Francisco Chavez v. Raul M. Gonzales and National Telecommunications Commission, Commi ssion, G.R. No. 168338, Februar 1!, "##8 DECISION (En Banc)
PUNO, J. PUNO, J.:: I.
THE FACTS
$s a conse%uence o& the 'ublic release o& co'ies o& the ()ello Garci* com'act disc audiota'es involvin+ a ireta''ed mobile 'hone conversation beteen then-resident Gloria $rroo and Comelec Commissioner /ir+ilio Garcillano, res'ondent 02 ecretar Gonzales arned re'orters that those ho had co'ies o& the C0 and those broadcastin+ or 'ublishin+ its contents could be held liable under the $nti-4ireta''in+ $ct. )e also stated that 'ersons 'ossessin+ or airin+ said ta'es ere committin+ a continuin+ o5ense, subect to arrest b anbod. Finall, he stated that he had ordered the National 7ureau 7ureau o& nvest nvesti+at i+ation ion to +o a&ter a&ter media media or+aniz or+anizatio ations ns (found to have caused the spread, the playing and the printing of the contents of a tape.* tape.* Meanhi Meanhile, le, res'o res'onde ndent nt NTC NTC arned arned in a 'ress 'ress relea release se all radio radio stations stations and T/ netor netor9 9 oners:o'erators that the conditions o& the authorization and 'ermits issued to them b +overnment li9e the rovisional $uthorit and:or Certi;cate o& $uthorit e<'licitl 'rovides that the shall not use their stations &or the broadcastin+ or telecastin+ o& &alse in&ormation or ill&ul misre'resentation. The NTC stated that the continuous airin+ or broadcast o& the ()ello Garci* ta'ed conversations b radio and T/ stations stations is a contin continuin+ uin+ violation violation o& the $nti-4i $nti-4ire reta'' ta''in+ in+ =a and the condit conditions ions o& the rovisional $uthorit and:or Certi;cate o& $uthorit. $uthorit. t arned that their broadcast:airin+ o& such &alse in&orm in&ormati ation on and:or and:or ill&ul ill&ul misre'r misre'rese esenta ntation tion shall shall be a ust ust cause cause &or the sus sus'en 'ension sion,, revoc revocatio ation n and:or cancellation o& the licenses or authorizations issued to the said media establishments. ubse%uentl, a dialo+ue as held beteen the NTC and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas >?7@ Pilipinas >?7@ hich resulted in the issuance o& a 2oint ress tatement hich stated, amon+ others, that the su''osed ireta''ed ta'es should be b e treated ith sensitivit and handled res'onsibl. res'onsibl. etitioner Chavez ;led a 'etition under Rule 6! a+ainst res'ondents ecretar Gonzales and the NTC directl ith the u'reme Court.
II.
THE ISSUES
1. 4ill ill a 'ur'ort orted violati latio on o& la such as the the straitac9etin+ the e
$nti-4 i-4ireta''i a''in n+
=a =a
usti& sti&
". 0id the mere mere 'ress statements statements o& res'ondents res'ondents 02 ecretar ecretar and the NTC constitute constitute a &orm o& content-based 'rior restraint that has trans+ressed the ConstitutionA
III. THE RULING [ The The Court voted 10- !C" Puno, #oined $y ""% &uisum$ing, 'nares-(antiago, (andoval-)utierre*, Carpio, +ustria-artine*, Carpio orales, +*cuna, eyes and Tinga in the ma#ority, as against ""% Corona, Chico-.a*ar Chico-.a*ario, io, .achura, /eonardo- /eonardo-e e Castro and elasco in the minority2 in granting the petition insofar as respondent (ecretary )on*ale*3s press statement 4as concerned% /ike4ise, it voted 10- !C" Puno, #oined $y ""% &uisum$ing, 'nares-(antiago, 'nares-(antiago, (andoval-)utierre (andoval-)utierre*, *, Carpio, +ustriaartine*, Carpio orales, +*cuna, eyes and elasco in the ma#ority, as against ""% Corona, Chico.a*ario, .achura, /eonardo-e Castro and Tinga in the minority2 in granting the same insofar as .TC3s press statement 4as concerned%5
1. NO, a purported violation of law such as the Anti-Wiretapping Law will NOT justif straitjac!eting straitjac!eting the e"ercise of freedo# freedo# of speech speech and of the press.
$ +overnmental action that restricts &reedom o& s'eech or o& the 'ress based on conen is +ive +iven n the the s!"c ith the %o&e!n'en a&"n% e b#!den o& over overco comi min+ n+ the the s!"ces es sc!#" sc!#"n$ n$,, ith 'resumed 'resumed unconstitution unconstitutionalit alit b the cea! This rule rule a''lies a''lies e%uall e%uall cea! and *!esen *!esen dan%e dan%e! ! !#e !#e. This to a 9inds o& media, "nc#d"n% b!oadcas 'ed"a . Res'ondents, ho have the burden to sho that these acts do not abrid+e &reedom o& s'eech and and o& the the 'res 'ress, s, &aile &ailed d to hurdl hurdle e the the clea clearr and and 'res 'resen entt dan+ dan+er er test. test. BThe BThe %!ea %!ea e&" e&" hich +over +overnme nment nt ants ants to 'reve 'revent nt is the airin+ o& a ta'e ta'e recor recordin+ din+ in alle+ed alle+ed violation violation o& the antiiret ireta'' a''in in+ + la. la. The The recor ecords ds o& the the case case at bar bar hoe hoeve verr are are con&u con&use sed d and and con& con&usi usin+ n+,, and and res'ondentsD evidence &alls short o& satis&in+ the clear and 'resent dan+er test. F"!s$, the various stateme tement nts s o& the ress ecretar ar ob&u b&uscate the iden dentit it o& the voices in the the ta'e a'e recordin+. Second$, the inte+rit o& the ta'ed conversation is also sus'ect. The ress ecretar shoed to the 'ublic to versions, one su''osed to be a (com'lete* version and the other, an (altered* (altered* version. version. T"!d$, the evidence o& the res'ondents on the hoDs and the hoDs o& the ireta''in+ act is ambivalent, es'eciall considerin+ the ta'eDs di5erent versions. The identit o& the ire-ta''ers, the manner o& its commission and other related and relevant 'roo&s are some o& the invisibles o& this case. Fo#!$ , +iven all these unsettled &acets o& the ta'e, it is even ar+uable hether its airin+ ould violate the anti-ireta''in+ la. 4e rule that no e&e!$ &"oa"on o+ a a " -#s"+$ s!a"-ace"n% e e/e!c"se o+ +!eedo' o+ s*eec and o+ e *!ess . ur as a!e o+ d"0e!en "nds and doubtless, some o& them 'rovide norms o& conduct hichB, even i& violatedB, have onl an adverse e5ect on a 'ersonDs 'rivate com&ort but does not endan+er national nat ional securit. securit. There are las o& +reat + reat si+ni;cance but their violation, b$ "se+ and "o# 'o!e , cannot su''ort su''ression o& &ree s'eech and &ree 'ress. n ;ne, &"oa"on o+ a "s -#s a +aco! , a vital one to be sure, hich should be ei+hed in adud+in+ hether to restrain &reedom o& s'eech and o& the 'ress. The oa"$ o+ e "n-#!"o#s e0ecs o& the violation to 'rivate and 'ublic interest must be calibrated in li+ht o& the 're&erred status accorded b the Constitution and b related international covenants 'rotectin+ &reedom o& s'eech and o& the 'ress. n callin+ &or a care&ul and calibrated measurement o& the circum&erence o& all these &actors to dete determ rmine ine com'l com'lian iance ce ith ith the the clea clearr and and 'res 'resen entt dan+e dan+err test, test, e e Co#! Co#! so# so#d d no no be all mean means, s, viol violat atio ions ns o& la la shou should ld be '"s"ne!* '"s"ne!*!eed !eed as de&a#"n% de&a#"n% &"oa"o &"oa"ons ns o+ a. 7 all vi+orousl vi+orousl 'rosecuted 'rosecuted b the tate &or the breed breed their on evil conse%uence. conse%uence. 7ut to re'eat, re'eat, e need o *!e&en e"! &"oa"on canno *e! se !#'* e e/e!c"se o+ +!ee s*eec and +!ee this &ailur &ailure e o& the the *!ess, *!ess, a *!e+e! *!e+e!!ed !ed !"% !"% ose ose b!eac b!eac can ead ead o %!eae %!eae! ! e&"s. e&"s. For this res'ondents alone to o5er 'roo& to satis& the clear and 'resent dan+er test, the Court has no o'tion but to u'hold the e
$. %&', %&', the #ere #ere press press state# state#ent ents s of respo responde ndents nts (OJ 'ecret 'ecretar ar and the NT) cons consti titu tute ted d a for# for# of cont conten entt-*a *ase sed d prio prior r rest restra rain intt that that has has tran transg sgre ress ssed ed the the )onstitution. 1I2 1I2 "s no dec"s dec"s"&e "&e a a e *!ess *!ess sae' sae'en ens s 'ade 'ade b$ !es*o !es*onde ndens ns e!e e!e no !ed#ced "n o! +ooed #* " +o!'a o!de!s o! c"!c#a!s. I "s s#3c"en a e *!ess sae'ens e!e 'ade b$ !es*ondens "e "n e e/e!c"se o+ e"! o3c"a +#nc"ons . Endoubtedl, res'ondent Gonzales made his statements as ecretar o& 2ustice, hile the NTC issued its statement as the re+ulator bod o& media. An$ ac done, s#c as a s*eec #e!ed, +o! and on bea bea+ + o+ e e %o&e %o&e!n !n'e 'en n "n an o3c" o3c"a a ca*a ca*ac" c"$ $ "s co&e co&e!e !ed d b$ e e !#e !#e on *!"o *!"o! ! !es!a"n. !es!a"n. Te conce* o+ an 4ac5 4ac5 does no "'" "se+ o acs a!ead$ a!ead$ con&e!ed con&e!ed o a +o!'a o!de! o! o3c"a c"!c#a!. c"!c#a!. Oe!"se, e non +o!'a"6a"on +o!'a"6a"on o+ an ac "no an o3c"a o!de o!de! ! o! c"!c c"!c# #a! a! " " !es# !es# "n e e eas$ eas$ c"!c c"!c#' #'&e &en n"o "on n o+ e e *!o *!o"b "b" ""o "on n on *!"o *!"o! ! !es!a"n. The 'ress statements at bar are acts that should be struc9 don as the constitute im'ermissible &orms o& 'rior restraints on the ri+ht to &ree s'eech and 'ress.
ame Freedom o& <'ression n line ith the liberal 'olic o& the u'reme Court on locus standi hen a case involves an issue o& overarchin+ si+ni;cance to our societ, the Court brushes aside
techni technicali calitie ties s o& 'roce 'rocedur dure e and ta9es ta9es co+niz co+nizanc ance e o& the instant instant 'etitio 'etition, n, seein+ seein+ as it involve involves s a challen+e to the most e
in&ormative 4hile all &orms o& communication are entitled to the broad 'rotection o& &reedom o& e<'ression clause, the &reedom o& ;lm, television and radio broadcastin+ is somehat lesser in sco'e than the &reedom accorded to nes'a'ers and other 'rint media, as ill be subse%uentl discussed. HThe sco'e o& &reedom o& e<'ression is so broad that it e0R@ v. 0ans, 13K CR$ 6"8 >1J8!@, this Court stated that all &orms o& media, hether 'rint or broadcast, are entitled to the broad 'rotection o& the clause on &reedom o& s'eech and o& e<'ression. 4hile all &orms o& communication are entitled to the broad 'rotection o& &reedom o& e<'ression clause, the &reedom o& ;lm, television and radio broadcastin+ is somehat lesser in sco'e than the &reedom accorded to nes'a'ers and other 'rint media, as ill be subse%uentl discussed. ame ame Tests &or Restraint Restraints s on Freedom reedom o& 'eech 'eech and <'ression. <'ression.HGener HGenerall, all, restraints restraints on &reedom o& s'eech and e<'ression are evaluated b either or a combination o& three tests, i.e., >a@ the dan+erous tendenc doctrine hich 'ermits limitations on s'eech once a rational connection has been established established beteen the s'eech s'eech restrained and the dan+er contem'lated contem'lated >b@ the balancin+ balancin+ o& inter interest ests s tests, tests, used used as a standar standard d hen hen courts courts need need to balance balance conLicti conLictin+ n+ social social values values and individual interests, and re%uires a conscious and detailed consideration o& the inter'la o& interests observable in a +iven situation o& t'e o& situation and >c@ the clear and 'resent dan+er rule hich rests on the 'remise that s'eech ma be restrained because there is substantial dan+er that the s'eech ill li9el lead to an evil the +overnment has a ri+ht to 'revent. This rule re%uires that the evil conse%uences sou+ht to be 'revented must be substantive, (e1J18@O The interest o& societ and the maintenance o& +ood +overnment demand a &ull discussion o& 'ublic a5airs. Com'lete libert to comment on the conduct o& 'ublic men is a scal'el in the case o& &ree s'eech. The shar' incision o& its 'robe relieves the abscesses o& ocialdom. Men in 'ublic li&e ma su5er under a hostile and unust accusation the ound can be assua+ed ith the balm o& clear conscience. ame ame Four $s'ects o& Freedom o& the ress.Hhili''ine uris'rudence, even as earl as the 'eriod under the 1J3! Constitution, has reco+nized &our as'ects o& &reedom o& the 'ress. These are
>1@ &reedom &rom 'rior restraint >"@ &reedom &rom 'unishment subse%uent to 'ublication >3@ &reedom o& access to in&ormationand >I@ &reedom o& circulation. ame ame ame ame ame $ +overnmental action that restricts &reedom o& s'eech or o& the 'ress based on content is +iven the strictest scrutin in li+ht o& its inherent and invasive im'act, and onl onl hen hen the the chall challen en+e +ed d act act has over overco come me the the clea clearr and and 'res 'resen entt dan+ dan+er er rule rule ill ill it 'ass 'ass const constitu itutio tiona nall muste muster, r, ith ith the the +over +overnm nmen entt havin havin+ + the the burd burden en o& over overco comin min+ + the 'res 'resum umed ed unconstitutionalit.Hn the other hand, a +overnmental action that restricts &reedom o& s'eech or o& the 'ress based on content is +iven the strictest scrutin scrutin in li+ht o& its inherent inherent and invasive invasive im'act. nl nl hen hen the chall challen en+ed +ed act act has has over overco come me the the clea clearr and 'res 'resen entt dan+ dan+er er rule rule ill ill it 'ass 'ass const constitu itutio tiona nall muste muster, r, ith ith the the +over +overnm nmen entt havin havin+ + the the burd burden en o& over overco comin min+ + the 'res 'resum umed ed unconst unconstitut itutiona ionalit lit.. Enless Enless the +over +overnmen nmentt can overth overthro ro this 'resu 'resum't m'tion, ion, the conten content-b t-base ased d restraint ill be struc9 don. ame ame ame ress and 7roadcast Media 0ichotom Reasons The dichotom beteen 'rint and broadcast media traces its ori+ins in the Enited tatesHthere, broadcast radio and television have been held to have limited First $mendment 'rotection, and E.. Courts have ea@ the scarcit o& the &re%uencies b hich the medium o'erates Bi.e., airaves are 'hsicall limited hile 'rint medium ma be limitless >b@ its ('ervasiveness* as a medium and >c@ its uni%ue accessibilit to children.HThe re+imes 'resentl in 'lace &or each t'e o& media di5er &rom one other. Contrasted ith the re+ime in res'ect o& boo9s, nes'a'ers, ma+azines and traditional 'rinte 'rinted d matter matter,, broadc broadcasti astin+, n+, ;lm and video video have have been been subec subected ted to re+ul re+ulator ator scheme schemes. s. The dich dichoto otom m bet betee een n 'rint 'rint and and broad broadca cast st medi media a trac traces es its its ori+i ori+ins ns in the the Enite Enited d tate tates. s. Ther There, e, broadcast radio and television have been held to have limited First $mendment 'rotection, and E.. Courts have ea@ the scarcit o& the &re%uencies b hic hich h the the medi medium um o'era o'erate tes s Bi.e Bi.e., ., airav airaves es are are 'hs 'hsic icall all limit limited ed hile hile 'rint 'rint medi medium um ma ma be limitless >b@ its ('ervasiveness* as a medium and >c@ its uni%ue accessibilit to children. 7ecause cases involvin+ broadcast media need not &ollo ('recisel the same a''roach that BE.. courts have a''lied a''lied to other other media, media,* * nor +o (so &ar as to demand demand that such such re+ula re+ulatio tions ns serve serve Pcom'el Pcom'ellin+ lin+DD +over +overnme nment nt intere interests, sts,* * the the are are decide decided d on hethe hetherr the (+over (+overnme nmental ntal restr restrict iction ion* * is narro narrol l tailored to &urther a substantial +overnmental interest,* or the intermediate test. $N0/$=-GETRRQ, $N0/$=-GETRRQ, 2., Concurrin+ 'inionO 'inio nO
Freedom o& <'ression Freedom o& the ress rior Restraint Garci Ta'es The threat o& sus'ension, revocation and:or cancellation o& the licenses or authorization hurled a+ainst radio and television stati station ons s shou should ld the the air air the the Garc Garcii Ta'e is de;n de;nit itel el a &orm &orm o& 'rior 'rior restra estrain int. t.HTh HThe e threa threatt o& sus'ension, revocation and:or cancellation o& the licenses or authorization hurled a+ainst radio and television stations should the air the Garci Ta'e is de;nitel a &orm o& 'rior restraint. The license or authorization is the li&e o& ever media station. & ithheld &rom them, their ver e1J8!@, hile the need &or licensin+ as ri+htl de&ended, the de&ense as &or the 'ur'ose, not o& re+ulation o& broadcast content, but &or the 'ro'er allocation o& airaves. n the 'resent case, hat the NTC intends to re+ulate are the contents o& the Garci Ta'esHthe alle+ed ta'ed conversation involvin+ the resident o& the hili''ines and a Commissioner o& the Commission on lection. The reason +iven is that it is a (&alse in&ormation or ill&ul misre'resentation.* $s a'tl stated b Mr. 2ustice $ntonio T. Car'io that (the NTC action in
restrainin+ the airin+ o& the Garci Ta'es is a content-based 'rior restraint because it is directed at the messa+e o& the Garci Ta'es.* Ta'es.* Chavez vs. Gonzales, !I! CR$ II1, G.R. No. 168338 Februar 1!, "##8 "# #8
