MANILA – Malacañang deemed it “illegal” to grant broadcast firm ABS-CBN a provisional license to operate pending the renewal of its expiring franchise in May.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a media briefing that the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has no authority to grant a provisional authority in favor of the network.
“A provisional authority cannot be legal because the NTC cannot give provisional authority if there is no franchise. If the franchise expires, then there is nothing to give provisional authority for an extension,” Panelo said.
Lawyer Lorenzo Gadon has recently filed a petition for prohibition to SC, asking it to issue a temporary restraining order against the NTC from complying with the House of Representatives’ appeal to the commission to grant ABS-CBN a provisional authority to operate “from May 4, 2020, until such time that the Congress has made a decision on its application.”
Gadon, in his petition, said the NTC has no jurisdiction to issue a permit to operate when ABS-CBN’s franchise expires since its functions are “merely regulatory and supervisory.”
The Palace spokersperson stated that ABS-CBN’s fate depends on the Congress’ approval of a bill renewing its 25-year franchise.
“To put an end to any question on the legality and constitutionality, pass a bill, make it into law, grant them provisional authority,” Panelo urged the Congress.
ABS-CBN’s franchise expires on May 4 this year, in the event that Congress and Duterte fail to give their nod on the network’s bid for an extension of its legislative franchise for another 25 years.
The congressional franchise of ABS-CBN was granted on Mar. 30, 1995 but the broadcast operations of the local media giant only started 15 days after./PN
