the press will end up printing "praise" releases and that is no way for the people to know the truth

Macasaet writes a daily column, "Business Circuit," in Malaya, a newspaper of general circulation. In the 18-21 September 2007 issues of Malaya, Macasaet ran a story, based on information obtained from confidential sources, of an alleged bribery in the Court committed as follows: on separate occasions in the second week of September 2007,² five³ boxes containing cash worth P10 million were delivered to the Court and received by a certain "Cecilia," a staff of an unnamed lady Justice, who opened one of the boxes and saw its contents. Forthwith, the Justice terminated "Cecilia’s" employment. The payoff was made allegedly in connection with a decision rendered by the Justice "acquitting" a Filipino-Chinese businessman. Macasaet’s story, which carried commentaries on the state of the judiciary and reputation of judges,⁴ exhorted "Cecilia" to divulge everything she knows about the alleged bribery and the Court to investigate the matter.

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[T]he Constitution did not conceive the press to act as the cheer leader of government, including the judiciary. Rather, the press is the agent of the people when it gathers news, especially news derogatory to those who hold the reins of government. The agency is necessary because the people must have all available information before they exercise their sovereign judgment. As well observed: "The newspapers, magazines, and other journals of the country, it is safe to say, have shed and continue to shed, more light on the public and business affairs of the nation than any other instrument of publicity; and since informed public opinion is the most potent of all restraints upon misgovernment, the suppression or abridgement of the publicity afforded by a free press cannot be regarded otherwise than with grave concern." As agent of the people, the most important function of the press in a free society is to inform and it cannot inform if it is uninformed. We should be wary when the independent sources of information of the press dry up, for then the press will end up printing "praise" releases and that is no way for the people to know the truth

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EN BANC

A.M. No. 07-09-13-SC             August 8, 2008
RE: IN THE MATTER OF THE ALLEGATIONS CONTAINED IN THE COLUMNS OF MR. AMADO A.P. MACASAET PUBLISHED IN MALAYA DATED SEPTEMBER 18, 19, 20, AND 21, 2007