Regional Trial Court Branch 44 Judge Neciforo Enot heard yesterday the petition against the implementation of the Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009.

The petitioners, represented by Vice Mayor Alan Gel Cordova, and councilors Joe Kenneth Arbas, Manuel Arbon, Antonio Remollo and Albert Aquino, asked the court for another five days to reply to the comment of the solicitor-general, who filed his comments on the case.

The next hearing is set on June 15

Cordova said they asked the court to first hear the petition for injunction due to time constraints and to treat the main case separately. But Enot said he decided to hear the two issues in one setting as the main case is intertwined with the prayer for injunction, he added.

Land Transportation Office chief Roland Ramos, meanwhile, manifested during the hearing that he has no recourse but to implement the law on July 29 after receiving orders from the LTO regional director.

The petitioners argued that Republic Act 10054 is arbitrary, confiscatory and a direct violation of one’s constitutional right to liberty and property, and the equal protection clause.

Meanwhile, the signature campaign in the barangays against the implementation of the law ended yesterday, with more than 9,000 signatures gathered.

Cordova said they do not want the campaign to be misconstrued as trying the case through publicity, especially with hearings ongoing before the RTC.*JG

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