EDITORIAL – Supreme Court - a touchstone of hope

Once again, the Philippine Supreme Court has proven itself as an impartial institution truly worthy of the trust of a people aching to believe in something in face of a widespread decay in morals.

On Friday, voting 10-5, the High Court upheld the primacy of press freedom by striking down as unconstitutional the warnings issued by at least two government agencies against the public airing of the so-called Garci Tapes.

The Supreme Court said the warnings issued by the justice department through Secretary Raul Gonzales and the National Telecommunications Commission constituted prior restraint and therefore violated the tenets of press freedom.

The only time prior restraint may be validly slapped on the press is when the security of the state demands so. But the Supreme Court, in a decision penned by Chief Justice Reynato Puno himself, said it has not been established that airing the tapes would imperil the state.

That this is the same Supreme Court that rejected not too long ago an action by a group of high-profile self-righteous members of the press who felt they cannot be held accountable for their actions shows the admirable capacity of this court to act with judicious objectivity.

Had this court been afflicted with the proclivity to pander to what is popular or hip at the moment, then it would have gone along with what the biased sectors of the media have been flapping about -- that the right to cover the news supplants all other rights enjoyed by others.

Certainly this latest two actions of the Supreme Court can go a long way in reassuring the people that, at least, there is still an institution left standing amid the chaos, a repose of last resort.

Our hope now is that, having exercised its duty with admirable wisdom and probity, the Supreme Court decision will not backfire, as the Garci Tapes will now undoubtedly be exploited to its fullest potential to do harm by an opposition that wants power at whatever cost.