- The media network went off air last Tuesday, May 5, in compliance with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) cease and desist order
Malacañang in a statement thanked ABS-CBN for its service to the Filipino people especially in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The media giant went off air on May 5, Tuesday, after its broadcasting franchise, Republic Act No. 7966, expired.
Eleven bills were filed seeking ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal but none of them were enacted by the House of Representatives.
“In the absence of a legislative franchise, as we have earlier said, ABS-CBN’s continued operation is entirely with the NTC’s decision,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday, May 5, in a statement.
ABS-CBN is “free to exhaust all legal remedies available to it,” said Roque.
“We thank the network for its services to the Filipino nation and people, especially in this time of COVID-19. But in the abscence of a legislative franchise, as we have earlier said,ABS-CBN’s continued operation is entirely with the NTC’s decision.”
Last March, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) announced that it will issue a provisional authority to allow ABS-CBN and its subsidiaries to operate until June 2022, while Congress continues to deliberate on the renewal of its franchise. But the agency reneged on its promise and instead ordered a cease and desist order against the media giant.
This came after Solicitor General Jose Calida warned NTC officials that they may face graft charges if they permit a “provisional authority” to ABS-CBN which would allow it to continue operating.
The Solicitor General previously filed a quo warranto petition before the Supreme Court seeking to invalidate the franchise of the media giant and its subsidiary, ABS-CBN Covergence Inc. over alleged violations, which the company denied.
House Committee on Legislative Franchise Chairman Rep. Franz Alvarez then slammed NTC for succumbing to Calida’s pressure and breaking the agreement.
ABS-CBN’s franchise was previously threatened by President Rodrigo Duterte for allegedly not airing a 2016 ad that he paid for and instead showed a TV spot that was critical of him and was paid by his critic, former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV. The network also faced allegations of tax deficiencies and unpaid debts.
In a Senate hearing last February, ABS-CBN Corporation’s president and chief executive officer Carlo Katigbak apologized for airing an ad that offended Duterte. He also cleared that the network does not have its “own political agenda”. He also explained that some of his local ads were not aired due to their shorter airtime allocation.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), on the other hand, said ABS-CBN has not violated any corporate laws and has regularly paid its taxes for the past years contrary to the allegations.
In ABS-CBN’s official statement on Tuesday, the network said that despite the shutdown they would still continue to help the Filipino people.
“ABS-CBN remains committed to being in the service of the Filipino and we will find ways to continue providing meaningful service to them.”
