Chavez v. COMELEC, 211 SCRA 315 G.R. G.R. No. 162777 A!"!

st 31 2##$

Francis Xavier Sinon; Election Laws Case No. 1%

FACTS: Francisco Chavez, on various dates, entered into formal agreements ith certain esta!lishments to endorse their "roducts. &!rs!ant to t'ese a"ree(ents t'ree )ill)oar*s were set !+ alon" t'e ,alintawa- .nterc'an"e o/ t'e Nort' E0+resswa1. 2ne )ill)oar* s'owe* +etitioner +ro(otin" t'e +lastic +ro*!cts o/ 3on-a .nternational &lastics 4an!/act!rin" Cor+oration an* t'e ot'er two s'owe* +etitioner en*orsin" t'e clot'es o/ %65 Nort'. 2ne (ore )ill)oar* was set !+ alon" Ro0as ,o!levar* s'owin" +etitioner +ro(otin" t'e "a(e an* a(!se(ent +arlors o/ G6,o0. On #ecem!er $%, &%%$, ho ever, "etitioner filed his certificate of candidac' for the "osition of Senator on &%%$. After a ee(, COMELEC issued )esolution *o. +,&% hich contained Section $& and directed Chavez to com"l' ith the said "rovision. 7Section 32. All +ro+a"an*a (aterials 000 an* all a*vertise(ents on +rint in ra*io or on television s'owin" t'e i(a"e or (entionin" t'e na(e o/ a +erson w'o s!)se8!ent to t'e +lace(ent or *is+la1 t'ereo/ )eco(es a can*i*ate /or +!)lic o//ice s'all )e i((e*iatel1 re(ove* )1 sai* can*i*ate an* ra*io station +rint (e*ia or television station wit'in 3 *a1s a/ter t'e e//ectivit1 o/ t'ese i(+le(entin" r!les; ot'erwise 000 9t'e1: s'all )e +res!(e* to 'ave con*!cte* +re(at!re ca(+ai"nin" in violation o/ Section ;# o/ t'e 2(ni)!s Election Co*e.< -e then re.uested the COMELEC that he !e e/em"ted from the a""lication of Sec $&, considering that the billboards adverted to are mere product endorsements and cannot be construed as paraphernalia for premature campaigning under the rules. The COMELEC, ho ever, ordered Chavez to remove or cause the removal or to cover them from "u!lic vie "ending the a""roval of his re.uest. ='!s &etitioner C'ave> !r"es t'is co!rt to *eclare t'e assaile* +rovision !nconstit!tional. -e argues that the !ill!oards, hile the' e/hi!it his name and image, do not at all announce his candidac' for an' "u!lic office nor solicit su""ort for such candidac' from the electorate. ='e1 are 'e clai(s (ere +ro*!ct en*orse(ents an* not election +ro+a"an*a. &ro'i)itin" t'ere/ore t'eir e0'i)ition to t'e +!)lic is not wit'in t'e sco+e o/ t'e +owers o/ t'e C24ELEC 'e concl!*es. 0SS1E: ?'et'er Section 32 o/ C24ELEC Resol!tion No. 652# is an invali* e0ercise o/ +olice +ower. )1L0*2: *O. A close e/amination of the assailed "rovision reveals that its "rimar' o!3ectives are to "rohi!it "remature cam"aigning and to level the "la'ing field for candidates of "u!lic office, to e.ualize the situation !et een "o"ular or rich candidates, on one hand, and lesser4(no n or "oorer candidates, on the other, !' "reventing the former from en3o'ing undue advantage in e/"osure and "u!licit' on account of their resources and "o"ularit'. ='e latter is a vali* reason /or t'e e0ercise o/ +olice +ower.

4oreover +etitioner cannot clai( t'at t'e s!)@ect )ill)oar*s are +!rel1 +ro*!ct en*orse(ents an* *o not anno!nce nor solicit an1 s!++ort /or 'is can*i*ac1. An*er t'e 2(ni)!s Election Co*e 7election ca(+ai"n< or 7+artisan +olitical activit1< is *e/ine* as an act *esi"ne* to +ro(ote t'e election or *e/eat o/ a +artic!lar can*i*ate or can*i*ates to a +!)lic o//ice. .t is tr!e t'at w'en +etitioner entere* into t'e contracts or a"ree(ents to en*orse certain +ro*!cts 'e acte* as a +rivate in*ivi*!al an* 'a* all t'e ri"'t to len* 'is na(e an* i(a"e to t'ese +ro*!cts. Bowever w'en 'e /ile* 'is certi/icate o/ can*i*ac1 /or Senator t'e )ill)oar*s /eat!rin" 'is na(e an* i(a"e ass!(e* +artisan +olitical c'aracter )eca!se t'e sa(e in*irectl1 +ro(ote* 'is can*i*ac1. ='ere/ore t'e C24ELEC was actin" well wit'in its sco+e o/ +owers w'en it re8!ire* +etitioner to *iscontin!e t'e *is+la1 o/ t'e s!)@ect )ill)oar*s. ./ t'e s!)@ect )ill)oar*s were to )e allowe* can*i*ates /or +!)lic o//ice w'ose na(e an* i(a"e are !se* to a*vertise co((ercial +ro*!cts wo!l* 'ave (ore o++ort!nit1 to (a-e t'e(selves -nown to t'e electorate to t'e *isa*vanta"e o/ ot'er can*i*ates w'o *o not 'ave t'e sa(e c'ance o/ len*in" t'eir /aces an* na(es to en*orse +o+!lar co((ercial +ro*!cts as i(a"e (o*els. Si(ilarl1 an in*ivi*!al inten*in" to r!n /or +!)lic o//ice wit'in t'e ne0t /ew (ont's co!l* +a1 +rivate cor+orations to !se 'i( as t'eir i(a"e (o*el wit' t'e intention o/ /a(iliari>in" t'e +!)lic wit' 'is na(e an* i(a"e even )e/ore t'e start o/ t'e ca(+ai"n +erio*. ='is wit'o!t a *o!)t wo!l* )e a circ!(vention o/ t'e r!le a"ainst +re(at!re ca(+ai"nin"