Supreme Court's final ruling: MTRCB suspension of evangelist's TV show legal

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) has affirmed with finality its ruling last year that upheld the legality of a three-month suspension imposed by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) on the television program of evangelist Eliseo “Bro. Eli” Soriano of Ang Dating Daan Church in 2004.

Voting 11-4, the High Court junked Soriano’s motion for reconsideration appealing its Apr. 29, 2009 decision that upheld the MTRCB’s suspension of his Bible exposition program aired on UNTV 37 for his use of offensive and obscene language.

In his appeal, Soriano said the suspension constitutes prior restraint and that the SC erred in finding his utterances as offensive and obscene. He insisted that the Court should have applied its policy of non-interference in cases of conflict between religious groups.

The SC said Soriano failed to consider that his television show, which is considered for general patronage, is accessible to children.

“The interest of the government in protecting children who may be subjected to petitioner’s invectives must take precedence over his desire to air publicly his dirty laundry,” the SC said.

The SC also reiterated its earlier ruling that a religious program is within the review and regulatory power of the MTRCB.

The exercise of religious freedom can be regulated by the state, according to the SC, “when it will bring about the clear and present danger of some substantive evil which the State is duty bound to prevent.”

The suspension order stemmed from a complaint filed by Iglesia ni Cristo minister Michael Sandoval, who hosts the television program Ang Tamang Daan. Sandoval felt Soriano alluded to him when he used obscene language.