Ad firm denies causing accident at MRT

MANILA, Philippines - An advertising firm said yesterday it took sufficient precautionary measures in dismantling its billboard along the EDSA-bound rail line of the Metro Rail Transit the other day.

Clarifying reports that it caused an accident while it was conducting its operations, Media Puzzle said “there was no fire as reported, and the traffic accident was that our truck was hit from behind by a speeding car.”

In a statement, Pipo Soliman, Media Puzzle vice president, said they were the victims in a reported vehicular accident that took place during a dismantling operation last Thursday.

But Soliman stressed that it was not caused by neglect “on the part of our personnel on site,” adding that two traffic officers immediately rushed to the scene. “How could the incident cause a traffic jam when we were conducting our operations at 3 a.m.?” Soliman said.

He said a traffic accident report filed by policemen who responded to the scene showed that the parked Media Puzzle vehicle had installed an early warning device, blinkers, and pipes.

Soliman claimed that “rival firm Trackworks had been issuing false statements to the media to destroy the image of Media Puzzle.”

Trackworks and Media Puzzle are currently involved in a dispute over which of them is the rightful agency to sell ad space at MRT stations.