SC releases audio of arguments on Cybercrime Law

MANILA, Philippines - For the first time in its 112-year history, the Supreme Court (SC) has released to the public a recording of its oral argument.

The SC public information office announced the audio recording of Tuesday’s oral argument on the constitutionality of Republic Act 10175 or Cybercrime Prevention Act can be downloaded from the high court’s website, www.sc.judiciary.gov.ph.

“You can now listen to or download the mp3 of the entire oral argument on the Cybercrime Act at the microsite for the Cybercrime Act orals at the SC website,” the SC PIO said in a text message to reporters.

Oral arguments of the high tribunal have been open to the public but recording of the hearings is prohibited under SC rules.

Even the media are barred from recording the proceedings in the high court. Reporters are not allowed to use audio or video recorders while covering oral arguments.

Proceedings of the SC in its session hall are strictly closed door. Not even the clerk of court is allowed inside the chamber when the justices are deliberating on cases during their full-court sessions.

Results of the deliberations are only relayed by the chief justice or acting chair of the SC to the clerk of court after the proceedings.

This is why court observers viewed the move to make public recording of the oral argument as a positive step toward transparency in the high court.

Meanwhile, petitioners against RA 10175 yesterday lauded the SC justices for their deep understanding of issues surrounding the questioned law.

Lawyer Jose Jesus Disini Jr., one of the petitioners who argued for the unconstitutionality of some provisions in the cybercrime law before the high tribunal, believes the justices took time to understand how the Internet works to be able to understand the contentions cited in the petitions.

“Their questions were very relevant. They did their homework,” he said.

The 68-year-old Associate Justice Roberto Abad, who is tasked to write the court’s decision on the case, admitted during the public hearing that he has a Facebook account. The youngest member of the high court, Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, has a Twitter account.

Also during the hearing, justices talked about the 840,842 followers on Twitter of actor Derek Ramsey and the popular Twitter user “Professional Heckler.”

The collection of private data by websites Google and Amazon were also discussed during the debate.

Also cited in the hearing was Christopher Lao, the lawyer who received enormous criticisms online after berating a traffic officer he had taken to task for not being informed of flooding in a street.

In the early part of the debate, an exchange between Justice Leonen and former colleague at the UP College of Law, professor Harry Roque Jr. on the issue of cybersex triggered laughter among the observers.

“Can there be sexual activity without favor?” Leonen asked Roque, who laughed as he replied: “I take it as a rhetorical question, your honor.”