BLATANT attempts to censor SPIN.ph and other media outlets were flagged at the Senate floor on Wednesday’s plenary session.
Senator Erwin Tulfo hit out at the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) for revoking the media credentials of SPIN.ph and threatening to do the same against a Rappler reporter over reports critical of the country’s hosting of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship.
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SPIN.ph ran articles and opinion pieces criticizing the high ticket prices and low crowd turnout during the FIVB Worlds games - the same issues, by the way, that Tulfo raised in a privilege speech critical of the PNVF and its president Ramon 'Tats' Suzara on Tuesday afternoon.
“Their [SPIN.ph's] alleged offense? Reporting on the exorbitant ticket prices and the empty arenas during the games — the very same issues that I and many others have raised to amplify the cries of our nation’s passionate volleyball fans, particularly our youth,” Tulfo said.
“Ni-report lang nila 'yung totoo na mahal po ang ticket, na wala pong nanonood, na-ban po sila ng Philippine National Volleyball Federation from covering that event.
READ Tulfo rues FIVB Worlds tickets priced out of the reach of fans
“Adding to this grave situation, we also learned that a journalist from Rappler was reprimanded by the same organization for a social media update about the low attendance during the opening and the high ticket prices of the league.”
Tulfo’s remarks came a day after SPIN.ph photographer Mark Cristino was denied entry to the Mall of Asia Arena, where he was supposed to cover the final day of Round of 16 action. He was told SPIN,ph's accreditation was 'deactivated.'
PNVF's actions, Tulfo pointed out, is an blatant act of curtailing free speech.
“This is censorship. This is curtailment of freedom of the press. As a journalist all my life, I condemn this act of blocking our noble reporters’ freedom to write for the press,” said the former ABC-CBN reporter and anchorman.
"Dapat po managot ang mga taong nasa likod ng panghaharang sa mga kapatid natin na nasa media," he added. "Karapatan po ng bawat mamamahayag na sumulat o mag-broadcast ng katotohanan dahil sa panahon ngayon, puro fake news na lamang, lalo na ‘pag aasahan mo po ang social media.
“Wala namang sino pa ang pwedeng pumigil dito.”
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