Manny Pacquiao is ready to fight again, after he lost

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A true fighter, Philippine boxing icon and Saranggani Rep. Manny Pacquiao said he is ready to fight again after losing by knockout to Mexican boxer Juan Manuel Marquez.
In the sixth round of their non-title welterweight bout on Saturday (Sunday in Manila), Marquez finally got his first win over Pacquiao in four attempts.

The 39-year-old Mexican lost twice and drawn once in his three previous fights against the 33-year-old Pacquiao.

With just a second left in the round, Marquez's stinging right hand sent Pacquiao face first to the canvas.

In the post-fight interview, Pacquiao hinted he was not going to retire anytime soon, saying he  will rest for a while but "after a few months, back to training and back to fight."

Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum also remained open to the possibility of a fifth fight against Marquez.
 
"Why not? People love this action." said Arum. "This fight will go down in history as a ring classic. If they wanna fight again, why not?"
 
Pacquiao too was willing to face Marquez again. "No problem. That's up to my promoter," the Philippine congressman said.

On being knocked out, he said that was part of boxing. Pacquiao admitted that he lost after becoming overconfident during the fight.

Second loss in a row

Pacquiao, who will turn 34 on December 17, is the first eight-division world champion, and the first to win the Lineal Championship in four different weight classes.

He is a three-time The Ring and BWAA "Fighter of the Year" (for 2006, 2008, and 2009) and the Best Fighter ESPY Award in 2009 and 2011.

Pacquiao was also named "Fighter of the Decade" for the 2000s by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA), World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organization (WBO).

However, his loss to Marquez is already his second in row after losing to American Tim Bradley in June this year.

The financial magazine Forbes said Pacquiao's loss "could negate a $100 million future payday for Manny which would be earned from a dream match-up against Floyd Mayweather that some estimate is worth $250 million in PPV (pay-per-view) sales."

According to a Forbes estimate, Pacquiao earned $62 million between July 2011 and June 2012, including around $6 million in endorsements.

'Boxing is my passion'

In an earlier interview with the news site LA Times, Pacquiao said "Boxing is my passion. Public service is my calling.”

He also explained why he had a strong motivation to help others.

“I know the life of nothing. I know what those who ask me for money are feeling," he said.

Pacquiao started his boxing career as a no-name boxer training at a shabby gym. He never gave up on his dreams and he is now among the richest men in the Philippines.

Despite his success, Pacquiao remains humble and approachable.

Recently, his wife Jinkee recently brought in a group of 20 friends who wanted to exchange pleasantries with Pacquiao during his training.

He didn't decline, causing the delay of one sparring session.

Some weeks ago, Pacquiao let a pastor preach to him and his friends until 2:00 a.m. before a training day.

This infuriated his trainer Freddie Roach who wanted to keep Pacquiao in top shape.

Fierce rivals

The Pacquiao-Marquez rivalry is said to be one of the biggest in the world of boxing.

Days before their fight on Sunday, during Pacquiao's training session at the University of Las Vegas oval track, the two rivals shared the track while training, according to a report of GMA Network's “News to Go” program.

They didn't talk with each other but Pacquiao shook the hand of Nacho Beristain, Marquez's trainer.

Although Marquez became bulkier, Pacquiao said that he wasn't the slightest bit nervous pointing out that boxing wasn't a body building contest.

Marquez on the other hand said he was more than ready for their fourth bout and that he trained not only his strength but also his speed. 

Manny Pacquiao knocked out in 6th round

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Juan Manuel Marquez recorded a shocking upset over Manny Pacquiao with a massive right hand in the sixth round that gave him his first victory over Pac-Man.
The fourth meeting between these two fighters generated a significant amount of hype, and the bout still somehow managed to exceed expectations.
It was clear from the start that Pacquiao was active, in shape and ready to fight. It only took until the second round for the announcers to start gushing over Pac-Man's legendary straight left hand.
But it was Marquez who landed the first blow, knocking down Pacquiao in the third round with a hard right hand. Nevertheless, the Filipino fighter was able to get up and regain control of the fight.
In the fifth round, he evened the score by catching Marquez with a straight left hand and knocking down the Mexican fighter.
With an advantage on the scorecard, Pacquiao just needed to avoid Marquez' lethal counter punches. But in the sixth round, Marquez found an opening when Pacquiao attacked and landed a vicious punch directly to Pac-Man's face.
The Filipino star dropped straight to the canvas, and the fight ended as a victory for Marquez via knockout. This is Marquez' first victory over Pacquiao and the first time any of their matchups ended early.
It was a shocking result and after an incredible bout, fans certainly wouldn't mind seeing a fifth fight.

Manny Pacquiao cries for his lose

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HOLLYWOOD—Manny Pacquiao shed tears on Philippine television on Monday, saying he had let his country down.

But don’t count him out yet. A devastating knockout loss to his great Mexican rival Juan Manuel Marquez won’t make him quit boxing.

“I’m ready to fight in April,” Pacquiao told Manila-based sportswriters in a customized luxury bus that took them from Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas to Hollywood.

Pacquiao announced the date for his comeback fight to end all speculations about his boxing future following his sixth-round loss to Marquez in their fourth encounter on Saturday.

In Hollywood, the Pacquiaos were brought to their $2-million house near Hancock Park, where they were to spend the night. In  the garage were Pacquiao’s service car, a Mercedes Benz and his Ferrari 458 Italia, acquired just last year.

Interviewed on GMA network, Pacquiao indicated how deeply he felt the disappointment of his followers back home.

“The low morale, the sadness, I accept that. This is my job … But the reaction of the Filipinos, the many who cried, especially my family, it really hurts me,” he told the network.

The former eight-division world champion wiped tears from his eyes listening to his wife, Jinkee, make a tearful appeal on camera for her husband, who turns 34 next week, to hang up his gloves.

“When you see your husband get hurt, you cannot even sleep,” she said in the interview.

Asked if she wanted her husband to retire from boxing, she said: “You know the answer to that. He knows what I am asking him.”

In the bus, Pacquiao told the sportswriters that Saturday’s loss to Marquez “was similar to what happened to me against (Rustico) Torrecampo.” He was referring to his third-round knockout defeat on Feb. 9, 1996, when he was still fighting at 110 pounds.

“I got nailed by a sneaky punch that caught me in the chin coming in,” Pacquiao said in Filipino. “If it were in the jaw, I can withstand it.”

5th fight

Swinging as if he was shadowboxing, Pacquiao admitted he got careless with Marquez because he wanted to put up a strong showing to end the sixth round.

“I faked twice and he got me [with that right] as I stumbled,” he said.

Despite the one-punch knockout that left him motionless—face down on the canvas for over a minute—Pacquiao said he was raring for a fifth fight with Marquez to get even. “Yes, why not.”

“Marquez was lucky. The next fight, I’ll get him,” he said, adding that he had intended to finish his Mexican rival in the seventh or eighth round to give fans what they wanted—an explosive fight.

“I saw his nose bleeding and that he had difficulty breathing,” Pacquiao said. “I was also told that his corner was ready to stop the fight in the seventh.”

Pacquiao fell short as Marquez, dubbed “El Dinamita,” threw a dynamite right that exploded on his face and knocked him out cold.

Despite the loss, Pacquiao said he was satisfied he was able to give the fans an explosive fight.

“Don’t fight if you don’t want to lose,” he said. “That’s sports.”

As a routine procedure, he was taken after the bout to the trauma unit of University Medical Center, where he underwent medical tests, including a CT scan, to find out if he had suffered a concussion.

The result was negative and he was cleared to return to his penthouse suite at the hotel.

He will be under observation for three days, although he was allowed to make the five-hour trip to Hollywood, including a traditional stop at midpoint Barstow.

No fight with Mayweather

Since he suffered no major head injuries, Pacquiao is deemed fit to fight again next year. Against whom and when, there’s no clear development yet.

While a lucrative fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. is off the radar at the moment, the continuation of his ring saga with Marquez may be in the horizon.

Promoter Bob Arum, while hesitant to stage an immediate rematch because of the punishment sustained by both fighters, with Marquez suspected of having a broken nose, the 81-year-old big boss of Top Rank is reportedly being bombarded with requests for a Pacquiao-Marquez 5.

Another possible opponent, if Pacquiao’s original schedule of April 20 for his next fight is followed, is rising star Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios, a toe-to-toe fighter whose style should suit Pacquiao’s  just fine.

While Pacquiao also has a score to settle with Timothy Bradley, who beat him by a dubious split decision, Arum is not keen on the proposition, as their fight in June was a disappointment at the gates and failed to generate a million PPV (pay-per-view) buys.

In contrast, the Pacquiao-Marquez 4 was a blockbuster, with a sellout crowd of 16,348, gate receipts of $10.5 million and an assured 1 million plus PPV hits, which could put Pacquiao’s total income for the fight at between $25 million to $30 million.

Pacquiao is willing to take on anybody Arum will put in front of him since he wants redemption for the humiliation he suffered in Marquez’s hands.

Pacquiao and wife Jinkee are scheduled to take the Monday flight to Manila, arriving in the Philippines on Wednesday for the birthday of their son, Jimwell.

On Dec. 17, Pacquiao will turn 34 and more celebrations are scheduled in General Santos City and Sarangani province, where he’s running unopposed for a second term as congressman.

Also in the bus, emblazoned  with his  image  and  a teaser  of  Pacquiao-Marquez 4, were several pastors, boxers Dodie Boy Peñalosa Jr. and Ernie Sanchez, who both won in the undercard of Saturday’s fight,  and  Michael Farenas, who put up a gallant losing stand against Yuriorkis Gamboa, as well as Filipino television crews.

Tough questions

Pacquiao now faces some of the toughest questions in his 17-year career—does his future lay in boxing, politics, show biz, religion, or is there a new challenge on the horizon?

“Being the king of boxing, being the highest paid athlete in boxing …  it goes with the territory,” boxing analyst Ed Tolentino said. “For Pacquiao, the fame was too much to handle. There was just too many things on his plate other than boxing.”

The distraction was costly for Pacquiao, who trained for only two months, compared to Marquez’s four and a half months.

During that time the Mexican fighter bulked up and became more muscular to withstand the Filipino’s trademark furious blows that were so damaging in their three earlier encounters, said boxing commentator Ronnie Nathanielsz.

Politicians, movie bit players and an assortment of hangers-on now form his huge entourage.

“You only need a Ferris wheel and his training camp would have been a circus,” Tolentino said.

“Among boxers, they don’t have the word retirement in their dictionary. It’s so hard to admit that all of sudden it’s over, especially for Pacquiao,” Tolentino said.

“His demotion was from the penthouse to the doghouse,” he added. “I think really there has to be a lot of soul searching. … He has to consult his family, his real entourage.” 

Philippines is 3rd disaster-prone country, new study shows

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After Pacific countries Tonga and Vanuatu, the Philippines ranks as the third most disaster-prone country in the world because of its high exposure to natural calamities, a new international report showed.

The World Disaster Report 2012, released in Brussels on Oct. 11, also said that the Philippines could spare up to 20 million of its people—about a fifth of its total population—from natural disasters by improving the protection of its coral reefs, a primary line of defense against coastal hazards, including tsunamis.

Tropical and coastal nations led the list of 15 countries at high risk for disasters, “owing to their proximity to the sea…(that) exposes (them) to the natural hazards of cyclones, flooding and sea level rise,” read the report.

The report’s list of the top 15 most-at-risk nations included Guatemala, Bangladesh, Solomon Islands, Costa Rica, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, El Salvador, Brunei Darussalam, Papua New Guinea, Mauritius, Nicaragua and Fiji.

Adaptation measures

Although third in the list, the Philippines had the best rating on adaptation measures, with scores similar to that of Malaysia and Thailand, which ranked 91st and 92nd, respectively.

The report, a collaboration among the United Nations University’s Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), the German Alliance for Development Works (Alliance) and the US-based environment group The Nature Conservancy, rated the disaster risk of 173 countries using “globally available data” on their individual exposure and susceptibility to disasters, as well as their coping and adaptive capacities in the event of natural calamities.

Apart from an overall rating, the report also released the countries’ scores in five indicators: Disaster exposure, vulnerability, susceptibility, lack of coping capacities and lack of adaptive capacities.

“The top 15 most at-risk nations are all tropical and coastal, where coastal habitats like reefs and mangroves are incredibly important for people’s lives and livelihoods. Reefs, for example, can reduce wave energy approaching coasts by more than 85 percent,” The Conservancy said in a statement posted on its website.

The report noted how disaster preparedness and mitigation and adaptation measures implemented by governments could reduce risk, and cited the Netherlands for its highly developed coping and adaptation measures.

Lowest-risk countries

African and Latin American countries also made up the riskiest half of the list, while Middle Eastern, European and North American countries were rated among the low-risk nations. Malta and Qatar were rated as the two lowest-risk countries.

The study further noted the increasing incidence of natural disasters through man-made environmental degradation and climate change.  The report said some 4,130 natural disasters were recorded from 2002 to 2011, leaving more than a million victims and an economic loss of roughly $1.195 trillion.

“So far, people have rarely been the direct triggers of such disasters. But with their devastating interventions in nature, they have massively raised the hazard potential,” the report said.

“The destruction of mangrove forests and coral reefs, for example, off the coasts of Southeast Asia, has reduced protection against tidal waves and flooding,” it added.

Tacurong-Marbel blast; 3rd in Mindanao

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MANILA, Philippines - Another explosion struck a key province in Mindanao on Thursday morning. No one was hurt in the blast.

Senior Superintendent George Tuson, chief of the Tacurong City Police Office in Sultan Kudarat province, said that the explosion took place near the Land Bank of the Philippines along the Tacurong-Marbel Highway in Barangay Poblacion at around 7 a.m.

Tuson said that prior to the blast, the police force received an intelligence report of an impending bomb attack in the city.

Senior Superintendent Rolly Balquin, Sultan Kudarat police director, said that the blast was caused by an improvised explosive dvice (IED).

Balquin said that the Sultan Kudarat police's explosive and ordnance operatives have yet to determine the components of the bomb.

The provincial police director cited that according to the intelligence report, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement (BIFM) will plant bombs somewhere in the city.

“The report was that several IEDs would be planted and eventually set off in the city,” Balquin said.

He said that police units around the province and in the city have been put on full alert.

“We’ve intensified our security and intelligence operations in the province and all our units are doubling their vigilance right now to avert these plots,” Balquin added.

Tuson said that they are looking into the possibility that the blast is related to the recent signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Aside from the BIFM, the faction of Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari threatened that they will continue their struggle for an independent state despite the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

Third explosion since signing

Last week, Mindanao was hit by two explosions, particularly in Cagayan de Oro City and Zamboanga Sibugay province.

Two people were killed when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off near the entrance of Maxandrea Hotel in downtown Cagayan de Oro City around 2 a.m. on Thursday last week.

Two policemen who were preparing to inspect the package containing the bomb at the scene were injured in the blast as they were just a few meters away when it exploded.

Seven hours earlier, another explosive device went off in a garment shop in Imelda town of Zamboanga Sibugay, injuring 14-year-old Alraffy Barabadan.

Hours after the explosion at the hotel in Cagayan de Oro, police retrieved another IED, which was placed under a vehicle parked in a street adjacent to the hotel.

Chief Superintendent Gil Hitosis, director of the Northern Mindanao Regional Police, had said that police investigators are checking the explosions' link.

“We are checking the possible link of the explosions in Zamboanga and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), as we all know the Philippine government has an ongoing peace deal with a group while the other group feels disgruntled. But let me clarify that as of now we have no strong evidence linking the explosion to the peace deal,” he said.

Jonas Brothers will have a concert at the Big Dome on October 19

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MANILA, Philippines—The American boy band Jonas Brothers will perform on October 19 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Composed of real-life brothers Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas, the group was launched in 2005.

A debut album, “It’s About Time,” was released the following year.

Three more albums came out in succession: “Jonas Brothers” (2007); “A Little Bit Longer” (2008) and “Lines, Vines and Trying Times” (2009).

The group has sold more than eight million albums worldwide.

The brothers have also branched out into acting, appearing in the Disney Channel TV series “Hannah Montana,” the Disney TV movie “Camp Rock” and “Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam,” and the 20th Century Fox film “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.”

The Big Dome concert will mark the group’s first time to play together in Manila. 

Donaire vs Nishioka Fight Replay (Full Video)

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2012-10-13 Nonito Donaire vs Toshiaki Nishioka by sweetboxing4

Donaire Jr, Nishioka ready for Sunday’s fight

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MANILA, Philippines — Nonito Donaire Jr. had no problem making the weight in the routine weigh-in Friday (Saturday Morning in Manila) for his bout against Toshiaki Nishioka in California.

Donaire (29-1, 18 KOs) tipped in the scales at 121.6 pounds, just a hair lighter than Nishioka (39-4-3, 24 KOs), who came in at 121.8.

The “Filipino Flash” stakes his WBO/IBA superbantamweight crowns against Japan’s Nishioka (Sunday in Manila) before an expected packed crowd at the Home Depot Center in Carson.

Meanwhile, Brandon “Bambam” Rios came in at 140 pounds while “Mile High” Mike Alvardo registered a weight of 139.8 in the weigh-in of the co-feature bout.

Both undefeated, Rios and Alvarado clash for the vacant WBO Latino light welterweight and WBO light welterweight titles on Saturday as a prelude to Donaire-Nishioka fight.

Philippines is among Southeast Asia's 'New Tigers'

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The Philippines' recovery from the Asian financial crisis and its high potential for growth has prodded a business website to name it one of the "New Tigers" in Southeast Asia.

The Philippines, as well as Indonesia, have "come of age" and are "poised to drive future growth and grab more economic power,"Market Watch said.

"In an economically vibrant Southeast Asia, Indonesia and the Philippines stand out as the region's 'New Tigers' with the potential to leave a bigger imprint on global growth for years to come while the developed world struggles with excess debt and traditional regional heavyweights China and India lose momentum,"  it added.

This review of the Philippines is the latest in a string of recent positive assessments and forecasts, most of them noting deep-seated governance reforms and its impact on ease of doing business.

The Philippines and Indonesia's edge over other countries in the region, Market Watch said, include "large and young labor force, an expanding middle class and... elected governments with policies inspiring investor confidence."

Sturdy banks and enough foreign exchange reserves also put the countries at an advantage, it added.

National debt also remains low in the Philippines and Indonesia compared to countries in the West, "leaving both enough room to boost their economies in case of need," the report said.

Market Watch also noted that the two countries' stock markets "are among the world's best performing since the end of 2008."

Marking the two countries' takeoff, Market Watch said, is their leap from borrower to lender status in the International Monetary Fund, with each pledging $1 billion to replenish the multilateral bank's funds.

This, as Market Watch noted that the IMF bailed out the two countries during the Asian Financial Crisis of the late 1990s.

These developments have not escaped the view of global investors which are now turning their heads toward the Philippines and Indonesia, Market Watch said.

"Both markets have been a popular choice for investors since 2009 and have extended a solid upward run with sharp gains so far this year," it noted.

Market Watch highlighted the Philippines' status as second to Thailand's best-performing stock exchange in Asia so far this year, rising 18 percent. Indonesia's Stock Exchange meanwhile gained 4 percent.

"Signaling the strength of foreign investor interest in both the Philippines and Indonesia, new products have been developed to provide overseas investors with more options to access those markets," it noted.

The two countries are not free from risks, however, with Market Watch noting that challenges include "sustaining political stability, tackling widespread corruption and improving their poor infrastructure."

The Philippines' heavy dependence on remittances from overseas workers may also prove to its disadvantage amid a weak global environment, the report added.

This, even as it echoed forecasts that the services sector and high remittances will drive economic growht in the Philippines this year.

"To sustain its trajectory, the Philippines needs to not only get more value out of existing industries, but also forge new ones," Market Watch said. An expansion in the tourism sector may be the perfect fit, with the report noting that it may "help absorb labor in its swelling population."

For tourism to takeoff, however, Market Watch said the government must address the issue of poor infrastructure.

Aging roads and inadequate airports choke economic development while also discouraging tourism, the report said.

"The problems are curtailing the growth of what many see as the critical next-wave industry," it added.

Aside from tourism, mining could also drive growth for the Philippines, Market Watch said.

"The country is rich in minerals including copper, gold and nickel, but development of the mining industry has been stalled by political resistance and layers of red tape," the report noted.

"Regardless of which industries the Philippines seeks to develop, international backing will be crucial," Market Watch said.

The world-recognized four Asian Tigers are Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan.

Philippines lost P101.82 Billion under Arroyo administration

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MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines lost P101.82 billion through misuse of state funds and assets during the latter years of graft-tainted ex-president Gloria Arroyo’s rule, government auditors said Saturday.

The Commission on Audit highlighted anomalies that mostly occurred in the 2007-2009 period in its investigation of more than 61,000 government agencies last year.

“Most audit findings categorically indicate pecuniary loss on the part of the government, as a result of violations of law, rules and regulations,” said the report, first posted on its website Saturday.

More than 4,000 cases of unauthorized expenses, unaccounted for cash advances, uncollected duties, fictitious claims, missing assets, or abandoned projects, cost the government P101.82 billion ($2.46 billion), it said.

The total is equivalent to 5.6 percent of the country’s budget this year.

Its conditional cash transfer program, where poor families get monthly stipends in exchange for keeping their children in school, could not account for P3.77 billion.

Two state banks lent large sums unsecured by hard collateral, while Manila airport left 21 abandoned aircraft parked in an area exposed to natural elements, leading to their deterioration, despite being given funding to house them.

Among the biggest items were P1.862 billion in cash advances to two government treasurers in the impoverished province of Maguindanao and P1.123 billion in payments to “spurious” suppliers to a Muslim self-rule area.

Chief state auditor Grace Tan said in a letter sent to Manila newspapers Saturday that the audit covered items mostly relating to accounts prior to 2010, when Aquino was elected to office on an anti-corruption platform.

“Pecuniary loss does not necessarily result from graft, and it is only the courts that can make judgement of graft,” Tan said.

Aquino has asked a special anti-graft prosecutor to file criminal charges against people deemed responsible for 744 of the cases, the auditors said.

The other cases are under investigation.

Arroyo was arrested and detained at a military hospital in Manila on Thursday after allegedly diverting P366 million in state lottery funds meant for charity programs into her election campaign kitty.

After being president for nearly 10 years, Arroyo was initially charged in November last year with vote fraud for allegedly conspiring to rig the 2007 senatorial elections, but later posted bail.

Her spokesmen did not reply to Agence France-Presse’s requests for comment.

Aquino spokeswoman Abigail Valte told reporters Saturday: “We have not become complacent in our anti-corruption measures.”

Supreme Court: No TRO on Cyber Law

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Netizens beware. Republic Act No. 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act, which among other things provides for blocking certain computer data and for longer prison terms for those found to have committed libel, is now in effect.

The cybercrime law becomes effective starting Wednesday because the Supreme Court has not issued a temporary restraining order  sought by various individuals and groups opposed to the new law.

“The Supreme Court did not issue a TRO in the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 petitions which are up for further study,” said Ma. Victoria Gleoresty Guerra, acting chief of the high tribunal’s public information office.

The justices held their regular full court session Tuesday with 10 justices in attendance. Guerra said four justices were absent—Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin and Mariano del Castillo were attending a conference in Croatia, while Roberto Abad was on personal leave.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said RA 10175 would take effect even if it did not have implementing rules and regulations (IRR).

“Effectivity of that law is not conditioned upon the adoption of the IRR and the setting up of the Office of Cybercrime. No legal impediment for the law’s implementation, given the absence of a TRO or injunction,” she said in a text message to reporters.

Seven petitions have been filed in the high court questioning the constitutionality of several provisions of the new law and asking it to issue a TRO.

The law raises to more than 14 years in prison the cumulative penalties for a single act of online libel. It also guarantees imprisonment as the accused is ineligible for probation.

Most disturbing

Fr. Joaquin Bernas, a lawyer, described as “most disturbing to many”  Section 19, which says: “When  computer data [are] prima facie  is found to be in violation of the provisions of this Act, the DOJ [Department of Justice] shall issue an order to restrict or block access to such computer data.”

The petitions were filed by Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, Alab ng Mamamahayag party-list group, businessman Louis Biraogo, a group led by lawyer Harry Roque and columnist Ellen Tordesillas, cyberlaw experts led by lawyer Jose Jesus Disini, a group led by Representatives Raymond Palatino of Kabataan and Antonio Tinio of ACT Teachers, and another group led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera.

Guingona said he was disappointed that the Supreme Court deferred the hearing of the petitions.

“I respectfully ask the high tribunal to resolve the issues and act on the petitions immediately to prevent further harm to our cyberusers. The implementation of the law will take back our citizens to the Dark Ages where freedom of speech and expression was not recognized,” he said.

Guingona said he would continue to be with the citizens and Internet users in “this fight to ask the Supreme Court for a temporary restraining order and to finally repeal some vague and oppressive provisions of the newly enacted law.”

“Let me say this once again, the state has no right to gag its citizens and convict them for expressing their thoughts. The Philippines is a democratic country,” Guingona said.

“The Filipinos should never be left to cower on the sidelines—their thoughts and voices should not be shackled by fear and intimidation. The people should not be afraid of its own government,” he added.

Palatino also decried the Supreme Court’s inaction on the petitions. “To that we say, absence makes the Internet grow darker,” he said.

He was referring to online protests against the law, which consisted of blacking out websites and profile pictures in social networking sites.

Black placards

As the justices met, about 100 members of the Philippine Internet Freedom Alliance (Pifa), composed of different organizations of netizens and bloggers, staged a “silent protest” in front of the Supreme Court building on Padre Faura Street in Manila to show their opposition to the law and to call on the justices to issue a TRO.

With their mouths covered with black electrical tapes, the protesters carried plain black placards and a huge streamer printed with the words, “Stop Cyber Martial Law.”

“The cybercrime law is undemocratic and has negative implications on the right to free speech and privacy. The cybercrime law is testing our country—whether we’re truly a democracy or just a democracy on paper,” said Red Tani, president of Filipino Thinkers, a member of Pifa.

Ayeen Karunungan, council member of Dakila-Philippine Collective for Modern Heroism, said it was ironic that while the country was commemorating the 40th year after the declaration of martial law and crying “Never again!” the cybercrime law was signed.

“Real democracy allows the right to free speech as it is fundamental in people’s participation in governance. Enacting the law is the death of that right,” Karunungan said.

Pifa has called on people who could not attend street protests to do “an online blackout” of their websites and social media pages.

On Facebook, some members have replaced their profile pictures with black screens and logos protesting the cybercrime law. Others posted “shaded” comments to demonstrate their fears of possible government censorship of online activities.

Seeking amendments

As online protests intensified, lawmakers moved to amend the cybercrime law on the eve of its implementation.

Sen. Francis Escudero, who earlier admitted to missing the inclusion of libel in the new law when he voted in its favor, on Tuesday filed a bill seeking to repeal the provision.

“[With] today’s modern technology, the crime of libel does not only prove antiquated but to the contrary even overarching as a state tool to restrain freedom of speech,” Escudero said in his explanatory note in Senate Bill No. 3288.

Escudero said this was evident in the passage of the cybercrime law which broadened the coverage of the crime of libel to include even those with the use of “computer system or other similar means that may be devised in the future.”

“This must never be countenanced if only to remain consistent with the constitutionally prescribed freedom of the press,” Escudero said.

Online petitions

The delay in the high court’s  decision on the petitions will give other groups an opportunity to file a similar suit.

Pifa said it would file its petition against RA 10175 on Monday.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines said it would file a separate case. It posted its petition online (http://www.nujp.org/no-to-ra10175/) to solicit signatures from individuals and organizations.

Kabataan party-list group set up an online petition (http://www.change.org/petitions/junk-the-cybercrime-prevention-law) calling on President Aquino, Congress and the Supreme Court to junk the law. It had gathered 36,000 signatures as of 4 p.m. Tuesday.

In the House of Representatives, Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño and Palatino filed a bill also seeking to repeal several provisions of the cybercrime law.

One degree higher

Casiño said one of the threats in the new law came from Section 6, which says that all offenses defined under the Revised Penal Code (RPC) and special laws, such as libel, committed through information and communication technologies, shall be charged with a penalty one degree higher than that provided in the code.

“By imposing a penalty one degree higher than what had been stated in the RPC on libel, longer prison terms are guaranteed for persons found to have published or posted material containing libelous remarks online,” Casiño and Palatino said in the explanatory note.

The lawmakers also assailed the provision that allowed government agencies to disclose, preserve, search, seize and destroy computer data.

The law, they further said, would have a “chilling impact” on bloggers, online journalists and other Internet users because websites could be taken down without due process.

Casiño said amending the law would bring it back to its original intention of combating websites on child pornography, data and identity theft, and other Internet scams.

One of the House authors of the law, Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, said he was open to discussions about amending the measure. He said he was amenable to making penalties for libel civil rather than criminal.