MANILA – Senator Alan Peter Cayetano has secured a temporary restraining order (TRO) against a negative political advertisement against his running mate, presidential race front runner Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

Cayetano said he was able to get a TRO from a Taguig court against the advertisement. The TRO is for 72 hours or 3 days.

The senator named as respondents ABS-CBN Corp., its chairman Eugenio Lopez III, CEO and President Carlo L. Katigbak, Vice Chairman Augusto Almeda-Lopez, Chief Operating Officer Socorro Vidanes, and Corporate Sales Head August Benitez.

Cayetano sought court relief after ABS-CBN aired the anti-Duterte advertisement, which was paid for by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

The ad, which showed children reacting to some of Duterte's controversial remarks and acts, including his cursing of Pope Francis and his comment about the rape-slay of an Australian missionary, caused an uproar in social media.

In a press conference, Cayetano said the "malicious" ad is the latest black propaganda hatched by a conspiracy composed of Malacanang, Mar Roxas and Grace Poe. He said there are ongoing talks to convince either Roxas or Poe to give way to the other in an effort to defeat Duterte in the polls.

"This is as bad as 'Hello, Garci.' This is interfering with the sovereign will of the Filipino people," he said.

Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma, however, denied Cayetano's allegations, saying the Palace is focused on conducting clean elections.

Cayetano questioned the timing of the release of the ad, saying that it will be too late for their camp to reply or counter the ad before Election Day.

He also accused ABS-CBN of banning one of his ads, which contained TV footage from the last vice-presidential debate conducted by the network.

ABS-CBN management, however, denied banning the airing of Cayetano's TV ad.

"ABS-CBN did not block the airing of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano's political advertisement. The ethics committee only requested that the footage showing our network executives in the 'Harapan ng Bise' debate be edited out from the ad. However, we did not receive the revised material," the company said.

'OMINOUS SIGN'

Trillanes slammed the TRO, saying it is an ''an attempt to block the truth from coming out and shatter the myth that they have propagated. This is the first ominous sign of the things to come under a Duterte presidency."

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez earlier explained that airing of political ads against a candidate is not against the law.

"Partisan political activity is defined specifically as any activity which is in favor of or against a candidate. So, an ad can be for someone or against someone," Jimenez said.

According to Jimenez, the poll body does not have the power to censor the content of political ads.

The Comelec can only monitor the duration of the ad on a per station basis, he said.

The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board earlier said that it is Comelec which has sole jurisdiction to regulate political ads under the Fair Elections Act.

'LEGITIMATE AD'

In a statement, ABS-CBN said it had nothing to do with the production of the political ad, and that it was "duty bound to air a legitimate ad."

"The controversial political advertisement being talked about in social media, which aired on ABS-CBN, was produced and paid for by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV. Prior to the airing, ABS-CBN’s ethics committee reviewed the content of the material, which complies with the requirements of pertinent election laws," the company said.

ABS-CBN pointed out that Comelec guidelines prohibit radio and television stations from discriminating against any candidate or political party in the sale of air time.

"By airing the said commercial, ABS-CBN is being consistent with COMELEC guidelines, which prohibit radio or television stations to discriminate in the sale of air time against any political party or candidate. We are duty bound to air a legitimate ad."

ABS-CBN on Friday said it has received the TRO and will respect the order.