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In 2006, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago introduced Philippine Senate This Court holds that the respondent Senate Committees' inquiry does not
Resolution No. 455 (Senate Res. No. 455)," directing an inquiry in aid of violate their right to privacy
legislation on the anomalous losses incurred by the Philippines Overseas
Telecommunications Corporation (POTC), Philippine Communications One important limitation on the Congress' power of inquiry is that "the rights
Satellite Corporation (PHILCOMSAT), and PHILCOMSAT Holdings Corporation of persons appearing in or affected by such inquiries shall be respected." This
(PHC) due to the alleged improprieties in their operations by their respective is just another way of saying that the power of inquiry must be "subject to
Board of Directors." the limitations placed by the Constitution on government action." As held
in Barenblatt v. United States,"the Congress, in common with all the other
On May 8, 2006, Chief of Staff Rio C. Inocencio, under the authority of branches of the Government, must exercise its powers subject to the
Senator Richard J. Gordon, wrote Chairman Camilo L. Sabio of the PCGG, one limitations placed by the Constitution on governmental action, more
of the herein petitioners, inviting him to be one of the resource persons in particularly in the context of this case, the relevant limitations of the Bill of
the public meeting jointly conducted by the Committee on Government Rights."
Corporations and Public Enterprises and Committee on Public Services. The
purpose of the public meeting was to deliberate on Senate Res. No. 455. Zones of privacy are recognized and protected in our laws. Within these
zones, any form of intrusion is impermissible unless excused by law and in
On May 9, 2006, Chairman Sabio declined the invitation because of prior accordance with customary legal process. The meticulous regard we accord
commitment. At the same time, he invoked Section 4(b) of E.O. No. 1 earlier to these zones arises not only from our conviction that the right to privacy is
quoted. a "constitutional right" and "the right most valued by civilized men," but also
from our adherence to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which
On August 10, 2006, Senator Gordon issued a Subpoena Ad Testificandum mandates that, "no one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his
requiring Chairman Sabio and PCGG Commissioners Ricardo Abcede, Nicasio privacy" and "everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such
Conti, Tereso Javier and Narciso Nario to appear in the public hearing and interference or attacks."
testify on what they know relative to the matters specified in Senate Res. No.
455. In evaluating a claim for violation of the right to privacy, a court must
determine whether a person has exhibited a reasonable expectation of
Again, Chairman Sabio refused to appear. In his letter to Senator Gordon privacy and, if so, whether that expectation has been violated by
dated August 18, 2006, he reiterated his earlier position, invoking Section unreasonable government intrusion. Applying this determination to these
4(b) of E.O. No. 1. cases, the important inquiries are: first, did the directors and officers of
Philcomsat Holdings Corporation exhibit a reasonable expectation of
This prompted Senator Gordon to issue an requiring Chairman Sabio and privacy?; and second, did the government violate such expectation?
Commissioners Abcede, Conti, Javier and Nario to show cause why they
should not be cited in contempt of the Senate. The answers are in the negative. Petitioners were invited in the Senate's
public hearing to deliberate on Senate Res. No. 455, particularly "on the
In their answer, they raise Section 4(b) of E.O. No. 1 should which explicitly anomalous losses incurred by the Philippine Overseas Telecommunications
provides: Corporation (POTC), Philippine Communications Satellite Corporation
(PHILCOMSAT), and Philcomsat Holdings Corporations (PHC) due to the
Section 4(b) of E.O. No. 1 constitutes a limitation on the power of legislative alleged improprieties in the operations by their respective board of
inquiry, and a recognition by the State of the need to provide protection to directors." Obviously, the inquiry focus on petitioners' acts committed in the
the PCGG in order to ensure the unhampered performance of its duties discharge of their duties as officers and directors of the said corporations,
under its charter. E.O. No. 1 is a law, Section 4(b) of which had not been particularly Philcomsat Holdings Corporation. Consequently, they have no
amended, repealed or revised in any way. reasonable expectation of privacy over matters involving their offices in a
corporation where the government has interest. Certainly, such matters are
To say the least, it would require both Houses of Congress and Presidential
of public concern and over which the people have the right to information.
fiat to amend or repeal the provision in controversy. Until then, it stands to
be respected as part of the legal system in this jurisdiction This goes to show that the right to privacy is not absolute where there is an
overriding compelling state interest. In Morfe v. Mutuc, the Court, in line
Unconvinced, the Committee on Government Corporations and Public
with Whalen v. Roe, employed the rational basis relationship test when it
Enterprises and the Committee on Public Services issued an Order to place
held that there was no infringement of the individual's right to privacy as the
Chairman Sabio and his Commissioners under arrest for contempt of the
requirement to disclosure information is for a valid purpose. In Valmonte v.
Senate. The Order bears the approval of Senate President Villar and the
Belmonte, the Court remarked that as public figures, the Members of the
majority of the Committees' members.
former Batasang Pambansa enjoy a more limited right to privacy as
compared to ordinary individuals, and their actions are subject to closer
scrutiny. Taking this into consideration, the Court ruled that the right of the
people to access information on matters of public concern prevails over the
right to privacy of financial transactions.