Francisco Chavez v. Raul M. Gonzales GR No. 168338, 15 February 2008 Ponente: Puno
FACTS: A year year follo follo!n" !n" t#e 200$ 200$ nat!on nat!onal al an% lo&al lo&al ele&t! ele&t!on' on',, Pre'' Pre'' Se&re Se&retar tary y ("na ("na&! &!o o )u )uny nye e %!'& %!'&lo lo'e 'e% % to t#e t#e *ubl *ubl!& !& #o #o t#e t#e o**o o**o'! '!t! t!on on *lan *lanne ne% % to %e'tab!l!+e t#e a%!n!'trat!on by relea'!n" an au%!ota*e of a ob!le *#one &on-er &on-er'at 'at!on !on alle"e alle"e%ly %ly betee beteen n Pre'! Pre'!%en %entt Glor!a Glor!a a&a*a a&a*a"al "al Arro Arroyo yo an% Co!''!oner Gar&!llano of t#e Co!''!on on /le&t!on' C//C. T#e &on-er'at!on a' alle"e% to #a-e been au%!o4ta*e% au%!o 4ta*e% t#rou"# !re4ta**!n". n une 8, 2005, re'*on%ent Se&retary Raul Gon+ale' of t#e e*artent of u't!&e arne% re*orter' re*orter' #o are !n *o''e''!on of &o*!e' of t#e 'a!% &on-er'at &on-er'at!on, !on, a' ell a' t#o'e broa%&a't!n" broa%&a't!n" &o*an!e' &o*an!e' an%7or *ubl!'#er' *ubl!'#er' t#at t#ey ay be #el% l!able un%er t#e Ant!4!reta**!n" A&t. Con'e9uently, t#e Nat!onal Tele&oun!&at!on' Co!''!on NTC !''ue% a *re'' relea'e 'tren"t#en!n" t#e *ro#!b!t!on on t#e %!''e!nat!on of t#e 'ae t#at t#e broa broa%& %&a' a't! t!n" n"7a 7a!r !r!n !n" " of 'u 'u&# &# !nfo !nforrat! at!on on '# '#al alll be ;u't ;u't &au' &au'e e for for t#e t#e 'u'*en'!on, re-o&at!on an%7or &an&ellat!on of t#e l!&en'e' or aut#or!+at!on' !''ue% !'' ue% by t#e Co! Co!''! ''!on. on. Pet!t!o et!t!oner ner Fran&!' ran&!'&o &o C#a-e+ C#a-e+ (SS>/: /: #et #et#e #err or not not t#e t#e a&t' a&t' of t#e t#e re'*o e'*on% n%en ent' t' abr! abr!%" %"e e free free%o %o of '*ee&# an% of t#e *re''. ?/: @e'. @e'. Generally, re'tra!nt' re'tra!nt' on free%o of '*ee&# an% e=*re''!on e=*re''!on are e-aluate% by e!t#er or a &ob!nat!on of t#ree te't', i.e., a t#e dangerous tenden tendency cy doctri doctrine, ne, #!&# l!!t' '*ee&# on&e a rat!onal &onne&t!on #a' been been e'tab 'tabll!'#e !'#e% % bet bete een t#e t#e '* '*e ee&# e&# re'tr e'tra! a!ne ne% % an% an% t#e %an" %an"e er balancin ing g of intere interests sts tests tests, a 'tan &onte*late% b b t#e t#e balanc 'tan%a %arr% #en #en &ourt' balan&e &onB!&t!n" 'o&!al -alue' a n% !n%!-!%ual !ntere't', an% & t#e clear and present danger rule #!&# re't' on t#e *re!'e t#at '*ee&# ay be re'tra!ne% be&au'e t#ere !' 'ub'tant!al %an"er t#at t#e '*ee&# !ll l!ely lea% to an e-!l t#e "o-ernent #a' a r!"#t to *re-ent. (t a**ear' a**ear' t#at t#at t#e "reat "reat e-!l e-!l #!&# #!&# "o-er "o-erne nent nt ant' ant' to *re-e *re-ent nt !' t#e a!r!n" of a ta*e re&or%!n" !n alle"e% -!olat!on of t#e ant!4!reta**!n" la.
?oe-er, re'*on%ent'D e-!%en&e fall' '#ort of 'at!'fy!n" t#e &lear an% *re'ent %an"er te't. Firstly, t#e -ar!ou' 'tateent' of t#e Pre'' Se&retary obfu'&ate t#e !%ent!ty of t#e -o!&e' !n t#e ta*e re&or%!n". Secondly, t#e !nte"r!ty of t#e ta*e% &on-er'at!on !' al'o 'u'*e&t. T#e Pre'' Se&retary '#oe% to t#e *ubl!& to -er'!on', one 'u**o'e% to be a E&o*lete -er'!on an% t#e ot#er, an Ealtere% -er'!on. Thirdly, t#e e-!%en&e of t#e re'*on%ent' on t#e #oD' an% t#e #oD' of t#e !reta**!n" a&t !' ab!-alent, e'*e&!ally &on'!%er!n" t#e ta*eD' %!erent -er'!on'. T#e !%ent!ty of t#e !re4ta**er', t#e anner of !t' &o!''!on an% ot#er relate% an% rele-ant *roof' are 'oe of t#e !n-!'!ble' of t#!' &a'e. Fourthly, "!-en all t#e'e un'ettle% fa&et' of t#e ta*e, !t !' e-en ar"uable #et#er !t' a!r!n" oul% -!olate t#e ant!4!reta**!n" la. e rule t#at not every violation of a law will ustify straitac!eting the e"ercise of freedo# of speech and of the press.
The need to prevent their violation cannot per se tru#p the e"ercise of free speech and free press, a preferred right whose breach can lead to greater evils. For t#!' fa!lure of t#e re'*on%ent' alone to oer *roof to 'at!'fy t#e &lear an% *re'ent %an"er te't, t#e Court #a' no o*t!on but to u*#ol% t#e e=er&!'e of free '*ee&# an% free *re''. T#ere !' no '#o!n" t#at t#e feare% -!olat!on of t#e ant!4!reta**!n" la &learly en%an"er' t#e national security of the State.
