The Supreme Court voted 9-6 to stop the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from implementing its resolution that imposed a cap on airtime of campaign advertisements for the coming elections.
Under the rule, at the start of the campaign period, Feb. 12, all national candidates will have 120 minutes in all TV networks and 180 minutes in all radio stations. Local candidates, meanwhile, have 60 minutes in all TV networks and 90 minutes in all radio stations.
But petitioner Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as well as media outlets GMA7, TV5 and Bombo Radyo also filed separate petitions with the high court questioning the legality of the Comelec resolution.
Cayetano said Comelec Resolution 9615 is unconstitutional since it limits the people’s right to information by putting a limit on the advertising time of a candidate
GMA7 said the resolution and its amendment Resolution No. 9631 are both too restrictive.
For its part, TV5 said the new rule failed to provide for a definite manner in which aggregation shall be made thus making it difficult or impossible for media outlets to comply while subjecting them with possible criminal liability and loss of franchise permits.
