Don Vicente Yap Sotto and the Supreme Court on the Press Freedom Law

Don Vicente Y. Sotto was required by the Supreme Court on December 7, 1948 to show cause why he should not be punished for contempt for his comments that appeared in the newspapers. The subject of the criticism of Don Vicente Sotto is the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Angel Parazo dated December 3, 1948. Parazo, a reporter and editor of a local newspaper in Manila reported that there was a leak of the questionnaires of the Bar Examinations conducted by the Supreme Court in 1948.

The Supreme Court summoned Angel Parazo and investigated him, he was required to reveal the source of his news alleging the leak of the questionnaires. The report said that there were bar examinees who were able to see the mimeographed copies of the bar questions.

Angel Parazo declined and refused to reveal his news source. The reporter argued that he cannot be forced by the Supreme Court to reveal his source as it is protected by Republic Act 53 or the Press Freedom Law authored by Senator Vicente Y. Sotto.

The Supreme Court however said in justifying the punishment given on Angel Parazo that the law provides an exception, that is when "the interest of the State" the reporter, editor or publisher of a publication cannot refuse to reveal its news sources. The report of Angel Parazo came out on September 14, 1948.

Don Vicente Y. Sotto attacked the decision of the Supreme Court he said that majority of its members are ignorant and narrow minded. After submitting his answer, Sotto who admitted what he wrote was required by the Supreme Court to personally appear before the High Tribunal on January 4, 1949. This was postponed to January 10, 1949.

Don Vicente continued with his attack against the Supreme Court. When he came to Cebu to speak before the Rizal Day Celebration at the Abellana High School (now Abellana National School) he again attacked the Supreme Court.

The Rizal Day speech of Sotto appeared in the Manila Bulletin copy on January 3, 1949. This angered the Supreme Court, they defended themselves by saying that the Press Freedom Law authored by Don Vicente was not absolute and there were exceptions, and one of which is the case of Angel Parazo.

Then on January 21, 1949 the Supreme Court En Ban the majority of its members decided that Don Vicente Sotto should be punished for contempt and given the penalty to pay a fine and be disbarred from the roll of attorneys.

Don Vicente Yap Sotto, a lawyer and a sitting member of the Senate at that time continued to defy the Supreme Court arguing that his law, the Press Freedom Law protects reporters from revealing news sources an important element of a strong media. Don Vicente Yap Sotto died on May 28, 1950 with the Supreme Court having failed to stop and punish him. His body lies at the Cebu Memorial Park together with the remains of his wife, Maria Ojeda of Dumanjug, Cebu.