KWF bars distribution of 'anti-gov't' books; groups slam move | ABS-CBN

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KWF bars distribution of 'anti-gov't' books; groups slam move

KWF bars distribution of 'anti-gov't' books; groups slam move

Anna Cerezo,

ABS-CBN News

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KWP

MANILA—The Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) has issued an internal memorandum calling on its personnel to stop distribution of books that contain "anti-government” text in schools and public libraries.

In the memo dated August 9, 2022, KWF cited “inciting to commit terrorism” found in Article 9 of RA 11479 of the Anti-Terrorism Act as grounds to cease the distribution of certain titles to avoid being in conflict with the law.

“Right now, we are stopping the books with subversive texts. We will see, moving forward, the instructions of director general of the commission,” said Dr. Benjamin Mendillo, full-time commissioner for KWF Administration and Finance.

“Nakalagay dun pagpaptigil doon sa pagpapakalat or proliferation kasi right now there are many stocks… but also on the last paragraph, inaatasan ng director general ng komisyon na maglabas ng hiwalay na liham para ipaliwanag ang rason ng pagpapayigil sa proliferation," he explained.

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Among the pieces are “Tawid-diwa sa Pananagisag ni Bienvenido Lumbera: Ang Bayan, at Manunulat, at ang Magasing Sagisag sa Imahinatibong Yugto ng Batas Militar 1975-1979” by Dexter B. Cayanes, a published thesis on the literary works of the late National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera during martial law.

Other titles covered by the memorandum are “Teatro Politikal Dos” by Malou Jacob, “Kalatas: Mga Kuwentong Bayan at Kuwentong Buhay,” by Rommel B. Rodriquez, “May Hadlang ang Umaga” by Don Pagusara, and “Labas: Mga Palabas sa Labas ng Sentro” ni Reuel M. Aguila.

“NTF-ELCAC is not yet in the picture but on our own we have reviewed the text and we have found evidence, explicit idealism, ideology, CPP NPA taglines,” Mendillo said.

Several members of the academe and various groups slammed the move. Tanggol Wika said in a statement, which was signed by the Filipino departments of different universities, said the implementation of the memorandum must not go through, amid the lack of books in Filipino.

“Marami sa mga aklat – Filipino man o Ingles – ang tiyak na may mababanggit na citation o sipi mula sa iba’t ibang sanggunian, kasama na yaong mga isinulat ng mga grupong itinuturing ng gobyerno na subersibo o rebolusyunaryo. Ang gayong pag-cite o pagbanggit sa mga sipi na mula sa iba’t ibang sanggunian ay hindi dapat ituring na akto ng pagsang-ayon o pakikisimpatya sa alinmang sinipi kundi bahagi ng tipikal na akademiko at iskolarling proseso ng mapanuring pagsipat sa iba’t ibang sanggunian,” it said.

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“Bahagi ng akademikong kalayaan ng mga manunulat, guro, mananaliksik at ng lahat ng mga mamamayan ang pagbabasa, pagsusuri, pagsipat, pag-cite, pagsangguni at paggamit sa KAHIT ANONG BABASAHIN, SINUMAN ANG SUMULAT AT SINUMAN ANG NAGLATHALA,” it added.

Similarly, the Department of Humanidades of UP Los Banos said the move is a form of censorship.

“Ang pagtugon ng KWF na ipatigil ang paglabas ng mga aklat ay isang porma ng censorship-isang hakbang paatras na nagsusuko ng akademikong Kalayaan sa mga anti-intellectual at tiwaling puwersa ng kasinungalingan at paninikil. Nililikha nito ang Isang mapanikil na kalagayan para sa gawaing intellectual na nagsasara sa bukas nat Malayang daluyan at palitan ng mga ideya at diskurso sa esperong pampubliko, partikular na sa mga pamantasan” its statement read.

David Michael San Juan, a Filipino professor at De La Salle University, agreed that the memo is akin to “censorship” and is also a “violation of academic freedom.”

“Kapag may libro na ipinagbabawal ilabas ay para na ring pinagkaitan ang mga kabataan ng mga mapagkukunan ng impormasyon. Bahagi ng matalino at mapanuring pagkatuto ang pagbabasa ng iba't ibang sanggunian - pati yaong mga maaaring hindi mo sinasang-ayunan o maaaring itinuturing ng mga nasa poder na "subersibo" etc. Samakatwid, dahil nasa isang bansang demokratiko tayo, hindi dapat na ipinagbabawal ang anumang libro," he said in a text message.

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"Pabayaan nating bayan, ang taumbayan ang magbasa at humusga nang matalino sa bawat babasahin. Huwag nating ipagkait ang malayang pagpapasya sa mga mamamayan."

The groups called on the government as well as the public to stop “red tagging” as it hampers democracy.

“Mapanganib ang ganitong akusasyon lalo na są panahon ng maalwakang pang aaluso sa karapatang pang tao at paglabag sa malayang pamamahayag,” the UPLB humanities department said.

Former Leyte-Samar KWF commissioner Jerry Gracio also emphasized the memo should not be permitted to go through.

"Ang nakakaloka, they red-tagged the authors for referencing Lumbera & A. Guillermo. Pati footnotes, binabasa na nila?! We allow this & we signal the death of scholarship," he tweeted.

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