By
Published: February 5, 2013

The BPO Industry Employees’ Network (BIEN), a broad network of contact center professionals and employees from the country’s sunshine industry, welcomes the indefinite extension on the Temporary Restraining Order issued by the Supreme Court against Republic Act 10175 otherwise known as the Anti-Cybercrime Law.

This is another victory for the Filipino people who relentlessly fought against the unjust law. Yet, the fight is far from over.

BIEN adds its voice to the widespread opposition to the Cybercrime Law and calls for the law’s immediate repeal.

The law exposes BPO workers and ordinary citizens to severe penalties and fines and could easily be used to harass employees. The Cybercrime Law could further strengthen the BPO companies’ existing confidentiality and privacy clause and be subjected to one-sided interpretation by managements of such companies.

We are one with the Filipino people in the fight to uphold the basic right to free speech and expression. We believe that the law’s libel provision, take-down clause, higher penalty provision, data collection provision among others, are threats to the freedom of speech and expression, right to privacy, and other liberties.

We hereby call on the Supreme Court to repeal RA 10175 because it runs contrary to what’s good for the people, including BPO employees. We are the ones who are bound to suffer if this law would be implemented despite its obvious flaws. We appeal to the government to enact laws with proper consultation with stakeholders, especially ordinary citizens.