THIS TIME, NTC TARGETS ABS-CBN CABLE CHANNEL
THE National Telecommunications Commission ( NTC) will stop ABS-CBN Corp. from airing programs through one of its cable channels the NTC considers to be covered by the cease and desist order (CDO) it issued against the network last May 5.
NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba told members of the House of Representatives on Monday that the commission would not allow the continuous airing of ABS-CBN’s programs on Channel 43, which is assigned to the Amcara Broadcasting Network, and TVPlus, the network’s digital platform.
Cordoba made the assurance after some congressmen threatened to file graft charges against him for letting the media giant continue airing its programs despite being served the closure order.
ABS-CBN shut down its radio and broadcast operations a day after its franchise expired on May 5, while its cable and digital services continued.
Cordoba maintained that Channel 43 and TVPlus must be shut down, too, because they are covered by the network’s franchise.
“They shouldn’t have done it, your honors, as the ABS- CBN franchise that you mentioned has expired and the airing of the digital broadcast is wrong. That violates the CDO,” Cordoba responded to the query of Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Cavite Rep. Jesus Crispin Remulla.
He said the NTC would issue an alias CDO to stop the airing of programs on Channel 43, as advised by the Office of the Solicitor General.
ABS-CBN Chief Executive Officer
Carlo Katigbak said Channel 43 is part of a blocktime arrangement in which Amcara buys airtime from the network.
He, however, noted that the network would respect the decision of the NTC. At the same time, he appealed for Congress and the NTC to let them continue broadcast operations while the franchise application is pending.
“In the past, the NTC has permitted other companies whose franchises have expired but whose franchises are currently being deliberated on by Congress to continue po with their operations until such time as either the franchise application is approved or denied. So, we would like permission po to ask for the same privilege to be extended, sana (hopefully), to ABS in the spirit of fairness,” he said.
Katigbak stressed that shutting down TVPlus and Channel 43 “will affect about 11 million homes that have access to our service. That’s almost 55 million people that will lose access to their entertainment, their news and information.”
Remulla, Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Mike Defensor, and Sagip partylist Rep. Rodante Marcoleta said the NTC had eight weeks to close down Channel 43 and TVPlus.
Remulla moved for the committee to file a case against the NTC.
“I believe that we already found a ground for this committee to file a case with the Ombudsman against Commissioner Cordoba because he has willfully disobeyed the power of Congress to issue franchises and allowing an entity to operate without a franchise and earn money at the same time,” he said.