disservice at this time of pandemic the cease and desist order given to ABS-CBN,” Santos said.
“Whatever legal issues there might be in this case, a remedy should be sought that will not further aggravate the plight of thousands of workers that will be added to the growing number of Filipino gravely affected by this pandemic,” said Alminaza.
Villegas also called on ABS-CBN to use this moment to critically examine itself and their mission to society, adding that “it does not help that the television is used to break morals and culture of the Filipinos”.
“There is something more important in the top rating. Promoting wisdom and goodwill is paramount. Don’t be afraid to criticize, but do it for the good of all and always based on the truth,” he said.