Libel Clause in RA 10175

According to Senator Tito Sotto, the insertion of the libel clause in the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 or RA 10175 was meant to protect netizens from being victimized by malicious postings as what happened with Katrina Halili and Maricar Reyes.  In this case, then I'm in agreement with the good senator.  However, like vintage Sotto style, the insertion was nothing more than a "copy and paste" of what is already under Article 353 of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, which defined libel "as a public and malicious imputation of a crime, or of a vice or defect, real or imaginary, or any act, omission, condition, status or circumstance tending to discredit or cause the dishonor or contempt of a natural or juridical person, or to blacken the memory of one who is dead."  The only thing new hear was the hefty penalty imposed as part of the insertion.

It is truly disturbing to note the level of mediocrity on the part of our law makers to properly define the laws that they pass.  Manong namang magisip-isip naman sana!  No wonder there are a lot of loopholes that unscrupulous individuals tend to abuse.