(Epoch Times New York) 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.”

KWF accused its chairman, Arthur Casanova, of approving and entering into contracts without the board’s knowledge and demanded that he be held accountable, local media PhilStar reported on Aug. 14.

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.

“The allegations that these books are subversive is a dangerous accusation which may already be stepping on the boundaries of freedom of expression and academic freedom,” he said in a statement on Facebook.

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.