Alcover reacts to hint to ban radio blocktimers during elections

CEBU, Philippines - ANAD Partylist Representative Pastor “Jun” Alcover expressed his dismay over the recent pronouncements of some officials of the Commission on Elections officials to ban radio block timers during elections.

“That is highly unconstitutional if such pronouncement will happen,” Alcover said in an interview with The FREEMAN.

Himself a radio block timer for 25 years, Alcover said that while they are not members of the Kapisanan ng mga Broadcaster sa Pilipinas, it does not follow that all blocktimers are “buluyagon”.

“Nagtoo diay sila nga kung membro ka sa KBP, angel na ka? Unya ang mga blocktimers, mga demonyo?” Alcover asked.

Earlier, Comelec spokesman Lionel Castellano was quoted as saying that there are times when block timers would cause “some trouble” because of what they broadcast over the radio, which the public has the tendency to take in as gospel truth.

Alcover said Comelec cannot just ban block timers off-air, as they enjoy the freedom of speech guaranteed by the Constitution.

 “Blocktimers are also covered with the basic laws like the freedom of speech,” he said.

Blocktimers are those that buy air time from radio stations to broadcast their own programs. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/JMO (THE FREEMAN)