Ateneo de Manila University urges lawmakers to act on ‘forced shutdown’ of ABS-CBN

The Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) has called on lawmakers to act immediately to renew the franchise of ABS-CBN and restore its broadcast operations.

In a memorandum addressed to the ADMU community on Wednesday, University president Fr. Jose Ramon Villarin underscored that the cease and desist order of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on ABS-CBN has deprived each and every Filipino citizen of a "vital source of information, entertainment, and public service."

"We urge our lawmakers to act post-haste to approve the ABS-CBN franchise and restore its broadcast," Villarin said.

"Filipinos need ABS-CBN now, especially now during these urgent times of the pandemic, when information provided by our country's broadcast journalists spells the difference between life and death for our citizens, most of whom still get their news from television and radio," Villarin said.

Villarin claimed that the NTC order "made good the threats from President Rodrigo Duterte to block ABS-CBN's franchise renewal, for reasons of his own"

"Congress took the cue, failing to schedule hearings, even as the franchise expiration date drew near," Villarin said.

In the "forced shutdown" of the ABS-CBN, Villarin said the ADMU community had seen the shades of martial law almost 50 years ago, when "the airwaves went silent as the dictatorship sought to quell the free exchange of news, information and commentary."

"ABS-CBN's closure extinguishes the brightest light in our information firmament and leaves the smaller ones in darkness and peril," Villarin said.

On Tuesday, the NTC issued a cease and desist order against ABS-CBN to operate its various television and radio broadcasting stations nationwide, absent a valid congressional franchise which lapsed on May 4, 2020.

ABS-CBN complied with the order as it signed off on Tuesday night.

The NTC said the broadcasting company may still seek legal remedies and may challenge or appeal its order. — RSJ, GMA News