Smiles, laughter and relief suddenly replaced the atmosphere of anger and outrage among rallyists when the information from inside the Supreme Court was shared that the justices unanimously voted to issue a 120-day temporary restraining order (TRO) on Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
“We did it!”, enthused one rallyist.
Yes, another demonstration of the power of a vigilant public. A total of 15 petitions were filed with the Supreme Court questioning the legality of some provisions of the Cybercrime Prevention Act, particularly the part on online libel.
The 120-day TRO gives us respite and should allow us to celebrate Christmas with lesser stress. That should give us time to recharge when the battle resumes. The SC will hold oral arguments on the controversial law on January 15, 2013.