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GMA Network, Inc. Vs. Commission on Elections/ABC Devt. Corp. Vs. COMELEC/Manila Broadcasting Co., Inc., et al. Vs. COMELEC/Kapisanan ng mga Brokaster ng Pilipinas, et al. Vs. COMELEC/Radio Mindanao Network, Inc. Vs. COMELEC [Concurring Opinion J. Leonen]

G.R. No. 205357 - GMA NETWORK, INC., petitioner, v. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS, respondent; SENATOR ALAN PETER "COMPANERO" S. CAYETANO, petitioner-intervenor; G.R. No. 205374 ABC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, petitioner, v. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS, respondent; G.R. No. 205592 - MANILA BROADCASTING COMPANY, INC. and NEWSOUNDS BROADCASTING NETWORK, INC.; petitioners, v. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS, respondent; G.R. No. 205852 - KAPISANAN NG MGA BRODKASTER NG PILIPINAS (KBP) and ABS-CBN CORPORATION, petitioners, v. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS, respondent; G.R. No. 206360 - RADIO MINDANAO NETWORK, INC., petitioner, v. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS, respondent. [Concurring Opinion J. Leonen]

G.R. No. 205357/G.R. No. 205374/G.R. No. 205592/G.R. No. 205852/G.R. No. 206360 | 2014-09-02

EN BANC
 
CONCURRING OPINION

LEONEN, J.:
 
I concur and vote to grant the petitions.

At issue in tl}is case is the Commission on Elections' (COMELEC) more restrictive interpretation of Section 6.2 of Republic Act No. 9006 or the Fair Election Act resulting in further diminution of the duration of television and radio advertising that candidates may have during the 2013 elections. )'his section provides:
 
Sec. 6. Equal Access to Media Time and Space. - All registered
parties and bona fide candidates shall have equal access to media
time and space. The following guidelines may be amplified on by
the COMELEC:
...