Audio podcast cuts through Supreme Court's 'dignified silence'

When Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno was appointed to head the Supreme Court last August, she announced that the court would return to the days of "dignified silence." The high court would not be so silent after all, not with all the communications tools at its disposal. In an unprecedented leap into cyberspace, the SC uploaded on its website Tuesday a complete audio recording of the oral arguments on the controversial Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.  

Traditionally, such oral arguments are not allowed to be broadcast live by any means.

 

However, the audio recording was made available on the Supreme Court website just hours after the arguments ended. The recording can likewise be downloaded.

 

"You can now listen to or download the MP3 of the entire oral arguments on the Cybercrime Act at the micro site for the Cybercrime Act orals at the SC website," the Supreme Court Public Information Office told reporters in a text message. The prompt posting of audio of the court proceedings appears to be the handiwork of Ted Te, the new head of the SC's public information office and a lawyer who has actively used social media to comment on issues facing the court.

 

The Cybercrime Law is being contested for allegedly violating constitutional rights on free expression and due process among others.

Apart from the audio recording, the special microsite also featured summaries of all of the 15 petitions questioning the law.

 

The microsite contained a tabular presentation of the contested sections of the law, along with the respective arguments of the petitioners and the government, through the Office of the Solicitor General.

 

Links to the high court's special bulletins and advisories on the oral arguments can also be found on the microsite.

 

The SC PIO informed reporters, through a text message, about the microsite a day before the oral arguments.

 

"For a quick summary of the 15 petitions v RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Act, go to sc.judiciary.gov.ph/features/oral_arguments/cybercrime/203453.php. Thanks," the SC PIO said.

 

These changes in how the SC PIO disseminates information to the media came on the heels of the announcement of human rights lawyer Theodore Te as the next chief of the SC PIO. Te however until now has yet to officially take the post as he is still working his papers with the University of the Philippines, where he teaches law.

 

The posting of the audio recording is considered a break from the usual, as the high court does not usually make such recordings available to the public.

 

Breaking from tradition

 

 

Live video feed of the oral arguments is usually projected to a white screen at the lobby of the Supreme Court to accommodate more observers who would be unable to enter the session hall. But reporters are not also allowed to record the audio or video coming from this feed.

 

In her first official statement as chief justice, Sereno in August said the high court would be going back to the "golden days of dignified silence," when the justices are only "heard" by the public through their resolutions.

 

Sereno stressed that instead of media interviews eating up her and her staff's time, they would rather focus on their jobs inside the high court, even as they ensure that the Supreme Court comes up with "clear and categorical" actions that would be free from misinterpretation.

 

Even though Sereno declined interviews, she assured the public that the SC's various offices will engage the media and the public to provide "accurate and timely information." — TJD/HS, GMA News