Proponents of the Freedom of Information bill hail the technical working group of the House committee on Public Information for the approval of its consolidated version on Wednesday (September 3, 2014) at the House of Representatives in Batasan Complex, Quezon City. From left are Paranaque City Rep. Gustavo Tambunting; Ang NARS party list Rep. Leah Paquiz; Committee on Public Information chairman and Misamis Occidental Rep. Jorge Almonte; Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia; Akbayan party-list Rep. Barry Gutierrez and Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – In what could be an early Christmas gift to those who oppose the “Anti-Selfie Bill,” the lawmaker behind the proposed measure announced on Thursday he is backing out.
Cagayan de Oro (2nd District) Representative Rufus Rodriguez said he has already withdrawn his support for the “Anti-Selfie” Bill or “An Act to Provide Protection From Personal Intrusion for Commercial Purposes.”
Earlier reports indicated freedom fighters, journalists, photographers, and netizens had apposed the bill.
Rodriguez earlier said there will be no more House Bill 4807 because House lawmakers will not take it up in the plenary for the third reading.
Also, he said he had met with members of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and some photographers for a discussion on the bill.
He said that in his letter to House committee on rules chairman Rep. Neptali Gonzales II he has “re-committed” the bill to the House committee on public information.
“The NUJP told me that it [the bill] may somehow affect the freedom of the press. So I thought it best to discuss the issue first and finally it is now back to square one.”
He said public hearings would be conducted and all stakeholders will be heard about the proposed measure. (MNS)