However, the State, if they can prove it or be forced to prosecute because of strong evidence that becomes public they will prosecute. Filipino do have freedom of speech. Laws are broken to abridge those freedoms certainly.

No, I never read the Soviet Unioin”s constitution and I can say I don’t regret that. LOL I find it hard to believe. I gotta wonder about the source of the translation. The government of the USSR had groups to make you shut up. You’re right, that’s totally different. That was open state controlled speech.

Your free speech in the USA is often limited for the same reasons, just usually not by those with political power. When it happens in the PI or in the USA, it is outside the law.

The government will not put a Filipino in prison for saying the “wrong thing.” Most Philippine officials would not have a Filipino killed for saying the wrong thing. Well, unless they just wouldn’t shut up.

My article was refering to limited speech imposed by the government on expats and tourist. When I said Filipino had free speech, I was clearly speaking about law.

Not a bad point to bring this out, that is the murdered journalist. That does happen. Unless people talk, its really hard to bring two men on a motorcycle wearing helmets to justice. That’s the way these things are often handled. Not just with journalist.

The point being there are most likely a number of Filipinos who do not speak their mind on major issues precisely for this reason. So if you can only say what you feel when it agrees with what prominent people say or you risk an untimely demise it’s not really freedom at all is it.

I am not just pulling this out of thin air the deaths of news reporters and activitists are a fact.They have even been reported in Philippine newspapers. I am not trying to tell them how to run their country that is their business to do but the happenings in this regard have not gone unnoticed.

You as an visitor cannot put down or disagree with any policy of the Philippine government. It has nothing to do with what you feel. You can feel it all you like but it just isn’t true and if you do so, you can be thrown out of the country for it. That’s the law. Its clear and there is no doubt about it. I doubt the government has the time or interest in dealing with these type of things on a daily basis but if you hack off the wrong person with what you say, then you’ll find yourself blacklisted.

I saw a wonderful article the other day by a Filipino about the recent controversy over the banning of bikini contest in Cebu. He as a Filipino has free speach and can say what he said. I however cannot say it. He has free speech. I do not nor dod you.

I do feel that people should be able to discuss ongoing events and topics. As long as they are not trying to instigate trouble. Unfortunatley Rusty you are incorrect Filipinos to not really have freedom of speach either. Ask the families of reporters and local activists who have been salvaged or have just disappeared. Who did it? I don’t know but a number of these have been in the paper and even the international community has noticed as evidenced by the low ratings given to the Philippines in several recent international ratings lists.

The Philippines has a creative and industrious population. With good guidance they could be the leading country in Asia. Indeed they once were. Hopefully they will someday have the vision to make it true again.

You are free to think whatever you like. When you share that thought with others you set yourself up for problems. If you make someone mad, they may point to your message to get you tossed right out. I don’t know how effective it would be since you didn’t mention a particular government official. That can cause severe sanctions on you. the law is there, in part, because of the issues between Muslim and Christians in the Southern Philippines.

I think the law is there to help prevent others from coming into the country and fanning the fires. I’m all for that myself. The Filipino has freedom of speech, we expats do not.

I think it best to let the Philippine people sort this out themselves, they don’t want our opinion and they know there are problems, they know far better than you or I.

Some of the things I see as a problem though, most Filipino don’t.. I wont say what though.

I wonder how we’d feel about “outsiders” coming into the US and telling us things about our country. (Not sure where your from but you can substitue home country for US). Heck the Canadians do it and they don’t even come to the country to do it.

I don’t make it a point to hang out at expat hangouts, I do my best to hang out and Filipino hangouts.

Oddly though, I’ve had more coffee from starbucks since I got here than I ever did in the states.

First place I ate when I got here was McDonalds. I guess I was slow to explore. LOL