The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) opposed the proposed Senate Bill 1530 and House Bill 7923 that seeks to provide a ‘holdover franchise’ for the alleged ABS-CBN-owned firm, Amcara Broadcasting Corp.
According to The Manila Times, the proposed bills were supposed to amend Section 18, Book 7, Chapter 3 of Executive Order 292, or also known as the Administrative Code of 1987.
NTC released their statement through the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) saying that the proposed bills violate the Constitution.
NTC argued that the two bills ‘suffer from legal infirmities.’
“However, both bills suffer from legal infirmities which may render the subsequent law as void and unconstitutional. These issues should be raised before Congress lest these bills become laws, which could lead to grave consequences later on.
“The grant of a broadcasting franchise cannot be covered by Book 7 of Executive Order No. 292 because such grant is not a mere administrative procedure. A legislative franchise is distinct from a regular license or permit issued by administrative agencies,” said NTC.
To recall, in July 2020, Cavite 7th District Rep. Jesus Crispin Remulla claimed that the Amcara Broadcasting Network is a “dummy” of ABS-CBN.
He said that ABS-CBN has a block-time agreement with Amcara.
It was revealed that ABS-CBN provided Amcara with equipment while the latter also uses the signal of ABS-CBN in its broadcasting.
Remulla concluded that this clearly shows that Amcara and ABS-CBN are having a “dummy relationship.”
ABS-CBN chairman Carlo Katigbak responded to Remulla’s claims explaining that “a block-time arrangement is not a usufruct” and is considered as standard practice in the broadcasting industry.
