A state commission in the Philippines has ordered to ban five books deemed to have “subversive” contents, drawing outcry from human rights groups who viewed the move as repression of free speech.
The Commission on the Filipino Language (KWF) issued a memorandum in August calling for a halt to the distribution of the books in schools and libraries, which allegedly contain “anti-Marcos and anti-Duterte contents.”
The commission demanded that the publications cease, citing their violations of the anti-terrorism act, and criticized Casanova for “inciting rebellion” by allowing the books to be published.
Casanova denied the accusations and said the five books passed through the KWF review process and “the usual scrutiny” that all publications must go through.
Casanova said he was willing to divulge any information at the proper forum and urged authorities to investigate the allegations against him.
“I am also calling on the proper authorities, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and the Anti-Terrorism Council, to look into these allegations and see for themselves that they are baseless and malicious,” he added.
Books Banned for ‘Communist’ Material
One of the KWF commissioners who signed the memorandum, Benjamin Mendillo, said on Aug. 15 that the five books contain references to the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).Cristina Palabay, secretary-general of the human rights group Karapatan, called the KWF ban “shameless and idiotic acts,” saying that it sets “a dangerous precedent in the exercise of academic freedom.”
Meanwhile, more than 30 culture and educational departments issued a joint statement on Aug. 12 denouncing the KWF’s order to cease publications of 17 books that were perceived as “subversive” or “anti-government.”
The agencies called for the “immediate abolition” of NTF-ELCAC and “other red-tagging entities that curtail the people’s right to information, right to free expression, and academic freedom.”