Palace reporters condemn ABS-CBN shutdown
MANILA, Philippines — Reporters covering President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday joined media groups and journalism educators in condemning the National Telecommunications Commission's (NTC) issuance of a cease and desist order against ABS-CBN, calling it a "shameless and blatant attack on press freedom."
The Malacañang Press Corps (MPC) noted that NTC's decision came after Solicitor General Jose Calida had warned against granting ABS-CBN a provisional authority that would allow the network to operate after the expiration of its franchise on May 4.
The shutdown happened despite an earlier commitment by NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba to the House legislative franchises committee that a provisional authority would be granted to the television network, MPC said.
READ: Malacañang Press Corps statement on the cease and desist order against ABS-CBN. | via @alexisbromero pic.twitter.com/8KaGC1bPoT
— Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) May 6, 2020
"The confluence of events shows us that this is an orchestrated attack in part against ABS-CBN, and on the whole, an attack against press freedom by agents of the government who are only too willing to please their master. They have done it before. They are doing it again," MPC said in a statement.
"We demand that the NTC honor its commitment to Congress to issue a provisional authority to ABS-CBN and to leave the issue of the franchise renewal to Congress," it added.
MPC said Congress dilly-dallied on bills renewing ABS-CBN's franchise until it was too late. The group said May 5, 2020, the day ABS-CBN went off the air, was "one of the darkest moments in the history of Philippine media."
"We urge the members of Congress to act with dispatch on the application of ABS-CBN. Malacañang recently claimed the president could not intervene with the NTC decision, although this view is not shared by the Department of Justice," MPC said.
"Given the differences in views within the executive branch, the resolution of this issue now lies in the hands of Congress. We hope that the members of Congress will vote with their conscience and principles," it added.
MPC also expressed solidarity with the more than 11,000 workers of ABS-CBN who are at risk of losing their livelihood because of the shutdown.
"We call on our colleagues in the media profession to unite in the face of this attack. We know this for what it is. Whether done in the dark days of Martial Law or under the broad sunlight of a supposed democracy, attacks against press freedom will only succeed when we are divided," the group said.
- Latest
- Trending
