TO conform with a Supreme Court order, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board on Monday issued a memorandum circular allowing political advertisements to be displayed on public utility vehicles once campaign period starts in 2016.
Ariel Enrile Inton Jr., LTFRB board member, said that the agency will not favor any political bet or party over another.
“LTFRB does not have the hand in choosing what people want to advertise,” he told The Standard.
Although LTFRB is under the supervision of the Department of Transportation and Communications, headed by Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya who is a Liberal Party officer, Inton said the board always takes an unbiased position.
Chairman Winston Ginez, along with the Inton and another board member, Ronaldo Corpus, issued Memorandum Circular 2015-29, giving buses, jeepneys, trains, taxicabs, ferries, pedicabs and tricycles the authority to post, display or exhibit any election campaign propaganda.
In a 24-page decision dated April 14, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the 1-United Transport Koalisyon represented by Vigor Mendoza that filed a petition questioning the Commission on Elections’ Resolution No. 9615.
SC Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes’ resolution that it is legal for public utility vehicles to be used in election campaign.
“The right to express one’s preference for a candidate is… part of the fundamental right to free speech Thus, any governmental restriction on the right to convince others to vote for a candidate carries with it a heavy presumption of invalidity,” the order read.
“We corrected or changed our old circular to conform with the high court’s order,” Inton said. “Our job is just to regulate the placement of the political advertisements within the vehicle and issue an order [of approval].”