Supreme Court has unanimously dismissed the petition of Larry Gadon, seeking to to stop the National Telecommunications Commission from giving ABS-CBN provisional franchise.
In their decision Tuesday, June 2, the Supreme Court en banc junked Gadon’s petition on the ground of “no legal standing,” the high court said in its decision, as published by its information office in a statement.
“Filing cases in the Supreme Court is a serious affair. It should never be considered except when all the requisites of judicial review are present. Certainly, it should never be contemplated by one who admits not suffering any legal injury.
“Petitioner could have been more circumspect. He will benefit more from restraint and huge dose of humility,” it said.
Prior to the dismissal of the petition, Gadon tried to withdraw it saying the “evil” that he wanted to prevent with the petition he filed “no longer exists.”
“Clearly, the acts sought to be enjoined did not materialize and had been overtaken by these events. Further the issues raised by herein petitioner had already been rendered moot and academic by the above-mentioned events,” Gadon said.
“Thus, in order not to waste the time of this Honorable Supreme Court, and to spare the handling ponente in resolving the herein petition, petitioner respectfully withdraws the same,” he added.
Meanwhile, ABS-CBN’s petition for TRO vs the NTC’s cease and desist order is still pending. Same with Solicitor General Jose Calida’s quo warranto petition although several legal experts said that it will also be dismissed for being moot since ABS-CBN’s franchise has already expired.
With ABS-CBN continued shutdown, the media network is losing up to P35 million a day and is at risk of starting layoffs by August.
