Have you heard of Senate Bill No. 2464, the ANTI-OBSCENITY AND PORNOGRAPHY ACT OF 2008? It’s now quietly pending in the Senate. Meaning, this absurd, outrageous, oppressive bill has been passed in Congress without causing any stir.
What is it, you ask? Let the bill tell you itself:
From Section 3, Definition of Terms:
(a) “Obscene” refers to anything that is indecent or offensive or contrary to good customs or religious beliefs, principles or doctrines, or tends to corrupt or deprave the human mind, or is calculated to excite impure thoughts or arouse prurient interest, or violates the proprieties of language and human behavior, regardless of the motive of the producer, printer, publisher, writer, importer,seller, distributor or exhibitor such as, but not limited to:
(1) showing, depicting or describing sexual acts;
(2) showing, depicting or describing human sexual organs or the female breasts;
(3) showing, depicting or describing completely nude human bodies
(4) describing erotic reactions, feelings or experiences on sexual acts or;
(5) performing live sexual acts of whatever form.
(b) “Pornographic or pornography” refers to objects or subjects of film,
television shows, photography, illustrations, music, games, paintings, drawings, illustrations, advertisements, writings, literature or narratives, contained in any format, whether audio or visual, still or moving pictures, in all forms of film, print, electronic, outdoor or broadcast mass media, or whatever future technologies to
be developed, which are calculated to excite, stimulate or arouse impure thoughts and prurient interest, regardless of the motive of the author thereof.
(c) “Mass media” refers to film, print, broadcast, electronic and outdoor
media including, but not limited to, internet, newspapers, tabloids, magazines, newsletters, books, comic books, billboards, calendars, posters, optical discs, magnetic media, future technologies, and the like.
(d) “Materials” refers to all movies, films, television shows, photographs, music, games, paintings, drawings, illustrations, advertisements, writings, literature or narratives, whether produced in the Philippines or abroad.
SEC. 4. Punishable Acts. - The following acts are declared illegal and
punishable:
(a) Producing, printing, showing, exhibiting, importing, selling, advertising or distributing obscene or pornographic materials in all forms of mass media;
(b) Causing the showing or exhibition, distributing or the printing,
publication or advertising, or the selling of obscene or pornographic materials in all forms of mass media;
(c) Showing, exhibiting, selling, or distributing obscene or pornographic movies in whatever format, whether produced in the Philippines or abroad, in any restaurant, club or other places open to the public, including private buildings, places or houses where the viewers are not limited to them owners thereof and the members of his family;
(d) Writing any obscene or pornographic article in any print or electronic medium;
(e) Performing, demonstrating, acting or exhibiting any obscene or
pornographic act in any form of mass media; and act in public, public places or any place open to public viewing.
(f) Performing, or allowing the performance of, live sex or live sexual act in public, public places or any place open to public viewing.
SEC 5: PENALTIES
(c) Showing, exhibiting, selling or distributing obscene or pornographic
movies in whatever format, whether produced in the Philippines or abroad, in any restaurant, club or other places open to the public, including private buildings, places or houses where the viewers are not limited to the owners thereof and the members of his family, the penalty of imprisonment of not less than three (3) years nor more than six (6) years and a fine of not less than Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,OOO.OO) nor more than Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,OOO.OO) shall be imposed;
(d) For writing any obscene or pornographic article in any print or
electronic medium, the penalty of imprisonment of not less than three (3) years nor more than six (6) years and a fine of not less than Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,OOO.OO) nor more than Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,OOO.OO) shall be imposed;
(e) For performing, demonstrating, acting or exhibiting any obscene or
pornographic act in any form of mass media, the penalty of imprisonment of not less than one (1) year nor more than three (3) years and a fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos (PlOO,OOO.OO) nor more than Three hundred thousand pesos (P300,OOO.OO) shall be imposed; and
…and it becomes more outrageous as it goes along.
Why have we let this monstrous bill slip past us? Not a peep, even from UP. I can just imagine the sort of awful Bradburyan future we’ll have after this bill is passed–whitewashed media equals the death of Art. That, and every Writers Night held in jail. See you there everybody!
Should we let this happen?
SOURCE =
http://www.senate.gov.ph/lis/bill_res.aspx?congress=14&q=SBN-2464
