Solons slam NTC's cease and desist order vs. ABS-CBN

Lawmakers in the House of Representatives on Tuesday slammed the order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on broadcast giant ABS-CBN to stop its operations after its franchise expired.

During the plenary session of the chamber, Gabriela Women's Party Representative Arlene Brosas said the looming halt in ABS-CBN's operations endangers the livelihood of its thousands of employees and robs millions of Filipinos of a valuable source of news amid the COVID-19 crisis.

She urged her fellow lawmakers to fast-track their deliberation on the ABS-CBN franchise renewal bills currently pending before the House.

"The ball has been always in our court. Unfortunately, the House dribbled the time away until we reached this kind of exigency and brazen clamp down on the freedom of the press. ABS-CBN should remain on air," she said.

"Hindi kami papayag sa Gabriela Women's Party at Makabayan Bloc na ipilit ng NTC ang kautusang ito. Hindi tayo dapat pumayag na manaig ang kapritso at tiraniya. Press freedom should be upheld most especially during the critical time when Filipinos seek the light at the end of the tunnel," she added.

ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro issued a similar statement and called on the lawmakers to not let the executive branch usurp the Congress' sole power to grant or reject legislative franchises.

"Huwag tayong pumayag na gawin ng executive branch na makubkob ang ating trabaho bilang legislator. Nasa ating mga kamay yung pagbibigay ng franchise sa ABS-CBN at iba pa," she said.

"So huwag sanang pumayag ang lideratong ito na tayo ay kubabawan ng executive at tanging trabaho ng legislators ang ganun," she added.

For his part, Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate said the NTC's move is a "blow to its independence as a regulatory body" as it obviously succumbed to the threats of Solicitor General Calida, as well as blow to the freedom of the press.

Calida earlier warned commissioners of the NTC that they could face graft charges if they would give broadcast giant ABS-CBN a provisional authority to operate after its franchise expired.

"But there is still hope. It is imperative now that in the ten-days that was given for ABS-CBN to comply, Congress can already fastrack the hearing and resolve the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN so that the network can continuously go on air," Zarate said.

Meanwhile, Ako Bicol party-list Representative Alfredo Garbin Jr. said the NTC's order is "inappropriate" and "insensitive" to the plight of the Filipino people in the fight against COVID-19.

"ABS-CBN plays a huge role in our fight against the virus, not only in terms of information dissemination, but also in terms of civil society assistance to the government efforts and in securing employment to the thousands of its employees," he said.

Garbin implored NTC to immediately recall its order not only out of respect to Congress but also in compliance with laws and and out of delicadeza to the Filipino people.

Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, on the other hand, stressed that the issue on the ABS-CBN franchise could have been solved had the House extended it outright.

He pointed out that the House leadership's request on NTC to grant ABS-CBN a provisional authority to operate after its franchise expires, as well as the commission's announcement that it would indeed issue such authority, "were all part of the charade."

"While the Congress is in session and during the effectivity of the cease and desist order, the House of Representatives can prioritize the enactment of the long-pending franchise renewal to which there is no formal or credible opposition," he said.

Agusan Del Norte Representative Lawrence Fortun, for his part, demanded NTC to appear before the House in a question hour to explain its order.

"If they refuse to attend, Congress has the power to subpoena them. If they disregard the subpoena of Congress, they can be compelled to attend Question Hour," he said.

"I implore upon the NTC to reconsider their action. There is still time for them to take it back. If they do not then they risk wrath of the fire and brimstone kind," he added.

ABS-CBN said it will go off air on Tuesday night following the cease and desist order of the NTC. —LDF, GMA News