SUBJECT: TOPIC: Date Made: Digest Maker: Freedom of Expression - Art. 3 Sec. 4 May 4, 201 Francis S!"ido PRESS CASE CASE NAME: NAME: In the Matter of the Allegatio Allegations ns Contai Contained ned in the Coluns Coluns of Mr! Mr! Aado Aado P! Ma"asaet PONENTE: J! #!T! #e$es Case Date: A!#. $, 200$ Case Suar$: Amado Amado Macasaet Macasaet,, p!"%is&e p!"%is&err of Ma%aya, Ma%aya, ne'spape ne'spaperr of #enera% #enera% circ!%a circ!%ation, tion, &ad artic%es artic%es in t&e (!siness (!siness )irc!i )irc!itt co%!mn co%!mn a"o!t a"o!t an a%%e# a%%e#ed ed "ri"e "ri"ery ry incid incident ent in t&e S) in*o%* in*o%*in# in# a %ady %ady +!stic +!stice. e. Ass Assist istant ant )o!rt )o!rt Administrator Mar!e noticed it, "!t since it 'as *a#!e, didnt rea%%y act on it. /&e next fe' artic%es t&o!#&, mentioned t&e S!preme )o!rt, ca%%in# for impeac&ment or resi#nation of t&e %ady !stice. Marites it!# faxed a %etter to +. nares-Santia#o asin# for information on 1 5er a%%e#ed re*ersa% of &er initia% decision in t&e case of 5enry 6o 7%ed to t&e dismissa% of #raft case 2 a%%e#ed 10M cas& #ift after said decision 3 Secretary t&at opened t&is #ift-'rapped "ox "!t fo!nd cas& inside 'as remo*ed after. +. nares-Santia#o nares-Santia#o t&en s&o'ed t&is %etter to Mar!e, denyin# a%% t&e statements t&ere. Mar!e to%d it!# t&is. it!# t&en faxed anot&er %etter, a%most t&e same as t&e 1 st one., t&e fo%%o'in# day, Macasaet named t&e secretary '&o 'as a%%e#ed%y 8red, )eci%ia 9e%is, piced !p %ast 8*e "oxes7': t&e cas& in Marc& co%!mns added to a#enda of )o!rt en "anc.
Macasaets story; a )&inese-Fi%ipino Macasaets )&inese-Fi%ipino "!sinessman '&o 'as ac!itted of a crime s!pposed%y %eft P10 mi%%ion in 8*e dicer, &er resi#nation 'as *o%!ntary and t&at &is story is fa%se 7s&e 'o!%d not &a*e "een tased to recei*e "oxes, as s!c& 'as a d!ty assi#ned to t&eir !ti%ity personne%? t&at it 'as &i#&%y !n%ie%y !n%ie%y for somet&in# as "%atant as @a "ri"ery attempt to &a*e "een done ri#&t in t&e doors of t&e )o!rt. 5er %etter a%so said t&at s&e and &er fami%y 'as s!da*it t&at s&e &ad no no'%ed#e of or &ad anyt&in# to do 'it& "ri"ery B correctin# erroneo!s info of Macasaet.
Ce's"r Ce's"rea ea 7it!# 7it!# posted posted on%ine on%ine artic%e artic%e a"o!t s!spected s!spected "ri"ery "ri"ery case 'it& pict!re pict!re of +. Santia#o. Santia#o. )ate#orica%%y denied "y &er, "%atant %ies aimed at smearin# &er c&aracter:person, ser*ed !diciary fait&f!%%y for 34 years. A%so #a*e copies of t&e a>da*it "y )eci%ia. Mar!e &e%d press conference, re%easin# to media copies of )eci%ias %etter to respo B t&e a>da*it and 'ritten statement of +. Santia#o. S) iss!ed reso%!tion, Macasaet made to exp%ain '&y &e s&o!%d not "e &e%d in indirect contempt. +. Santia#o too no part in t&e reso%!tion.
Dn*esti#ation Dn*esti#ation done, #at&ered a>da*its:testimonies a>da*its:testimonies from f rom parties in*o%*ed. (y &is o'n conc%!sion, t&e "oxes of money 'ere de%i*ered on di
S) in disc!ssin# t&is case #oes into a %on# ass disc!ssion on t&e nat!re and &istory of freedom of press 7"asta t&ey repeat e*eryt&in# a%% t&e cases 'e*e read so far says t&ey mention &ierarc&y &ierarc&y of %i"erties.
#ule of %a&: Artic%e 3 Section 4 of t&e P&i%ippine )onstit!tion;
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Co %a' s&a%% "e passed a"rid#in# t&e freedom of speec&, of expression, or of t&e press, or t&e ri#&t of t&e peop%e peacea"%y to assem"%e and petition t&e #o*ernment for redress of #rie*ances Detailed ,a"ts: 1 D pretty m!c& 'rote e*eryt&in# !p t&ere na. %o% inda &ard to s!mmarie it co damin# facts 7f!cin# %on# case es!s )&rist "asta p%a#iarism:inte#rity case s&it n# !stice dami ni%a nasasa"i &a&a&a Issue: H:C Macasaets ri#&t to freedom of expression J free press 'as *io%atedI C=. -olding: Freedom of t&e press m!st yie%d to o*erarc&in# interests, s!c& as t&e independence of t&e !diciary. Dn case t&e press o*ersteps its "o!ndaries in criticiin# t&e !diciary, t&e !diciary may resort to its contempt po'er, since t&e press may !nd!%y inK!ence t&e !diciary and ca!se pro"%ems in t&e administration of !stice. Zaldivar v Gonzales; freedom of speec& and expression, %ie a%% constit!tiona% freedoms, is not a"so%!te and t&at freedom of expression needs on occasion to "e ad!sted to and accommodated 'it& re!irements of e!a%%y important p!"%ic interests. =ne of t&ese f!ndamenta% p!"%ic interests is t&e maintenance of t&e inte#rity and order%y f!nctionin# of t&e administration of !stice. /&ere is no antinomy "et'een free expression and t&e inte#rity of t&e system of administerin# !stice. For t&e protection and maintenance of freedom of expression itse%f can "e sec!red on%y 'it&in t&e context of a f!nctionin# and order%y system of dispensin# !stice, 'it&in t&e context, in ot&er 'ords, of *ia"%e independent instit!tions for de%i*ery of !stice '&ic& are accepted "y t&e #enera% comm!nity. A##ra*atin# respondents a
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)arpio 9issent and &o' t&is decision disa#rees; 1 pres!mption of re#!%arity for t&e proceedin#s of t&e )ommittee. Macasaet &as to pro*e ot&er'ise 2 Macasaet not "ein# a"%e to cross-examine 'itnesses L:L denia% of d!e process. 5e ne*er asserted &is ri#&t to do so 3 )o!rt is "ereft of any po'er to in*oe t&e ri#&t to cross-examine t&e 'itnesses a#ainst respondent, for and in &is "e&a%f. =t&er'ise, t&e )o!rt 'i%% "e actin# as &is co!nse%, '&ic& is a"s!rd. #uling: Macasaet #!i%ty of indirect contempt
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