MANILA, Philippines—The Supreme Court upheld a three-month suspension imposed on the religious television program, “Ang Dating Daan,” back in 2004 for the use of offensive and obscene language by its evangelist-host Eliseo “Brother Eli” Soriano.
In a full court decision issued on March 15, the high tribunal ruled with finality against Soriano's motion for reconsideration, affirming its original ruling last April 29, 2009 in favor of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB)'s disciplinary action against Ang Dating Daan.
Voting 11-4, the Supreme Court rejected Soriano's argument that the suspension imposed by the MTRCB constituted “prior restraint” on the media and that his language during the show's August 10, 2004 broadcast was not obscene and offensive.
The high court reminded Soriano that “the medium he used to make his statements was a television broadcast which is accessible to children of virtually all ages.”
“As already laid down in the decision subject of this recourse, the interest of the government in protecting children who may be subjected to petitioner’s invectives must have precedence over his desire to air publicly his dirty laundry,” the court went on, pointing out that Soriano's use of vulgar language was not appropriate for a program with a “G” or for general audience rating.
The high court also rejected Soriano's claim that the court should stay out of cases of conflict between religious groups.
It said even religious programs were covered by the MTRCB's regulatory power.
The Supreme Court said the exercise of religious freedom could be regulated by the state “when it will bring about the clear and present danger of some substantive evil which the state is duty bound to prevent.”
The MTRCB took action against Ang Dating Daan based on a complaint filed by the religious group Iglesia ni Cristo led by Michael Sandoval, INC minister and host of television program, “Ang Tamang Daan.”
Sandoval complained that Soriano slandered him in Ang Dating Daan by calling him names.
Soriano countered that the INC implied in their show that he was asking for an extravagantly huge amount of contributions.
Those who concurred with the decision penned by Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. were Associate Justices Renato Corona, Antonio Nachura, Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, Arturo Brion, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Mariano Del Castillo, Martin Villarama Jr., Jose Perez and Jose Mendoza.
Chief Justice Reynato Puno and Associate Justices Antonio Carpio, Conchita Carpio-Morales and Roberto Abad dissented.
In his separate opinion, Carpio insisted that the show's suspension “indiscriminately infringes upon free speech.” Citing a landmark case in the United States, he said while Soriano’s utterances might be indecent he still enjoyed the constitutional protection for free speech.
In a full court decision issued on March 15, the high tribunal ruled with finality against Soriano's motion for reconsideration, affirming its original ruling last April 29, 2009 in favor of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB)'s disciplinary action against Ang Dating Daan.
Voting 11-4, the Supreme Court rejected Soriano's argument that the suspension imposed by the MTRCB constituted “prior restraint” on the media and that his language during the show's August 10, 2004 broadcast was not obscene and offensive.
The high court reminded Soriano that “the medium he used to make his statements was a television broadcast which is accessible to children of virtually all ages.”
“As already laid down in the decision subject of this recourse, the interest of the government in protecting children who may be subjected to petitioner’s invectives must have precedence over his desire to air publicly his dirty laundry,” the court went on, pointing out that Soriano's use of vulgar language was not appropriate for a program with a “G” or for general audience rating.
The high court also rejected Soriano's claim that the court should stay out of cases of conflict between religious groups.
It said even religious programs were covered by the MTRCB's regulatory power.
The Supreme Court said the exercise of religious freedom could be regulated by the state “when it will bring about the clear and present danger of some substantive evil which the state is duty bound to prevent.”
The MTRCB took action against Ang Dating Daan based on a complaint filed by the religious group Iglesia ni Cristo led by Michael Sandoval, INC minister and host of television program, “Ang Tamang Daan.”
Sandoval complained that Soriano slandered him in Ang Dating Daan by calling him names.
Soriano countered that the INC implied in their show that he was asking for an extravagantly huge amount of contributions.
Those who concurred with the decision penned by Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. were Associate Justices Renato Corona, Antonio Nachura, Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, Arturo Brion, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Mariano Del Castillo, Martin Villarama Jr., Jose Perez and Jose Mendoza.
Chief Justice Reynato Puno and Associate Justices Antonio Carpio, Conchita Carpio-Morales and Roberto Abad dissented.
In his separate opinion, Carpio insisted that the show's suspension “indiscriminately infringes upon free speech.” Citing a landmark case in the United States, he said while Soriano’s utterances might be indecent he still enjoyed the constitutional protection for free speech.
for your information...hindi nagtatago si bro. eli noh...ibabalita ba sya sa cnn na isang tanyag na filipino pagdating sa religious acts...kayo talaga mapagimbento..
ReplyDeleteeh kung hindi sya nagtatago,can you tell us where is that loser? He should go home and 'face the music' (meaning ang sandamukal na kaso nakasampa laban sa kanya. Your beloved 'puno' is clearly a fugitive
ReplyDeletekatoliko ako... pero laking paslamat ko kay bro eli., na kahit ipag usig ng tao di natinag..maisiwalat lang ang mga maling aral ng katoliko na talagang wala sa Bibliya...imbes na nagalit ako kay bro eli. nagsuri ako..at dun ko napatunayang wala sa Bibliya ang lahat ng aral ng kaotliko..salamat sayo bro eli...kakampi mo ang tunay na Dios, wala kang dapat ikabahala..
Deletebat gusto mo malaman, para maipapatay nyo?nagsasabi ng totoo yung tao. manloloko naman talaga kayo
DeleteARVIN
Ang hirap kc syo eh, mananamba sa dios diosan, magbasa ka ng biblia ng matuto ka.
ReplyDeleteAng hirap sa atin mga pilipino mas nanaisin pa na manghawak sa mali wag lang mapahiya. Sana matuto na tayo na tumanggap ng tama. Wala napo tayo sa panahon ng mga prayle na mga hipocrito.
ReplyDeleteMarami lang akong nakita na mga dating mga drug pushers, drug users, malulupit sa kapwa na mga katoliko dati na nung marinig si Eli Soriano silay pawang nagbago. Ngayon ay aktibong naglilingkod at tumalikod sa masama.
Parang silay nagamot.
tama. pagnakasumpong kayo ng katotohanan, balikwas agad, wag ng padelay delay pa, lalo na wag ng lumaban sa aral.
DeleteARVIN
Itoy ay nagpapanggap lang na katoliko pero sa likod ng kanyang pagkatao siya ay isang crayola... DefensorKatoliko, lumabas ka sa iyong mundo. Ang mundo ay hindi pilipinas... binubuo ito ng mga bansa. Check him in your internet and you will find that there are other people who believed in his preaching even foreigners. How can you say that he is a loser if you can't face him in any formal debate? Remember that our Christ suffer persecution and death on the cross even he doesn't have sin... how about your false christ? Don't waste your time publishing this kind of none sense reaction. Our justice system here is really worst and worth one peso only.
ReplyDeletebading po ba si eli boy?
ReplyDeletebading po ba si eli boy?
ReplyDeleteFor me I don't believe that A catholic is a Christian which they are claiming that they are Christians. The doctrine of catholicism is very contradict on a Christian way. There is no born Christian. Hew will called a Christ after He received Christ and follow his ways. In Act 11:26.
ReplyDeleteHINDI BADING KUNDI BADING NA BADING
ReplyDeletemaghunos dili kayo mga katoliko...labag sa utos ng Dios ang mga pinaggagawa nyo...nasusuklam ang Dios
ReplyDelete4 HUWAG KANG GAGAWA para sa iyo ng larawang inanyuan o ng kawangis man ng ANOMANG anyong nasa itaas sa langit, o ng nasa ibaba sa lupa, o ng nasa tubig sa ilalim ng lupa: 5Huwag mong yuyukuran sila, o paglingkuran man sila; sapagka't akong Panginoon mong Dios, ay Dios na mapanibughuin, na aking dinadalaw ang katampalasanan ng mga magulang sa mga anak, hanggang sa ikatlo at ikaapat na salin ng lahi ng mga napopoot sa akin;
EXODUS 20:4-5
15 Ingatan nga ninyong mabuti ang inyong sarili; sapagka't wala kayong nakitang anomang anyo nang araw na magsalita ang Panginoon sa inyo sa Horeb mula sa gitna ng apoy: 16 Baka kayo'y mangagpakasama, at kayo'y gumawa sa inyo ng isang larawang inanyuan na kawangis ng alin mang larawan, na kahawig ng lalake o babae,
Deuteronomy 15:15-16
tameme yung DEFENSOR KATOLIKO, wala kasing maipakitang bible verse sa mga aral nilang PAGANO eh
ReplyDeletemasyado kayo mapaghasik hindi tinik kinakain ang salita ng dyos
DeleteYan ba ang tinuro sa inyo ng ating Diyos? Yung makipag-away sa kapwa nila? Ang ironic lang kasi.. iba-iba tayo ng mga relihiyon pero iisa lang Diyos natin.. bakit? Kasi wala tayong binanggit dito kundi "Diyos" kay nag-iisa lang siya. Kailangan ba natin pag-awayan yan? Yan ba yung natutunan nating lahat? Alam ko na may Diyos pero sorry di na ko naniniwala sa mga relihiyon kung ganito rin pala ang tinuturo sa atin. Yung tinuturo sa atin na yang (insert religion) ganyan.. di yan maganda.. mga ganung bagay. Haay na lang. Kailan ba tayo magkakaisa. Nakakalungkot. Di ba kayo nalulungkot. Di ba kayo nagtataka. Oo.. matatag kayo sa Diyos pero yan ba gusto ng Diyos natin? Kaya siya siguro hindi siya nagpapakita sa ating lahat kasi di tayong handa tanggapin ang isa't isa. Di tayo handang magkaisa. Kasi yun naman ang gusto niya para sa mga anak niya.. diba?
ReplyDelete