MANILA – Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar on Thursday slammed international media reports that allegedly connecting ABS-CBN’s status to the President Rodrigo Duterte’s threats against the company.
“This assertion is remarkably erroneous, lacks objectivity and scant in factual basis. Simply, a false narrative,” Andanar said. “NTC’s (National Telecommunications Commission) cease and desist order is an independent and impartial decision.”
“Let us be reminded that President Duterte has accepted the apology of ABS-CBN Corporation and this thereby undermines any assumption that the President was behind NTC’s decision,” he added.
ABS-CBN’s shutdown on Tuesday evening made international headlines as rights groups, lawmakers, and the general public decried the shutdown during the coronavirus pandemic.
President Duterte had repeatedly threatened to block the renewal of the ABS-CBN franchise, which expired on May 4, over unaired political advertisements during the 2016 elections.
Late last year, President Duterte even urged the owners of ABS-CBN to just sell the company. But the Chief Executive accepted ABS-CBN’s apology over the issue of his unaired ad last February.
“This is not an issue of press freedom but an issue regarding legislative franchise. Democracy, and the free press and free speech that come with it, is very much alive in the country and effectively protected,” Andanar said.
“The mandate of a broadcast franchise issuance and renewal is within the authority of the Congress, and not solely of the President, who only signs the law to be executory,” he added.
“Decision regarding the legislative franchise of ABS-CBN falls within the purview and wisdom of Congress and ABS-CBN has the right to pursue any and exhaust all legal remedies it deems necessary to resolve the matter,” he further said.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, meanwhile, said that President Duterte cannot interfere with the matter since NTC is attached to the Department of Information and Communications Technology, it is a quasi-judicial body that functions independently.
“Kung ang Presidente po ay makikialam diyan sa NTC, ‘yan po ay krimen. Ito po ay paglabag doon sa code of conduct for local officials at labag din ito sa anti-graft,” he added./PN
