A serious violation of constitutional rights, this is what Former President Rodrigo Duterte stated regarding the suspension of his program ‘Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa,’ or ‘From the Masses, ror the masses’ on SMNI.
‘’One, you have to be in gross violation of my constitutional right to free expression. And second, of course, is the outfit that I am using as a platform for violation of press freedom. These are my two points. Because using a medium that, which is SMNI. So that’s on my part. Those constitutional rights are sacred. That’s really heavy in our Constitution,” FPRRD said.
Former President Duterte further stressed that the Constitution is sacred, and the move by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) is a severe violation.
‘’In my view, the suppression to express your right to exercise this freedom, cannot be subject to preliminary or permanent status. That shouldn’t be allowed. The right to free expression is absolute to me. That is how I understand it,’’ he added.
Former President Duterte added that the suspension is a clear form of censorship and derogation of one’s rights.
‘’A temporary preventive suspension is by itself already censorship. You can’t speak, you’re censored. So, to me, to that extent or to the full time that you are not allowed to talk, it is a derogation of your right, of your constitutional right to free speech and free expression,’’ he said.
To recall, the MTRCB suspended two SMNI programs: Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa, and Laban Kasama ang Bayan, starting on December 18.
