Philippine press club in censorship row

0 Comments | AFP, November, 2007

MANILA (AFP) — The oldest press club in the Philippines was embroiled in a freedom of speech row on Tuesday after being accused of censoring a mural depicting the history of media liberty in the country.

National Press Club (NPC) officials said they commissioned and paid 900,000 pesos (20,500 dollars) for the artwork, but the artists failed to adhere to set conditions.

"The artists were told not to make it political but they did. When they refused to take their left-wing references out of the mural we got someone to do it for us," Benny Antiporda, the club's vice-president, told AFP.

The eight feet by 32 feet (2.5 metres by 9.9 metres) piece was unveiled in late October before Philippines President Gloria Arroyo during a ceremony marking the 55th anniversary...