KARAPATAN: Sandro Marcos’ bill on digital media strengthens State censorship
KARAPATAN Public Information
PRESS STATEMENT
June 4, 2026
Reference: Cristina Palabay, KARAPATAN secretary general, 09173162831
KARAPATAN Public Information Desk, 09189790580
KARAPATAN: Sandro Marcos’ bill on digital media strengthens State censorship
KARAPATAN condemns the House of Representatives’ approval of the Digital Media Anti-False Information Act or House Bill No. 9465 sponsored by Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s scion Rep. Sandro Marcos, which ostensibly grants broad powers to the State to penalize “false” or “misleading” information, but actually strengthens the State’s power of censorship, making it an even more serious threat to dissent and critical reporting.
“Like the Anti-Terrorism Act that has very broad definitions of acts that constitute terrorism, HB 9456 likewise resorts to vague definitions of what constitutes ‘disinformation,’ ‘malicious intent,’ and ‘serious threat to national security,’ allowing the State to arbitrarily censor online content and penalize perceived violators,“ she added.
“Compounding arbitrary enforcement,” said Palabay, “are the harsh penalties called for by HB 9465, including imprisonment of six to 12 years and the imposition of heavy fines on individuals. This results,” she stressed, ”in a chilling effect on independent and investigative journalists and political activists publishing materials online, or even on ordinary citizens posting content that is inconsistent with the official State narrative.”
In fact, said Palabay, HB 9456 even allows two levels of censorship as the bill mandates social media platforms, on pain of heavy financial penalties, to be hyper-conservative about content, which may result in the systematic suppression of grassroots advocacy, independent reportage, or community exposures of corruption flagged as “controversial.” This economic coercion effectively outsources and privatizes censorship, prodding tech companies to police Filipino citizens on behalf of the state.
“HB 9456 provides a mandate to the State to abuse power, as it allows the executive branch of government to closely monitor, decide on and remove content without need of court orders, making it a dangerous instrument for political repression,” warned Palabay. Worse, she added, the fast-takedown procedures of disallowed content called for by HB 9456 will catch targeted personalities and organizations off-guard and compromise their ability to appeal or contest the takedown.
KARAPATAN joins all freedom-loving Filipinos to denounce and reject HB 9456 as the latest addition to the Marcos Jr. regime’s repressive arsenal, concluded Palabay.
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KARAPATAN is an alliance of human rights organizations and programs, human rights desks and committees of people’s organizations, and individual advocates committed to the defense and promotion of people’s rights and civil liberties. It monitors and documents cases of human rights violations, assists and defends victims and conducts education, training and campaign. It was established in 1995.