Judge throws out case filed by ad group

A Makati judge has dismissed the petition of an outdoor advertisers’ group that sought to prevent the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) from doing away with oversized billboards, saying the organization lacked the legal standing to represent its members.

“In this case, the real parties in interest are the members of the petitioner association who stand to suffer direct injury as a result of the enforcement of the assailed MMDA Memorandum Circular No. 10, Series of 2011 and MMDA Regulation No. 04-004, Series of 2004,” Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 132 Judge Rommel Baybay said in his order.

He pointed out that even the witnesses presented by the Outdoor Advertisers Association of the Philippines (OAAP) had admitted that the group did not own or operate any billboard in Metro Manila.

“Not being an outdoor advertising service provider, petitioner possesses no right that stands to be directly affected by the assailed issuances,” Baybay said, referring to the two MMDA regulations.

“Any interest, therefore, that it has in the subject matter of the petition cannot be considered material or substantial,” he added.

The OAAP earlier sought to intervene in the case when the MMDA issued regulations covering the sizes of billboards displayed in the metropolis.