MANILA, Philippines – Bulatlat’s website is now accessible again after a Quezon City court ordered the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to unblock the alternative news organization’s website. However, Bulatlat said Wednesday, August 17, its site was still not accessible to all its readers.

In a Facebook post, Bulatlat called on to the NTC and internet service providers (ISP) to unblock its website.

By procedure, the unblocking should be implemented since the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 306 had already issued the preliminary injunction on August 16. The injunction means the court told the NTC to lift its obstruction of Bulatlat’s website.

The order was issued after the alternative news organization was able to post a bond of P100,000. The payment of the bond was the court’s condition for issuing the writ of preliminary injunction. The bond was to cover for damages the defendants might suffer due to the injunction. 

Bulatlat managing editor Len Olea told Rappler that the NTC should explain why their site was not yet completely accessible.

“NTC should explain. They should implement the court order ASAP,” she said. “The order was issued yesterday afternoon. There is no reason for them to delay the implementation of the injunction order.”

Rappler has reached out to the NTC, but has yet to receive a response as of writing.

There are at least three possibilities why Bulatlat’s site is still inaccessible.

First, even if Bulatlat’s site was unblocked, its site will not be accessible immediately unless it was properly propagated through the internet. Second, reason could be cache, because it can be cached based on a user’s computer, or cached on the network itself, or even cached in the delivery network.

Third reason could be on the ISPs end. The inaccessibility of Bulatlat could be because the internet providers have yet to fully unblock the alternative news organization’s website.

Bulatlat’s journey

To comply with the court’s condition, the alternative news organization – also a nonprofit – needed to raise funds. Bulatlat looked for 5,000 individuals who would donate P20 each to produce the P100,000 bond.

After the NTC blocked Bulatlat’s website upon the request of former national security adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr., the news organization sought the court’s help.

Esperon wrote to NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba on June 6, requesting “Philippine Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block access” to several websites that included Bulatlat, because they were supposedly affiliated with, and supporting “terrorists and terrorist organizations.” He did not, however, provide any proof except previous resolutions of the anti-terror council designating the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People’s Army, and National Democratic Front as terrorists.

Bulatlat filed a civil case before the court with a prayer for the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) and/or the writ. The same court denied Bulatlat’s request for a TRO. However, on August 11, Quezon City RTC Branch 306 granted the news organization’s prayer for a writ of preliminary injunction.

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In explaining the court decision, Judge Dolly Rose Bolante-Prado listed at least two requisites for granting Bulatlat’s plea. 

One was being able to prove that the news website has “clear and unmistakable” rights to be protected by the Constitution under the freedom of speech and of the press provision. Second was the court finding that there was “material and substantial invasion” of Bulatlat’s rights after its site became inaccessible.

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QC court orders NTC to unblock Bulatlat’s website

Because of the NTC memorandum, Bulatlat said it has lost half of its readers. On July 13, the news organization told Rappler that it “noted nearly 50% drop in the unique visitors” based on Google Analytics. – Rappler.com