REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
) 
) 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 
'76 
Introduced by Senator Manny Villar 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Justice Malcolm once wrote that public opinion should be the constant 
source of liberty and democracy rising superior to any official, or set of officials, 
to the Chief Executive, to the Legislature as well as the Judiciary. Our 
Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, freedom of speech and freedom 
of the press. However, the interest of society demands not merely the right to 
express one's thoughts but the right to an educated and enlightened public 
opinion. Essential to the protection of the freedom of expression is the promotion 
of a full discussion of public affairs. The freedom of speech and expression 
enshrined in the Constitution necessarily embraces a correlative right of reply, 
which is the right to reply to every form of expression protected under the 
Constitution, especially to accusations or criticisms published or aired through 
the mass media. 
The right of reply gives people who feel aggrieved by baseless comments 
the right to defend themselves against criticism as it offers a possibility to react to 
any information in the media presenting inaccurate facts which affect their 
personal rights. These very same people have Constitutionally protected rights 
which are infringed by comments which may tarnish their reputations. 
This Act enables all persons to equitably exercise their right of reply in the 
field of broadcast and print media and protects its exercise by providing penalties 
for violation of such right. 


REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
) 
) 
) 
Senate Bill No. 
'76 
Introduced by Senator Manny Villar 
AN ACT 
GRANTING THE RIGHT OF REPLY AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR 
VIOLATION THEREOF 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Right of Reply. - All persons natural or juridical who are 
accused directly or indirectly of committing or having committed or of intending to 
commit any crime or offense defined by law or are criticized by innuendo, 
suggestion or rumor for any lapse in behavior in public or private life shall have 
the right to reply to the charges published or printed in newspapers, magazines, 
newsletters or publications circulated commercially or for free, or to criticisms 
aired or broadcast over radio, television, websites, or through any electronic 
device. 
SECTION 2. Where Reply Published. - The reply of the person so 
accused or criticized shall be published in the same space of the newspapers, 
magazine, newsletter or publication or aired over the same program on radio, 
televiSion, website, or any electronic device concerned. 
SECTION 3. When Published. - The reply shall be published or 
broadcast not later than three (3) days after the reply shall have been delivered 
to the editorial office of the publication concerned or to the station that carried the 
broadcast being replied to. 
SECTION 4. Length of Reply. - The reply shall not be longer than the 
accusation or criticism as published or broadcasted. 
SECTION 5. Free of Charge. - The publication or broadcast of the reply 
shall be free of charge, payment or fees. 
SECTION 6. Editing Reply. - The reply as such shall be published or 
broadcast except for libelous allegations. 
SECTION 7. Penalties. - The editor-in-chief, the publisher or station 
manager, or owner of the broadcast medium who fails or refuses to publish or 
broadcast the reply as mandated in the preceding section shall be fined in an 
amount not exceeding Ten thousand pesos (P10,OOO.OO) for the first offense; 
Twenty thousand pesos (P20,OOO.OO)f or the second offense; and Thirty 
thousand pesos (P30,OOO.OO) or the third offense. 
1 


Thereafter, for repeated failures or refusals to publish or broadcast the 
reply as mandated herein, a fine of Fifty thousand pesos (P50,OOO.OO) shall be 
imposed. 
Moreover, if the offender is a public official, he shall be subject to 
administrative liability under existing Civil Service laws. 
The court may also recommend that proper sanctions be imposed by any 
appropriate mass media organizations on erring editors-in-chief, publishers, 
station managers or owners of media concemed. 
SECTION 8. Self-Regulation. - The block-timers who also fail to 
broadcast or publish the reply shall be subject to the Code of Ethics or to the 
realm of self regulation of the network or station. 
SECTION 9. Other Remedies. - The publication of the reply does not 
preclude recourse to other rights or remedies available to the party or parties 
concerned. 
SECTION 10. Sunset Clause. - This Act shall lapse seven (7) years after 
its approval unless Congress shall provide otherwise. 
SECTION 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
following its publication in three (3) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
2