House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano broke his silence on the issue of ABS-CBN TV and radio broadcast shutdown.
In a statement, Cayetano reiterated Congress has the sole mandate in granting franchise renewal and said they “were all ambushed” last Tuesday by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) for not grating provisional authority to ABS-CBN despite its commitment last March 10.
“The NTC appears to have succumbed to pressure from the Solicitor General, and issued a cease and desist order to ABS-CBN,” Cayetano said.
“As for the sudden flip-flopping of the NTC and the unconstitutional meddling by the Solicitor General in the business of Congress, I promise you, there will be a reckoning,” he added.
The NTC earlier insisted on following the law of not allowing any media network to operate without a congressional franchise.
Solicitor General Jose Calida has questioned why Congress is yet to act on ABS-CBN’s franchise.
Meanwhile, Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor filed House Resolution 846 seeking to investigate Calida and the NTC over the ABS-CBN issue. He said they may convene as a committee of the whole to tackle the resolution and that Cayetano might tell what the Lower House will do with the ABS-CBN franchise on Monday.
House Legislative Franchises Panel Vice Chair Jonathan Sy-Alvarado stated it is not the right time for finger-pointing. He also believes it is just necessary to ask whether ABS-CBN committed violations on their original franchise and if they deserve a renewal. – Report from Daniel Manalastas
