P1M allotted for
Palaro preparations

The Local School Board has allotted P1 million from the Special Education Fund for the improvement of sports facilities in Negros Oriental’s campaign to host the Palarong Pambansa April next year, a press release of the province said.

The funds will be to finance the pre-Palaro preparations, Salustiano Jimenez, provincial schools division superintendent, said.

The amount will be used to refurbish buildings and improve field events that will be used, only if the Palaro is conducted in Oriental Negros, the press release also said.

Bayan Muna pushes
decriminalization of libel

Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares yesterday urged for the speedy approval of House Bill 1009 that seeks to decriminalize libel by repealing Articles 353 to 362 of the Revised Penal Code, a press release from his office said.

Other than HB 1009, the only bill decriminalizing libel is HB 2979 filed by the late Rep. Sonny Escudero. Considering that HB 1009 was filed more than two years ago, it should be prioritized by the House leadership together with HB 2979 and the recently filed bills amending the cybercrime law, Colmenares said in the press release.

He said HB 1009 that Bayan Muna filed seeks to delete libel from the Revised Penal Code, together with its penalty of imprisonment and fines. “The remedy should be a civil case for damages under the Civil Code. Although a person who commits libel should still be held liable, no one should go to prison for the exercise of the constitutional right to freedom of expression or categorized as an ‘ex-convict’ for such act,” the press release said.

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