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THE DIOCESE OF BACOLOD, REPRESENTED BY THE MOST REV. BISHOP VICENTE M. NAVARRA AND THE BISHOP HIMSELF IN HIS PERSONAL CAPACITY, PETITIONERS, VS. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS AND THE ELECTION OFFICER OF BACOLOD CITY, ATTY. MAVIL V. MAJARUCON, RESPONDENTS. [SEPARATE CONCURRING OPINION PERLAS-BERNABE, J.]

THE DIOCESE OF BACOLOD, REPRESENTED BY THE MOST REV. BISHOP VICENTE M. NAVARRA AND THE BISHOP HIMSELF IN HIS PERSONAL CAPACITY, PETITIONERS, VS. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS AND THE ELECTION OFFICER OF BACOLOD CITY, ATTY. MAVIL V. MAJARUCON, RESPONDENTS. [SEPARATE CONCURRING OPINION PERLAS-BERNABE, J.]

G.R. No. 205728 | 2015-01-21

SEPARATE CONCURRING OPINION
 
PERLAS-BERNABE, J.:
 
I concur with the ponencia that the COMELEC’s Notice to Remove Campaign Materials dated February 22, 2013 and Letter dated February 27, 2013 (the COMELEC issuances) ordering the immediate removal of the tarpaulin subject of this case are null and void for being unreasonable restrictions on free speech. I, however, disagree in the approach the ponencia takes in decreeing the same. This stems from my view that the said COMELEC issuances constitute content-neutral and not content-based regulations as the ponencia so holds, reasoning that “the content of the tarpaulin is not...