Palace backs SolGen on gag order plea on ABS-CBN franchise

Malacañang on Tuesday backed the petition of the Office of the Solicitor General asking the Supreme Court to order ABS-CBN not to discuss the merits of the quo warranto petition in public.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, a lawyer, said a gag order was necessary to avoid prejudgment in the case.

“Tama naman siya doon kasi parang nagiging emotional ang isyu on this particular topic,” Panelo said at a news conference.

Should the SC grant the OSG’s gag order plea, Panelo said members of Congress could still discuss the petition.

“Members of Congress, if they are doing their duty, I don’t think they can be stopped from asking question relative to the matter. Perhaps the resource persons can be covered, but not members of Congress,” Panelo said.

As for celebrities who have been vocal about the matter, Panelo said, “They can always speak themselves subject to the contempt power of the Supreme Court.”

ABS-CBN and its subsidiary, ABS-CBN Convergence, Inc. have five days from receipt of notice to respond to OSG’s motion for a gag order, according to SC spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka. —NB, GMA News