Kapatiran to SC: Comelec must provide free ads to nat'l bets

The Ang Kapatiran Party (AKP) on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to compel the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to provide free airtime and print space to national candidates, which the party claims is required by law. In a petition, the AKP through its secretary general Norman Cabrera and legal counsel Jose M. Jose requested the SC to order the Comelec to immediately implement sections 7 and 8 of Republic Act 9005 or the Fair Election Practices Act of 2001. The poll body, under section 7, is given the authority to equally provide national candidates free air time and print space from at least three national television networks and national newspapers, respectively. The ads will be aired or printed on three different days during the election period. Section 8, on the hand, states that the Comelec could also procure print space and air time for the dissemination of election-related concerns, which include interviews with candidates on their platforms or programs of government. “This requirement was intended to give candidates equal opportunities under equal circumstances to make known their qualifications and stand on public issues and promote the holding of free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible elections through fair election practices," the group said. Comelec, in a separate text message, deferred from commenting on the matter. AKP said it has decided to elevate the matter to the high tribunal after the poll body gave an "ambivalent" response to their earlier request dated March 16. The group said they have written the Comelec for four times and the body responded only through sending them an excerpt from the minutes of their en banc meeting held last March 22 “wherein the…Comelec merely resolved to note the foregoing matter without taking any action." "By failing to act favorably on petitioner AKP’s letter [the] Comelec unlawfully neglected the performance of an act which the law specifically enjoins as a duty, to the grave prejudice of petitioner AKP’s nine candidates for national office given the limited campaign period before the holding of the 10 May 2010 elections," AKP said. The party, which claims to espouse non-traditional politics, has fielded Olongapo Council JC de los Reyes as standard bearer with Dominador "Jun" Chipeco as running mate. AKP also has seven senatorial candidates, namely: Manuel "Manny" Valdehuesa, retired Col. Hector "Tarzan" Tarrazona, Reginald "Regie" Tamayo, Rizalito "Lito" David, and lawyers Jo Aurea "Jo" Imbon, Grace Riñoza-Plazo, and Adrian Sison.—Aie Balagtas See/JV, GMANews.TV