MANILA, Philippines - Pelted with a hail of restraining orders from the Supreme Court, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. has thrown in the towel on one of his initiatives â€“ an extended liquor ban.

As journalists approached him for an interview yesterday, Brillantes jokingly stepped away, explaining that he needed a drink.

â€œKaya ako lumalayo, humahanap ako ng alak, kasi gusto kong uminom. Walang liquor ban eh. Na-TRO kami (Iâ€™m moving away because Iâ€™m looking for liquor, because I want to drink. Thereâ€™s no liquor ban, we received a TRO),â€ he told reporters, referring to the Supreme Court (SC)â€™s temporary restraining order.

Brillantes said he was not disappointed by the latest TRO, covering Comelec Resolution No. 9582, â€œbecause I will have three more days to drink.â€

The ban, which extended the liquor ban from two to five days, would have started yesterday, but the Comelec withdrew the resolution.

â€œWe will accept the fact that the liquor ban is now for two days again. We will follow the SC. What Iâ€™m saying is that itâ€™s the MMDA that asked for the extension,â€ he added.

The poll chief was referring to the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA, which proposed a 45-day liquor ban to minimize election violence. The Comelec found this too long and extended the period mandated by law by only three days.

Dealers of alcoholic beverages challenged the order before the SC, pointing out that the law imposes a liquor ban only on election day and its eve.

Section 261 (dd) (1) of the Omnibus Election Code imposes a ban on â€œany person who sells, furnishes, offers, buys, serves or takes intoxicating liquor on the days fixed by law for the registration of voters in the polling place, or on the day before the election or on election day.â€

Hotels and other establishments certified by the Department of Tourism as â€œtourist-oriented and habitually in the business of catering to foreign touristsâ€ may be exempted â€œfor justifiable reasons upon prior authorityâ€ of the Comelec, according to the Election Code.

Foreign tourists may drink in these establishments.

MMDA saddened

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said that while the agency respects the SCâ€™s order, he would continue to advocate for a liquor-free election campaign period to reduce the number of road accidents and election violence caused by alcohol intoxication.

â€œWe are saddened by the issuance of the temporary restraining order against the liquor ban. But we will comply with the TRO issued by the high tribunal,â€ Tolentino said.

For lack of time, he said the MMDA would not seek a reconsideration of the SC order.

He said his proposal was not meant to disrupt the operations of liquor manufacturers and dealers but to protect public health.

He cited the 2013 Global Status Report on Road Safety of the World Health Organization (WHO), which said 1.24 million people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes, with driving under the influence of liquor (DUI) tagged as one of the leading causes.

â€“ Sheila Crisostomo, Mike Frialde