Religious leaders seek to ban magazines
On Monday, a group of religious leaders in Manilla filed criminal complaints (via) against editors and publishers of popular men’s magazines and so-called “smut tabloids.”
The group was led by Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante, a pastor of the Metropolitan Bible Baptist Church, who has a history of campaigning to control what other people should be allowed to read.
Named in the joint complaint affidavit lodged with the Manila Prosecutor’s Office are Ramon Faustino, editor-in-chief of the local version of Playboy magazine, together with other Playboy staff; as well as staff employed by FHM and Playhouse magazines. Also named are editors of the tabloids Sagad, Hawtaw and Toro.
The respondents were also slapped with violation of Ordinance No. 7780 of the City of Manila, which prohibits the printing publication, sale, distribution and exhibition of obscene and pornographic acts and materials.
The group said the magazines and tabloids violated anti-pornography laws for containing “obscene, erotic, indecent, or lewd pictures/poses that show, depict, exhibit, or describe nude or semi nude bodies sexual acts, sexual intercourse, private parts of the human body of both male and female, with no educational, artistic, cultural or scientific value.”
“Such portions/pages of the said magazines and tabloids are clearly scandalous, obscene and pornographic within the meaning and in violation of Articles 200 and 201 of the Revised Penal Code,” the group said in their complaint.
Saturday 12 Jul 2008 | Paul | The Philippines
