ANSON-ROA SEEKS TO CRIMINALIZE ADVERTISING AUTHORSHIP OF GOVERNMENT PROJECTS IN BILLBOARDS March 22, 2004 Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) senatorial candidate Boots Anson-Roa proposed yesterday that the posting of billboards carrying the name and picture of politicians showing authorship of government projects be made a criminal offense. The multi-awarded actress, who is running for the Senate under the ticket of presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. and his runningmate, Senator Loren Legarda, said that if elected in the May election, she would author a bill criminalizing the act of advertising the name and photo to politicians responsible for putting up government projects. "The construction of government projects is not owed to any particular person except the government. Therefore, there is no reason for publishing the name or photo of any particular politician in billboards," said Anson-Roa, one-time voted outstanding alumna of the University of the Philippines. Earlier, Anson-Roa filed a petition with the Supreme Court calling for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, or for her to take leave of absence on account of her alleged misuse of public funds and government facilities in her campaign for the presidency. "We ought to prevent a replication of the abuse of any sitting president or any other politician on the use of government funds and facilities in the future," she added. The KNP senatorial bet pointed out that politicians have the propensity of advertising their authorship of government projects just to earn "pogi" points, especially during the time of elections. Anson-Roa proposed a penalty of six years imprisonment and a fine of P20,000 for the act of advertising the name and picture of government officials on billboards, showing they are responsible for infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges and waiting sheds.