Bulacan court voids law naming road after cigarette firm

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines — A court in Bulacan has nullified a local law naming a road in Malolos City after a cigarette company.

Malolos Regional Trial Court Branch 81 Judge Hermenegildo Dumlao II said Provincial Ordinance 10-2014, which changed the name of Andres Bonifacio Road in Barangay Tikay to Mighty Road, is  “null and void and without legal effect.”

Dumlao said the ordinance, which was passed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and signed by Gov. Wilhelmino Sy Alvarado in November 2014, violated  Republic Act 10066 or the National Cultural Heritage Act as well as the revised guidelines of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines on naming and renaming of streets, public schools, plazas, buildings, bridges and other public structures.

The court ordered the removal of Mighty Road signages and to replace them with those bearing the name Bonifacio Road.

Retired judge Adoracion Angeles filed a complaint last year questioning the renaming of the road, saying it was on the behest of retired judge Oscar Barrientos, who was executive vice president of the cigarette firm Mighty Corp. at the time.

Angeles said the “urgent request” to change the name of the road was in preparation for the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the  cigarette company.

Residents were never consulted on the change of name, she added.

Angeles said naming the road after a cigarette brand was “very demeaning, humiliating, insulting, damaging and injurious” and affected the heritage, dignity and honor of residents of Barangay Tikay.