MANILA, Philippines — The Senate on Monday ratified the proposed amendments to the so-called Sotto Law, which would allow not only journalists in print media but also in broadcast and online media to refuse to reveal confidential sources. 53 — or the Shield law or Sotto law — extends the coverage of the law to broadcast and online media, and their variants, as RA 53 only covers publisher, editor, columnist and accredited reporters of print media. READ: Senate approves expanded Sotto lawRA 53 was authored by the Sen. Vicente Yap Sotto, the late grandfather of Senate President Vicente Sotto III. The Senate President lauded the expansion of the 70-year old law. “We wish to thank [Senator Grace Poe] for the improvement of the Sotto Law,” the Senate President said during the upper chamber’s session on Monday.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer June 03, 2019 15:22 UTC