CONSTITUTIONAL LAW 2 Case Digest Prepared by: Finessa Estigoy

Chavez v Gonzales
TOPIC: Freedom of Expression (Basic Principles)

Court En Banc

Citation G.R. No. 168338

Date February 15, 2008

Petitioners Francisco Chavez

Respondent Raul Gonzales (Secretary of DOH) and NTC

Ponente Puno, C. J.

Article/s Involved

Section 4, Article III, 1987 Constitution

No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the
people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.

*copied almost verbatim from the First Amendment of the US Bill of Rights.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;
or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to
petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Case Summary

FACTS

● June 5, 2005 (a year after the elections) - Press Sec. Ignacio Bunye told reporters that the opposition
was planning to destabilize the administration by releasing a convo allegedly between PGMA and a
high-ranking official of COMELEC instructing to manipulate election results (HELLO GARCI)
○ Sec. Bunye produced 2 versions: allegedly complete v altered version
○ He admitted that it was PGMA’s voice but retracted this later on
● June 7: Atty. Paguia (former council of Estrada) released an alleged authentic tape between PGMA,
her husband, COMELEC Comm. Garcillano and Senator Barbers
● June 8: DOJ Sec Gonzales warned reporters that those who had copies of the cd and
broadcasting/publishing the contents can be held liable under the Anti-Wiretapping Act.
● June 9: Sec. Gonzales ordered NBI to go after media orgs spreading, playing and printing the
contents of the tape. It was to start with Inq7.net (PDI & GMA 7) bec of their internet medium.
● June 11: NTC issued a press release.
○ warned that their broadcast/airing of such false information and/or willful misrepresentation
shall be just cause for the suspension, revocation and/or cancellation of the licenses or
authorizations issued to the said companies
○ The [NTC] will not hesitate, after observing the requirements of due process, to apply with full
force the provisions of said Circulars and their accompanying sanctions on erring radio and
television stations and their owners/operators.

NTC GIVES FAIR WARNING TO RADIO AND TELEVISION OWNERS/OPERATORS TO

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OBSERVE ANTI-WIRETAPPING LAW AND PERTINENT CIRCULARS ON PROGRAM
STANDARDS
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW 2 Case Digest Prepared by: Finessa Estigoy
Chavez v Gonzales
TOPIC: Freedom of Expression (Basic Principles)
● June 14: NTC held a dialogue with BoD of Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas and assured
that the press release did not violate freedom of speech, expression and of the press and right to info
● NTC and KBP issued a joint press statement
○ NTC respects and will not hinder freedom of the press and the right to information on matters
of public concern.
○ NTC did not issue any MC [Memorandum Circular] or Order constituting a restraint of press
freedom or censorship.
○ What is being asked by NTC is that the exercise of press freedom [be] done responsibly.
● Petitioner Chavez appeals to the SC alleging that the NTC MC are violations of the freedom on
expression and of the press, and the right of the people to information on matters of public concern.
● Respondents general arguments
○ validity of the "fair warning" issued by respondent NTC
○ broadcast media enjoy lesser constitutional guarantees compared to print media
○ the warning was issued pursuant to the NTC's mandate to regulate the telecomm industry

ISSUE # 1 HELD

WON Chavez has legal standing NO

RATIO

● Petitioner, who is not a member of the broadcast media, has not met the requisite legal standing,
having failed to allege "such a personal stake in the outcome of the controversy.”
● For another, the recipients of the press statements have not come forward — neither intervening nor
joining petitioner in this action. Indeed, as a group, they issued a joint statement with respondent
NTC that does not complain about restraints on freedom of the press.
● The transcendental importance to the public of these cases demands that they be settled promptly
and definitely, brushing aside if we must, technicalities of procedure since it involves FoE.

ISSUE # 2 HELD

WON the press statements released by NTC and DOJ constituted prior restraint on Yes
the exercise of freedom of speech and of the press

RATIO

RECAP:
● A governmental action that restricts freedom of speech or of the press based on content is given the
strictest scrutiny, with the government having the burden of overcoming the presumed
unconstitutionality by the clear and present danger rule.
● This rule applies equally to all kinds of media, including broadcast media.

The procedural map to follow in cases like the one at bar as it spells out the following:
(a) the test; (b) the presumption; (c) the burden of proof; (d) the party to discharge the burden; and (e) the
quantum of evidence necessary.

Respondents failed to hurdle the clear and present danger test. It appears that the great evil which

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CONSTITUTIONAL LAW 2 Case Digest Prepared by: Finessa Estigoy
Chavez v Gonzales
TOPIC: Freedom of Expression (Basic Principles)
government wants to prevent is the airing of a tape recording in alleged violation of the anti-wiretapping law.
There is no showing that the feared violation of the anti-wiretapping law clearly endangers the
national security of the State.

● The various statements of the Press Sec obfuscate the identity of the voices in the tape recording.
● The integrity of the taped conversation is suspect. The Press Sec showed to the public two versions.
● The evidence of the respondents on the who's and the how's of the wiretapping act is ambivalent,
especially considering the tape's different versions. The identity of the wire-tappers, the manner of its
commission and other related and relevant proofs are some of the invisibles of this case.
● Given all these, it is even arguable whether its airing would violate the anti-wiretapping law.

Not every violation of a law will justify straitjacketing (constriction or hindrance) the exercise of freedom of
speech and of the press.
● There are laws of great significance but their violation cannot support suppression of FoSEP.
● The totality of the injurious effects of the violation to private and public interest must be calibrated in
light of the preferred status accorded by the Constitution and by related international covenants
protecting freedom of speech and of the press.
● In writing this ruling, the Court should not be misinterpreted as devaluing violations of law.
● By all means, State should prosecute violations of the law BUT the need to prevent their violation
cannot per se trump the exercise of free speech and free press, a preferred right whose breach can
lead to greater evils.
● There is no showing that the feared violation of the anti-wiretapping law clearly endangers the
national security of the State.

W/N the mere press statements constitute a form of content-based prior restraint - YES
● The press statements at bar are acts that should be struck down as they constitute
impermissible forms of prior restraints on the right to free speech and press.
● The press statements were made by respondents while in the exercise of their official functions.
● Any act done, such as a speech uttered, for and on behalf of the government in an official capacity is
covered by the rule on prior restraint even if it is not followed up with formal orders or circulars.
● The concept of an "act" does not limit itself to acts such as a formal order or official circular.

A blow too soon struck for freedom is preferred than a blow too late.

ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, SPEECH & PRESS

Gonzales v. Commission on Elections discussed what was embraced under this provision.
“At the very least, free speech and free press may be identified with the liberty to discuss publicly and
truthfully any matter of public interest without censorship and punishment. There is to be no previous
restraint on the communication of views or subsequent liability whether in libel suits, prosecution for sedition,
or action for damages, or contempt proceedings unless there be a clear and present danger of substantive
evil that Congress has a right to prevent.

● As early as the 1920s, the trend as reflected in Philippine and American decisions was to recognize
the broadest scope and assure the widest latitude for this constitutional guarantee.
● This shows commitment that debate on public issue should be uninhibited and wide open.
● The right belongs to those who question, who do not conform, who differ.
● To be truly meaningful, FoESP should allow and encourage the articulation of the unorthodox view

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CONSTITUTIONAL LAW 2 Case Digest Prepared by: Finessa Estigoy
Chavez v Gonzales
TOPIC: Freedom of Expression (Basic Principles)
even if it’s hostile and stirs people to anger.

The scope of freedom of expression is so broad that it extends to nearly all forms of communication.
● It protects speech, print and assembly regarding secular as well as political causes.
● The constitutional protection assures the broadest possible exercise of free speech and free press for
religious, political, economic, scientific, news, or informational ends.
● Eastern Broadcasting Corporation (DYRE) v. Dans: All forms of media, whether print or broadcast,
are entitled to the broad protection of the clause on freedom of speech and of expression.

While all forms of communication are entitled to the broad protection of FoE, the freedom of film, television
and radio broadcasting is lesser in scope than the freedom accorded to newspapers and other print media.

DIFFERENTIATION: LIMITS AND RESTRAINTS OF FREE SPEECH

FoE is not absolute, it is NOT an "unbridled license that gives immunity for every possible use of language
and prevents the punishment of those who abuse this freedom."

All speech are NOT treated the same.

● Some types are regulated and under the State’s police power so it may not be injurious to the equal
right of others or those of the society. => political speech vs. obscene speech
● Distinctions have therefore been made in the treatment, analysis, and evaluation of the permissible
scope of restrictions on diff categories of speech.
○ In PH jurisdiction, slander or libel, lewd and obscene speech, as well as "fighting words" are
not entitled to constitutional protection and may be penalized.

Generally, restraints on FoSEP are evaluated by either or a combination of three tests

(a) the dangerous tendency doctrine - permits limitations on speech once a rational connection has been
established between the speech restrained and the danger contemplated
(b) the balancing of interests tests - used as a standard when courts need to balance conflicting social
values and individual interests, and requires a conscious and detailed consideration of the interplay of
interests observable in a given situation of type of situation; and
(c) the clear and present danger rule - rests on the premise that speech may be restrained because there is
substantial danger that the speech will likely lead to an evil the government has a right to prevent. This rule
requires that the evil consequences sought to be prevented must be substantive, "extremely serious and the
degree of imminence extremely high.

In PH, courts have either applied (a) or (c) but Court generally adheres to the clear and present danger test.

FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

Practical importance: It is the chief source of information on current affairs.

● Most pervasive and most powerful vehicle of opinion on public questions.
● It is how citizens keep their govt informed of their needs, their aspirations and their grievances.
● It is the sharpest weapon to keep government responsible and efficient.
● W/o a vigilant press, the mistakes of every admin would go uncorrected and its abuses unexposed.
● Because of its contribution, it deserves extra protection. Hence, the press benefits from certain
ancillary rights wc is why people who interfere this freedom are liable for damages.

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CONSTITUTIONAL LAW 2 Case Digest Prepared by: Finessa Estigoy
Chavez v Gonzales
TOPIC: Freedom of Expression (Basic Principles)
United States v. Bustos (Justice Malcolm)
The interest of society and the maintenance of good government demand a full discussion of public affairs.
Complete liberty to comment on the conduct of public men is a scalpel in the case of free speech. The sharp
incision of its probe relieves the abscesses of officialdom. Men in public life may suffer under a hostile and
unjust accusation; the wound can be assuaged with the balm of clear conscience.

ANATOMY OF RESTRICTIONS: PRIOR RESTRAINT, CONTENT- NEUTRAL AND CONTENT-BASED

REGULATIONS

Four aspects of freedom of the press:

1. freedom from prior restraint;
2. freedom from punishment subsequent to publication;
3. freedom of access to information; and
4. freedom of circulation

PETITIONER ARGUES: Respondents' press statement constitutes a form of impermissible prior restraint.

● Prior restraint refers to official governmental restrictions on the press or other forms of expression in
advance of actual publication or dissemination.
● Freedom from prior restraint means freedom from government censorship of publications (whatever
the form of censorship, and regardless of whether it is wielded by the which branch of govt).
○ EX: These are govt act that required approval of a proposal to publish, licensing or permits to
gain privilege to publish, injunctions against publication and even closure of businesses to
prevent publication.
● Any law or official that requires some form of permission to be had before publication can be made,
commits an infringement of the constitutional right, and remedy can be had at the courts.

Note: The Court defined prior restraint because in PH, Court cases usually determine whether the restraint
was justified and not w/n the govt act or issuance actually constituted prior restraint.

● NOT ALL RESTRAINST ARE INVALID. They may be permitted but there must be an evaluation of
the challenged act as against the appropriate test by which it should be measured against.
● It’s not enough that the govt act/issuance constitutes restraint, a distincion has to be made.

Tests: Rational basis (legitimate govt interest), Intermediate/Heightened Scrutiny (substantial interest), &
Strict Scrutiny (fundamental rights)

Content-Neutral Regulation Content-Based Restraint or Censorship

concerned with the incidents of the speech, or one the restriction is based on the subject matter of the
that merely controls the time, place or manner, and utterance or speech.
under well defined standards

Intermediate Scrutiny Test Strict Scrutiny Test - Clear and Present Danger

Requires Only when the govt act/issuance overcomes clear

● Substantial governmental interest and present danger rule will it be considered valid.

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CONSTITUTIONAL LAW 2 Case Digest Prepared by: Finessa Estigoy
Chavez v Gonzales
TOPIC: Freedom of Expression (Basic Principles)

● The restrictions be narrowly-tailored to

promote an important or significant Requires
governmental interest that is unrelated to ● The government to show the type of harm
the suppression of expression the speech sought to be restrained would
bring about (esp the gravity of the
● Since it’s not designed to suppress any threatened harm)
particular message, they are only subject to ● Cannot be justified by hypothetical fears -
an intermediate approach. must show a substantive and imminent evil
● Somewhere between the mere rationality ● There must be substantial government
that is required of any other law and the interest unrelated to the suppression of free
compelling interest standard applied to expression
content-based restrictions. ● The incidental restriction on speech must be
no greater than what is essential to the
furtherance of that interest.
● It must be reasonable and narrowly
drawn to fit the regulatory purpose, with
the least restrictive means undertaken.

ITCAB, the challenged issuance falls under content-based restriction (the acts focus solely on one object) so
the clear and present danger rule must be applied.

DICHOTOMY OF FREE PRESS: PRINT v. BROADCAST MEDIA

RESPONDENTS ARGUED: The challenged act is valid on the ground that broadcast media enjoys free
speech rights that are lesser in scope to that of print media.

● The regimes presently in place for each type of media differ from one other.
● Books, newspapers, magazines and traditional printed matter versus broadcasting, film and video.
● The dichotomy traces its origin to US where the US Court excludes broadcast media from stricy
scrutiny standard.
○ the scarcity of the frequencies by which the medium operates - airwaves are physically limited
while print medium may be limitless
○ its "pervasiveness" as a medium
○ its unique accessibility to children
● Because cases involving broadcast media doesn’t follow the same approach as other media, they are
decided under the intermediate scrutiny test (w/n govt restriction is narrowly tailored to further
substantial govt interest).

● Though PH also differentiates the treatment between broadcast and print media, we did not adopt the
conception of free speech as it relates to broadcast media, particularly as to which test would govern
content-based prior restraints. When it comes to broadcast media, we apply the strict scrutiny test.
● 2 distinct features of PH dichotomy
○ regulatory scheme applied to broadcast media is not imposed on traditional print media
○ PH Court has consistently held that the clear and present danger test applies to
content-based restrictions on media, without making a distinction as to traditional print or
broadcast media
● Distinction between print and broadcast media was first enunciated in Eastern Broadcasting Corp

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CONSTITUTIONAL LAW 2 Case Digest Prepared by: Finessa Estigoy
Chavez v Gonzales
TOPIC: Freedom of Expression (Basic Principles)
where it held that the test for limitations on FoE is the clear and present danger rule.
○ Court made it clear that the clear and present danger test applies to content-based
restrictions on media, without making a distinction as to traditional print or broadcast media.
● So, when the Court held in Dans that “the freedom given to broadcast media was "somewhat lesser
in scope than the freedom accorded to newspaper and print media," it was not as to what test should
be applied, but the context by which requirements of licensing, allocation of airwaves, and application
of norms to unprotected speech”

Gonzales v. Katigbak: the test to determine free expression challenges was the clear and present danger,
again without distinguishing the media

This does not mean that the clear and present danger rule has been applied to all cases involving broadcast
media. THIS RULE APPLIES ONLY WHEN THE CHALLENGED ACT IS A CONTENT-BASED
REGULATION THAT INFRINGES ON FREE SPEECH, EXPRESSION AND THE PRESS.

Osmena v COMELEC: dealt with broadcast media but did not apply the clear and present rule bec the
restriction was content-neitral.

That broadcast media is subject to a regulatory regime absent in print media is observed also in other
jurisdictions: The stricter system of controls seems to have been adopted in answer to the view that owing to
their particular impact on audiences, films, videos and broadcasting require a system of prior restraints.

Historically, the scarcity of frequencies was thought to provide a rationale but TV has increased the # of
channels and may further increase them.

Still, the argument persists that broadcasting is the most influential means of communication, since it comes
into the home, and so much time is spent watching television. It has a unique impact on people and affects
children in a way that the print media normally does not, so that regulation is said to be necessary in order to
preserve pluralism.

RULING:

In VIEW WHEREOF, the petition is GRANTED. The writs of certiorari and prohibition are hereby issued,
nullifying the official statements made by respondents on June 8, and 11, 2005 warning the media on airing
the alleged wiretapped conversation between the President and other personalities, for constituting
unconstitutional prior restraint on the exercise of freedom of speech and of the press. SO ORDERED.

CHICO-NAZARIO, J., dissenting

NACHURA, J., dissenting

TINGA, J., dissenting and concurring

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CONSTITUTIONAL LAW 2 Case Digest Prepared by: Finessa Estigoy
Chavez v Gonzales
TOPIC: Freedom of Expression (Basic Principles)

VELASCO, JR., J., concurring and dissenting